Once we made the decision to return to RV life, selling the house became the first step in making that dream a reality.
Sometimes life has a way of reminding you that you're exactly where you're supposed to be.
When we mentioned to one of our neighbors that we were thinking about selling, they suggested we speak with another neighbor before putting the house on the market. They were pretty sure someone they knew would be interested.
They were right.
We showed the house that day, and by that evening we had a signed contract.
Just like that.
It all happened so quickly that it felt like more than coincidence. It felt like God was opening the next door for us and confirming we were following the path He had planned.
With the house sold, we faced the next challenge...
What in the world were we going to do with all of our stuff?
Greg and I have only been married for 12 years, and we'd lived in this house on Posey Hollow Road for just two and a half years. It's amazing how much a person can accumulate in such a short amount of time. Every closet, cabinet, and corner seemed to hold things we had forgotten we even owned.
As difficult as the downsizing process was, what I knew I would miss most wasn't the furniture or the decorations.
It was the memories.
My favorite part of the house was my sewing room and quilting room. The sewing room was filled with shelves of colorful fabric waiting to become quilts, bags, and gifts. Across the hall was my quilting room, where I spent countless hours creating what I like to call a little bit of magic with Miss Moxie, my longarm quilting machine.
But that's a story for another day.
Outside, I had spent two years building a garden that brought me so much joy. In fact, I was already making plans for what I wanted to plant in the spring.
Then there were the rose bushes.
Those may have been the hardest thing to leave behind.
I had planted a yellow rose in memory of my late husband and a pink rose for Greg's late wife. Every spring they bloomed as a quiet reminder that although love sometimes ends too soon, the memories never fade.
Knowing I wouldn't be there to watch them bloom again brought more tears than I expected.
But sometimes the hardest goodbyes make room for the greatest adventures.
Although we left behind a house we loved, we're carrying every one of those memories with us. They helped shape who we are, and they'll always be part of our story.
Now it's time to begin making new memories.
A new home.
New roads.
New campgrounds.
New friendships.
And countless adventures waiting just beyond the next bend.
Have you ever had to leave a place that held special memories? We'd love to hear what was hardest for you to say goodbye to.
Every big adventure starts with a single step, and for us, that step was walking onto an RV lot.
After spending several years away from full-time RV living, it was exciting to see just how much the industry had changed. Floor plans had evolved, interiors felt more like luxury homes, and there were so many new features we hadn't seen when we were on the road before.
Our first day of shopping took us to two dealerships in the Knoxville area: Campers Inn RV and A&L RV Sales. We arrived full of excitement...and left with even more questions than answers.
At Campers Inn, we toured two Riverstone models. Riverstone had always been our dream coach during our first full-time RV journey. In fact, if we hadn't decided to purchase a traditional home in 2020, there's a good chance we would have upgraded to one back then. Walking through those same floor plans years later brought back a lot of memories and reminded us why we had loved them in the first place.
Later that day, we visited A&L RV Sales to take our first look at Brinkley fifth wheels. We toured the G4150 along with another model that, unfortunately, I can't remember now. At the time, Brinkley was still a relatively new manufacturer, and we were curious to see what all the excitement was about.
By the end of the day, we still didn't know which direction we wanted to go. The Riverstone had everything we had dreamed about for years, while the Brinkley introduced us to fresh ideas and innovative features we hadn't considered.
Thankfully, we weren't under any pressure to make a quick decision. We had plenty of time to compare models, ask questions, and really think about what would work best for this next chapter of our lives.
Looking back now, it's funny to remember how uncertain we felt that day. Little did we know that this was just the beginning of a journey that would eventually lead us to "Big Bertha" and back to the full-time RV lifestyle we love.
Sometimes the best adventures don't begin when you buy the RV—they begin the moment you start dreaming about what's possible.
We're returning to full-time RV life—but first, we're rebuilding the road that leads us there.
We've lived this lifestyle before, stepped away for a season, and now we're beginning again with a little more experience, a little more patience, and a much greater appreciation for what this life truly offers.
Over the coming months, we'll take you behind the scenes as we choose our truck, find the right fifth wheel, downsize our home, and prepare for the next chapter of life on the road.
Being seasoned doesn't mean we have all the answers. It means we've learned that the best journeys aren't measured in miles, but in the memories, lessons, and people we meet along the way.
Whether you're a full-time RVer, dreaming of becoming one, or simply love the adventure of exploring new places, we're glad you found us.
So grab a chair around the campfire and come along for the ride.
The road is calling... and this is where our story begins.
