It's Time

As you know, I was born and raised in Yankton.  A small hard-working community filled with hard-working, Midwestern people.  Not any different than most other small hard-working communities in the Midwest.

My parents and grandparents worked hard and rarely took chances.  I feel I grew up in that same mind-set.  Donna did too.  Hard work, pride in your work, and provide for the family.  Nothing glamorous, nothing exotic, nothing risky.  Sure, I've taken chances and taken risks and made bold moves, but I always had a safety net in place to catch me.....

So now, here I am at 56 years of age.  Doing what I do, living a nice life, getting by from one day to the next.  But something's not right.....

It really started to sink in a few months ago - I've already told you the story.  I'm reading the Sunday KC Star and as I pass over the 3 pages of Obituaries, I have this sudden epiphany.  I am not dying in Kansas City and my obit is not appearing in the Star.  It was that simple and yet that powerful.  I wasn't sure what it really meant or what I should do, until now.....

Donna and I have been talking in earnest about this for the past few weeks.  Reasons include some restlessness for both of us, my current job with no compelling reasons to get excited about the future, an economy that is showing signs of life, and a remembrance to my epiphany from a few months ago.  So now, if for no other reason than simply "it's time", we are doing something so non-safe, so not-what-people-that-grew-up-in-a-hard-working-family do, so, I can only describe it as, "bat-shit crazy" that I catch myself laughing when I think about.....

We are selling the house, packing up, and moving back to Omaha.  There, I said it.

So here's what I know right now - The house is going on the market this week.  I've already resigned from my job with my last day on May 22nd.  We are super excited for the Black Hills trip.  I'm going to North Carolina for the US Open with Marc.  And then Donna and I are taking a beach vacation somewhere in North Carolina in June.

Here's what I don't know right now - I don't know where either of us will work.  I don't know where we are going to live.  I don't know how soon the house will sell and for how much.  I don't know exactly when we will drive north on I-29 for the last time.  And "I don't know" to the hundred other questions you probably want to ask.

But I do know we are going to be close to family and that makes us very happy.  Sorry it took me so long to figure it out.  But sometime you have to take the long way around to find something that is sitting right in front of your nose.

So there you go.  The best thing about this - with all the uncertainty this decision brings - I've never felt such clarity about a decision in my life.  Never.  There's a calmness I feel I can't really explain and that's what makes this even more exciting.  "Invigorated" is the best word I can come up with.

I hope you understand the "out-of-character" magnitude this decision is for us.  Even more importantly, I hope you are as excited as we are about this decision.  As I tell Donna, "it's time to start a new chapter in our life story." and we couldn't be happier.

Donna is the best companion I could have because she "gets me" and she's unafraid to start new adventures and she knows that we will figure it out.  And now we all get to embark on this adventure since all of you kids will help write that chapter.

So stay tuned.  Be careful what you ask for (!!).  And get the Welcome mat out.  We'll be seeing you very soon.