It's been a month, Dear Readers! Buckle up and get ready for a wild ride as I regale you with the epic tale of relocating our family from the sunny shores of San Diego to the charming, if not WINDY, town of Andale, Kansas—with horses, kids, and dogs in tow! Trust me, it wasn't as smooth as butter on a pancake, but we created memories that will be fond one day... in the distant future.
Our family had it all: sun-kissed beaches, palm trees swaying in the Pacific Ocean breeze, and endless waves luring surfers with their siren songs. My husband, who grew up in South Dakota, did not agree that ours was a paradise. He wanted to get back to the midwest before he's forced to retire in a few years... and our 2.6 acres in North County, San Diego, was not quite the affordable life he had in mind.
Trusty T-Bone and Zeus were ready for their journey after a week of packing the barn into the trailer. Four-legged diva, Honey, my darling, young chestnut mare OTTB, had other plans! Twice she refused to load into that trailer like a stubborn teenager avoiding chores. We mustered all our persuasive powers, laden with carrots, hands-full of grain, and promises of endless pastures, but she simply flicked her tail in defiance, planted her feet, and stretched her neck as far as she could, in effort to reach her hay bag, which was juuuuuust out of reach unless she was, in fact, inside the trailer with all four feet.
Meanwhile, stall neighbors had a front-row seat to this equine extravaganza. I'm sure they had a great laugh watching Evan and me prance around, attempting to coax a gloriously baby chestnut mare onto the trailer. It was like a comedy show; Evan doing his best horse whisperer impression, and me trotting around like a chicken with its head cut off. Oh, the things we do for our beloved equine family members!
And so, our caravanserai journeyed from San Diego to Andale, with horses hooves tapping to the beat of adventure. We bid farewell to surfboards and sandy beaches, trading them for golden prairies and the symphony of crickets. Life took a wild turn, and I hope it's all worth it!
Now, we find ourselves basking in the quaint charm of Andale, Kansas. Our horses are still boarded in Augusta till the end of October. It's better than neglecting them while we try to dig out from under mountains of boxes, and I can't help but chuckle at the absurdity of it all.
Saddle up and embrace the unexpected twists and turns that life throws your way. Someday you'll look back with the understanding that these wildly chaotic days are actually the best days of your life.
For now, I am ditching the boxes and littles for the weekend... I'm taking Evan, and going to see Jason in Indianola, IA. It's Homecoming, and I want to see my boy. I'm close enough to drive to see him, and I'm complete.