When we first started planning all of this, I thought we would be able to get this move together in a leisurely fashion and that I would be able to write as often as I wanted to update all you lovely folks about our journey. I’m calling it a journey even though we haven’t yet “hit the road”, because every day leading up to the actual trip has been different for us both. We’re scared, we’re excited, we’re happy, we’re sad, we’re frustrated, we’re so ecstatically excited we think we’re gonna burst. Then someone says something to us like, ‘well, if it doesn’t work out you can always come back’. And then we both turn red with frustration. What do you mean if it doesn’t work?!! It’s not a toaster oven. Following your dreams isn’t something you just try out and if the heating element isn’t hot enough you come back home defeated! Or maybe it is like that. If your heating element isn’t that hot. If you not on fire with passion and desire for your dreams to bear fruit, does your toaster oven just stop working? Does it just get shipped back to where it came from? Do you just go back home?

Anyway, my point is, that this journey has been full of ups and downs. One day I cry, the next day Puppet cries. Some days we both cry together. But it always ends with us laughing and getting excited about life and our life together. It’s corny, I know. But gosh darnit it’s true.

Thank you to everyone who has supported us, not just on our fundraiser, but also the ones who have said encouraging words to us about what we’re doing. We’ve been surprised about how many people have said discouraging things to us when they find out our plans, so, when we talk to a friend or a stranger who give encouragement and excitement for what we’re doing, we’re both totally warmed right down to our gooey centers with love and gratitude. And as a result of that encouragement and empathy from folks, we get super pumped and the faith in ourselves and in each other builds. Don’t get me wrong, we can respond to the negative stuff with an “I’ll show YOU!” sorta mentality. But it’s the good stuff from the good folks that really get us charged in a super fantastic way!

So, that being said, I will close now. And I will hopefully open again very soon.

Love and hugs and kisses!!!

Ashley and Puppet