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by Hope

Thank you for all the thoughts and prayers. Life is slowly resuming some sense of normalcy aWhen History Buff and I arrived from Vegas, we already had a plan to continue hiking together. We visited several national parks during our travels including Sequioa National Forest, Red Rocks, and the Grand Canyon. But we also discovered that we both really wanted to master paddle boarding (SUP).

I can’t remember if I wrote a few years ago about going paddle boarding with my neighbor in Georgia. She and I had become friends and she’d invited me to try it. They had blow up boards and I fell in love. But was soooo out of shape and not in a position to take on anything else then.

But now…

You guessed it. Both History Buff and I purchased paddle boards. Here’s a link to mine (picture above.) I got a wide, heavy duty one suitable for 3 people. Figured since I wanted to do this, I wanted to be prepared for Addie to go with.

We just took them out for the first time. Gymnast went with us to assist, mostly me. And it went spectacularly. Even Addie got into the fun I am so excited.

My board cost me $271 dollars. Life vests for Addie and I cost $73. I haven’t purchased an electric pump. I did purchase a $8 attachment for my electric tire pump/car jumper though. And there are an abundance of places within an hour or so where we can go.

And since it is deflateable, I plan to take it with me in August. My old neighbor and I will hit the lakes there in Georgia.

The experience I plan to have as I master this new adventure…Priceless! Good for my body, soul, and mind! Especially now when I need it the most.

Hope

Hope is a resourceful, solutions-driven online business manager with over two decades of experience helping clients streamline operations, manage projects, and grow their businesses through digital marketing and technology.

But life has a way of rewriting your plans.

A year ago, Hope made the decision to move in with her aging parents full time – a season she wouldn’t trade, even as it came with its own financial and emotional weight. Earlier this year, she lost her mother, and is now walking the tender, disorienting path of grief while learning what “forward” looks like from here.

Hope came to the Blogging Away Debt community in 2015 as a single mom raising five foster and adoptive children. She’s written through job changes, financial setbacks, and the bittersweet transition to an empty nest. Her kids are finding their footing in the world now – and so is she.

Rooted in faith and fueled by the same perseverance she’s brought to every hard season, Hope is ready to face her finances with fresh eyes and an honest pen. She believes that clarity, courage, and community can change the trajectory of anyone’s story including her own.

She lives in Austin, TX with her dad, loves adventures with her dog Addie, and is figuring out, one step at a time, what this next chapter is meant to be.