Welcome!

So this is our new family blog. Whew! Getting to this point- actually starting a blog means a lot of things have fallen into place, doors have shut and decisions have been made. We have prayerfully and seriously considered this epic life change for almost 3 years. For Chris, the roots of this dream go much farther back to a time when I wasn't exactly open to it. I first remember hearing the words "wouldn't it be fun if we lived on a boat and sailed around the world?" when Josiah was a baby and I was sleep deprived. The idea sounded like a nightmare. I hope my response was a charming non-answer, change the subject kind of answer, however the details elude me. I blame it on sleep deprivation.

Fast forward from that conversation seven years to "the accident." We had been living out a lovely, normal and quite blessed Central Coast of California life when I got the call. It was early. My friend Greta wanted to know if I had heard from Chris. Having been woken by her call, my thinking was foggy. My response was no, and all I knew was that he was out with her husband cycling.  She then informed me she had heard from her husband, and that the two of them had both been hit by a truck on Highway 1. I can't describe my feelings, I don't remember them. What I do know is everything started moving fast and that I was instantly cold and shaky. That day changed everything, but it has led us to where we are now, and for that I'm grateful. By God's grace Chris' life was spared. He came away with fractures to his vertebra, pelvis and hand. Considering the circumstances, the extent of his injuries could have/should have been much worse. I could write a book on how the next months and years played out with procedures and surgery, but for all our sakes I'll make it brief. Chris spent more than a year mostly in bed. There was a time when after 5 months he had to return to teaching, but that left him worse off and back in bed. We got excited at new milestones and frustrated with plateaus. He developed new ways of bonding with our boys and we all developed more patience than thought possible.

As you can imagine, lying on your back for a long period of time would be difficult for anyone. One way Chris coped with passing time was through looking at sailboats. He spent HOURS pouring over books, magazines, blogs, and websites dedicated to sailing. His love of sailing and dream, had been rekindled. He basically said, when he got better, he hoped this dream would become a reality. At first I thought it was a passing idea, but it stuck. As time passed on, his dream became my dream. And now it's our reality.

Here we are today. We are grateful to God for the times we struggled, and for the countless friends and family who helped us get through really tough days. Our blog, our journey, our life is a celebration. We learned up close just how short life can be, and are determined to never take it for granted. Secret Water Adventure (blog name courtesy of our youngest son, Finn) will document our transition from living in a single family home on land, to living aboard a sailboat full time and beyond. We hope it will be an accurate journal of our lives, not only preserving our memories, but act as a reminder to live each moment to the fullest. As Helen Keller put it best - "Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing at all." She had to of been one stellar lady.

For our friends and family reading this - we hope you find your dreams and make them a reality.