Around the world in 80 days

It's true. We are currently scheduled to fly out September 19. Originally it was September 20 but the budget airline we used just emailed us and said "yeah, so. . . we're gonna fly out a day earlier instead. ok? Kisses." You get what you pay for.

People ask me if I'm excited. The answer is yes. How could I not be? I'm pursuing my dreams of world travel. But. . .(there's always a but, a big hairy pock marked but) we still haven't sold our house. It's true. We thought we had sold it a few weeks ago but at the last second the deal fell through. Something about the buyer's limited credit. That one hurt. I think I struck every moutain on the way down from cloud 9. Since then, we've had a number of lookers, but that's it.

My dad was telling me about a dream he had the other night. Never before has he done this. In his dream God appeared to him and said "I'm really gonna make John sweat on this one (referring to the trip)" That was it, that was his dream. I was dumbfounded. I'm really gonna make John sweat?? What? Why? And why gossip to my dad about it? This whole thing is very unlike my dad, he doesn't typically share his dreams or even subscribe to an audible God. But. .. he also never lies and I've been sweating so. . .

When Angie and I made this decision, we knew it wouldn't be easy. I remember saying to her that most people work their whole lives to realize their dream so chances are we're not just gonna abra cadabra sell our house and alacazam fly off into the sunset. It'll be a grind. Well, it has and it is. Yeah we still have a couple months to sell our house, yeah everything will most likely work out in the end, but in the meantime this Island of Uknown sucks bigger then the Wings stealing Hossa today.

The unknown is a worse hell then the tragic known. At least you can move forward when you know. I've watched good friends live on this Island for years at a time only to discover the tragic known. Currently my friend Jordan and his wife Kari live there, waiting and wondering if their 10month old son Drew will overcome whatever it is that he might have. I can't imagine the soul ache they must feel.

Everyone we talk to tells us they just can't believe we have the courage to do this. They say things like"we'll never regret it, if we don't do it now we'll never do it again, that it will change our lives forever." Many have even said they live with regret today because they didn't do the same thing.

Those are the exact reasons we chose to do this. Hairy pock marked but. . .we still wonder.

Are we doing the right thing?
What if our house doesn't sell?
What if we don't deserve to go and that's why our house isn't selling?
What if. .. what if. . .what if. . . it's the twin Hell Island to the Unknown.

I return to my dad's dream. "I'm really gonna have to sweat." I have felt the sweat. Yet, I move forward anyways encouraged by the words of my good friend and fellow world traveler Kori Jones. "If it was easy, everyone would do it. Just keep the faith and move forward."

John