Life with Mary and Jay

After spending more than a combined 50 years in Virginia, we are heading out on the open road to travel for the next 12-ish months with the goal of finding out where we hope to live forever.

It’s been roughly a year since we got married, and in the time since we have known each other we have experienced:

• living through a global pandemic;
• living together in two different places together (in two separate cities);
• moving a combined six times;
• getting engaged;
• planning and holding our wedding;
• selling a house;
• hunting for a new home;
• selling a car;
• leaving a job and so much more!

Throughout all of this stress, we planned to purchase a home in the Hampton Roads area and even put in several offers. However, after getting beat out on a few homes and the current insane housing market, we felt stuck. What we would do if we couldn’t find a house to buy? Would we keep renting?

Then, Jay’s job had an opportunity that would take us out of state. After some deliberation, and many tears (from me), we decided we would take the chance and move. I put in my notice at my job, and we began looking at houses in Pennsylvania.

However, the opportunity changed just as quickly as it began, and now we were given a chance to move anywhere – well, almost anywhere (within reason, and with a few stipulations).

What would this mean for us? And where would we go?

After lots of conversations – and I mean, a LOT of conversations, we settled setting out on an ADVENTURE. We were going to travel the country to find our forever home! This was something that neither of us had ever done, or ever even considered. Both Jay and I are type A, however, we both saw the opportunity in front of us and couldn’t pass it up.

With Jay’s job allowing us to be flexible, and a rough plan in front of us, we decided to head out on the road to ultimately decide where we would like to live – hopefully forever.

To do this, we chose to not renew our apartment lease, get a UPS mailbox, and put most of our things in a storage. The planning was filled with MANY hiccups and problems to solve – but how many people are truly given this kind of opportunity? We would be a fool to not take advantage of this! But, still it wasn’t without tears. I was leaving behind almost all of my friends, my job, and my old “life,” but I was also excited to experience new adventures and places with my new husband since we haven’t had a chance to travel much due to COVID-19.

So, here we are. Aug. 14, 2022. It is our last day living in Virginia.

From now on we have:

No physical home or home address.

One truck between the two of us.

Almost all of our things in storage.

And, we have never been more excited.

Here’s to living life in the not-so-fast lane for a bit!