Big News

We have been in North Carolina for almost two weeks now. We had to unexpectedly cut our time in Tennessee short to head back to NC on business. In the end, it seems to have been Providence. And we have big news…

We have had a most wonderful 6 months traveling the country in our RV. It was such a huge blessing! But, I have really been struggling with UC for several months now and we have all decided that the best thing for our family right now is to move into a house. We found a great house just outside of Asheville, NC. So, a new adventure begins!

I just want to clarify one thing… traveling did not make me sick. Traveling did not make me sicker. I was sick in my house before leaving on this trip. It is no harder to be sick in an rv than it is in a house. The reasons we are moving into a house have nothing to do with being sick and everything to do with convenience for myself and my family while I am sick. For example, four people sharing one bathroom when one of those people has a UC flare – not convenient! LOL! (I just don’t want to give the impression that a disease can/should stop you from doing the things you want to do. You can be sick just as well in one place as another… it is just a matter of comfort.) So, live life and be happy! Chose your own limitations and don’t let anyone else determine what you can or cannot do!

Here are some pictures of our visit to a local apple orchard and Pisgah National Forest two weeks ago when the leaves were just beginning to change –

 

Hello, Tennessee!

We left South Carolina Friday afternoon and stopped in Georgia for the night. I wasn’t feeling very well, but I managed. Saturday morning we left Madison, Georgia and headed for Chattanooga, Tennessee. It was rough. Really rough. They say that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger… and, quite frankly, I wasn’t sure which way it was going to go. Thankfully, I survived. And, praise God, I woke up Sunday morning feeling the best I had in weeks. I have a ways to go, but I am definitely headed in the right direction!  Hooray!!!

Somewhere between Atlanta and Chattanooga we blew out a trailer tire.  Amazingly enough, this was only the second time we’ve been broken down alongside the road. Poor Nick had a heck of a time changing the tire (Note: be sure you have the right jack for changing a travel trailer tire. Yeah.). But, he got us back on the road rather quickly and we were off again.

We are staying at Raccoon Mountain just outside of Chattanooga. Tennessee is beautiful and we are loving it. We are eagerly awaiting the leaves changing colors. What an amazing place to enjoy the beauty of autumn!

Moving Along

I just wanted to thank everyone for keeping me in their prayers.  I have been feeling a little better each day. I am moving in the right direction!

Speaking of moving along, we are heading on to Tennessee this afternoon. Ready or not. I’m not really feeling well enough to travel, so wish me luck!

Tennessee, here we come! 

Down for the Count

I’m sorry I haven’t posted anything about South Carolina, but there is really nothing for me to say. I have been too sick to leave the RV, so, sadly, I have not been able to see anything. It has been a great disappointment. (What do I mean by “too sick to leave the RV”? I am running to the bathroom 20-30 times a day. I am in terrible pain. And I am spending almost all my time flat on my back, because sitting up or laying in any other position causes increased pain and sends me immediately back to the bathroom.  Such is life when you are having a UC flare.)

Fortunately,  Nick was able to take the kids out this weekend to explore Charleston. They went on a horse drawn carriage tour through the city, visited the beach, and took a ferry to a fort.  Hopefully,  he will post about their adventures soon!

I just want to make a quick note for others, particularly with IBD (http://www.thegreatbowelmovement.org). I do not believe traveling had any part in this flare up. And I still believe that traveling in an RV is the best way to travel with IBD. I an so thankful to have my own bed and my own bathroom with me everywhere we go! With IBD there will be flares, but I hope this doesn’t discourage anyone from setting off on adventures.

South Carolina

(Blogging from my phone again.  I’m sorry for the strange typos/autocorrects in the last post!)

Last week we had a fairly quiet, relaxing time staying at the NC State Fairgrounds campground. Of course, being surrounded by the ever busy fairgrounds and across the street from NC State’s football field made for some interesting neighbors and noises (Hello, loud marching band music lovers from Clemson University! Haha).  If I had been feeling better, we would have taken advantage of some of the festivities around us.

I am currently in a full-blown UC flare up. I had switch to a plant-based (vegan) diet 2 years ago and it changed my life! Seriously! Within days of the switch, most of my UC symptoms disappeared. It was a miracle. There were some small bumps in the road, but I was able to lead an almost normal life for a year and a half.  Unfortunately, I had a bad flare after using pain medications this past February/March. I have been up and down ever since and have not been able to get into a stable remission.  I work extremely hard to manage my symptoms, but autoimmune disease have a mind of their own. Sometime this disease refuses to be controlled. The struggle continues.

Traveling during a flare up of this disease is not fun. But, I gathered my courage and off we went! We headed south and we are staying just outside of beautiful Charleston, SC. I can’t wait to explore this amazing city and the nearby coastline!

 

Betsy and George making friends with our new neighbors here in South Carolina.

 

 

Goodbye, ICWW

I am attempting to blog from my phone due to internet issues. I work this doesn’t turn out too funky. 😉

Sunday morning we said goodbye to our campsite along the intracoastal waterway in Surf City, NC. We’d had a wonderful visit and it was hard to leave. But, moving on is just the nature of a trip like this.  So, on we went!

We are backin Raleigh, NC for a week.  The kids and I are enjoying a quiet, relaxing week while Nick is off doing work stuff (It is amazing how slow and relaxing a week can be when you don’t have a car to run around in. It’s kind of nice, actually. ).

The lovely ICWW –

 

Another Day at the Beach

We went back to Topsail Island for one last day at the beach. It was a perfectly beautiful day. We swam, soaked up some sun, and enjoyed visiting with my grandmother and aunt. We sure are going to miss this place!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I <3 Wilmington

We have been having such a wonderful time in Wilmington, NC! We called this place home for four years and it has been so fun to spend time here with family and old friends. We have spent the past two weeks visiting, swimming in the ocean and my Gram’s pool, and shopping and dining at old favorite spots. It has just been lovely! It is fun and exciting to visit new destinations, but there is something so wonderful about the familiar. I am so thankful for the time we have had with family and the chance to catch up with old friends. And, well, it’s just nice to have been missed.

 

 

 

 

Today Betsy and George went back to their old schools to eat lunch with friends. What a blessing it was to be back in those well-walked halls among familiar faces. So many dear friends! I was reminded of the blessed life we had had here in Wilmington. Oh, how thankful I am for those days and relationships and memories. 

After lunch, the kids, Gram, and I stopped at Carolina Beach. It was a wonderful day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Greetings from Topsail Island!

Life is good at the beach! We spent a lovely weekend at Surf City and Topsail Beach.

Keeping Busy in N.C.

Sunday we headed off to Asheboro to visit NC Zoo. It was a beautiful day, but it was North Carolina in all its sweltering summer glory!  I had almost forgotten what a N.C. summer felt like. After complaining about having endured the coolest, rainiest summer of my life, the heat and humidity had finally found us! And, of course, so had the rain… again. The day had been dry, with the exception of a few refreshing sprinkles toward the end of the day. But, as soon as we started the drive home it began to pour. And, wow, North Carolina knows how to rain!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Monday we set off for the coast. It is so great to be back in the Wilmington area. We loved living here! We had a great dinner with my Gram, Aunt, and Uncle on Monday night. Tuesday I was stuck in bed with yet another pinched nerve – ugh! Yesterday we swam the day away with my Gram and Uncle and then Betsy and I met dear friends for dinner. It’s been busy, but we are having such a wonderful time!