A Bit of the Larger Story

Blog 02.19.13
The larger story from Kelli's point of view...
As we adapt to "i'lon" time we can feel the ease and slowness setting in. An evening dinner with any discussion of what tomorrow holds usually ends in a variety of choices and the conclusion that we can wait until tomorrow to decide. C'est la vie or such is life. 
Today we find ourselves anchored in Gustavia, St Bart's where the history is rich in French and Swedish ownership and the clientele of tourists here is wealthy.  From where I write at the stern of our little 47 foot catamaran I see seven mega yachts. 
This puts me in such an interesting mind set as this very week 365 days ago I was in the slums of Mathare Valley, Nairobe, Africa. To have travelled so far and explore this huge ball we exist on is life changing and breath taking.
The larger story I have composed in my mind a dozen times is to aid anyone reading this with an insight as to how our family dreamed big enough and came about planning a few months at sea.  Fortunately, for me there are many of you that know the intimate details of our Seabattical as well as the details of the life we have lived in community with you. So please rejoice with us and cheer us on as you always have. You know who you are. 
The larger story that continues to overwhelm me and often lays me out, flat on my face in thanksgiving, comes from the difficult places Brian and I have traversed together alongside the journey of joy  that we have experienced in numerous environments. I easily recall Brian's decision to move on from a mortgage/ real estate business and begin Shepco Commercial Finishes. The days were long and difficult financially and emotionally. (a momentary aside here as We thank mom and dad Bennett for being our first official paying project. Love you so much) Not only were those straining years financially but we were experiencing the "in your face, nobody tells you about" years of parenting three young kids. I am eternally grateful for every summer when contractors are at their wits end to finish projects on time and under budget that Nancy Kent and Kathie Kunish would welcome us for however long we needed at Powers Lake. Those weeks were a lifeline for me. I cannot count the number of times the electricity or gas were turned off at home while the kids and I were in PowersLake. Brian always made sure his paycheck was cashed last in the companies busiest months to ensure Shepco employees were paid. While this was extremely difficult to walk through, our family never went without exactly what we needed. Those months and years gave us such a broad understanding of wants and needs. 
We had unexpected house guests during those years (most of them migrating from Wyoming) that would fill our refrigerator and freezer as a token of thanks for lodging.  Their  provisions at the time allowed me to play in my kitchen more and fulfilled a strong desire to provide a family meal every evening. We still practice the lost art of a family meal every evening. I love that each of our kids will want to wait for all five us to eat and share the evening meal together. 
During all the growth and struggle and victories of owning and operating a small business, raising kids, participating in far too much ministry at church, providing a private Christian education for three children, Brian and I came to an agonizing realization. Our ability to dream was gone. I can recall the night in our bonus room, farthest away from sleeping children, the intensity of the conversation as Brian and myself poured out all the fear, anxiety, concern and  questioning. The outcome was this, "we as a couple will fight for each other, our family and we will begin to desire and dream again regardless of the penny's in our pocket." I love this attribute Brian has always had of "dollar dreams and a penny in his pocket".  
In 2008 our friends Dave and Rhonda Hetrick invited us to her family condo on the island of St Thomas. What a hilarious week of laying on the beach, kids sprawled out everywhere sleeping on pool floats, good eats, funeral party at Coky Beach and of course the day sail on Scuba Doo catamaran. As the day sail companies went out with 50 or more people we felt like movies stars on our private little cat with a captain and first mate. And so it was from that simple day sail we were smitten with the sea.
In 2010 we sensed we were living the dream as we hired Captain George on Dream Cat and coerced (just kidding) five friends,  J&M, D&R and Smidro, to come with us to the British Virgin Islands to crew the Dream Cat for a week.  That trip was the beginning of one of our most far reaching, some day dreams. 
Once we began researching living at sea for an extended period of time our someday plan changed to a three year plan.  Cody would be a junior, William a freshman and Kaylee in 7th grade. Timing for school would work, Shepco would be about thirteen years old and three years to plan would be plenty of time.   We happily dug in and began reading everything we could get our hands on.
In 2012 we leased a boat called Golden Dawn for two weeks in the British Virgin Islands and hired Captain Aaron for the first week. Aaron understood our goal to learn all we could about ropes, knots, anchoring, navigating, etc. During our second week aboard Kaylee, William, Cody joined us aboard and took to it like professional sailors.  Clearly it was important to ensure the kids even liked being on a boat and at sea for more than a day. The planning continued and so many doors opened for us as we chatted, blogged, researched and dreamed together as we had purposed to do many years ago. 
There are too many details and conversations to recount here but please continue to follow our blog for details as we unfold other details.  
As I celebrate another birthday eve in one of the most beautiful parts of God's great creation I continue to be amazed and overwhelmed.  The sea is not my home but for the next six weeks I am embracing this adventure. I marvel at how big God has let me dream and how deeply He has recognized my desire. 
The sun is setting and I must not miss it.