I’m a Denver, CO, unexpected work-at-home-mom pursuing the perfect balance of marriage, motherhood, career and travel benefits.

Baby Bird (Reagan) was just six months old, when we migrated from St. Louis to Denver for Papa Bird (Danny) to begin flying for Frontier Airlines. Six months later, life took an unpredictable nosedive when one night after being struck by an out-of-the-blue stroke at 39 years of age, my husband’s emergency room CT Scan showed tumors in his chest. He was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.

This blog was born in the year following Danny’s intensive treatment and recovery, when after his tumors had been completely obliterated by the grace of God, he was ready to begin a normal life again… and so was I. However, the FAA and the US Air Force Reserves had their own criteria. It would be at least one more year before he could return to Frontier, and another four before he could return to reserve duty. It was time for me to dust off my resume and Danny to get fitted for his apron – a little role reversal was in order. And neither of us was too happy about it. This blog became an outlet for even more challenges that followed.

Today we’ve come full-circle. Papa Bird is cancer-free (YAY!), happily back at his C-130 unit and flying for Frontier again after more than two years away. Meanwhile, I have grown quite fond of my new dual-life as a wife and mother/career woman – now a necessity after the cost of cancer. The past few years have given us new perspective, as summed up pretty well in the Disney movie, “Up.” If you haven’t seen it, rent it. Now.

Having busted open our penny jar more times than we could re-fill it, we’re no longer waiting for a bucket full of dimes to begin our adventure. We’ve declared our health our wealth and we’re cashing it in now. Because, there’s no telling when the next rainstorm will hit.

The goal: to crisscross the country, visiting one state a month and experiencing what each has to offer on a limited budget for a family of three. We recognize it is a BIG goal, and we are likely to have stalls, but we also recognize our unique opportunity to view the journey as half the fun!