Leaving Yellowstone

As we get closer to leaving Yellowstone, I have so many mixed feelings. Feelings of anxiety, excitement, and melancholy.

When we first arrived here in May, I struggled the first few weeks. I struggled with being so isolated and alone for the better part of the day while Joseph worked. I knew no one and wasn't sure what to do with myself. I also was struggling with health issues and the guilt they create.

Now looking back, it was all just adjusting to something so very new. We had never been here and this was our first work assignment since starting this new chapter of our life. Agreeing to stay in the woods for 5 months seemed overwhelming to me. I've never lived somewhere so isolated for any amount of time. I'm a city girl. I thought I would go nuts. I thought I needed the chaos of a city because it's really all I have ever known.

With four days left here in Yellowstone, I am having the exact opposite feelings. Anxiety about being back in the chaos of the world.

I have grown to love this place. The quiet, the beauty, and the isolation. Strange, I never thought I would feel this way. I even mentioned to Joseph after a few weeks of being here, that I didn't know how I was going to make it from May to September. But here I sit with four days left, excited and dreadful at the same time about leaving.

Yellowstone won me over. This being our first work assignment will be very hard to top. We were very fortunate to have an awesome campsite, which we thoroughly enjoyed. We hosted many parties.

Had more laughs than I can count and made some really great friends. We met people from all over the world. We love meeting new people and hearing everyone's story. It's interesting how much a campfire can bond people.

This experience has opened up so many new possiblities. It's almost overwhelming trying to decieded what to do next.

We will spend sometime in Idaho with new friends we made here in Yellowstone for our first destination.Washington state is next to see friends and family, then off to the Oregon coast. I have looked forward to being on the Pacific Coast since we left there almost seven years ago. We will make our way down the Pacific Coast Highway with stops in San Francisco, L.A., and whatever detour Loretta the RV takes us on. We plan to be back in Texas by mid to late October and stay possibly until December. We have some possible opportunities pending, so once they are definite we will know which way Loretta will take us from Texas.