​Catching Up: May Through October 2026

 

​Apparently, I blinked sometime in May, and suddenly it's October! And let me tell you, these past few months have been anything but boring.  At the end of May, Dean and I headed out for what was supposed to be a wonderful six-week vacation. We were looking forward to exploring, relaxing, and making memories together.  Unfortunately, life had other plans.

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June: The Morning Everything Changed

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While traveling through California, Dean and I were hit head-on by a drunk driver at approximately 9:30 in the MORNING!  We were on an uphill road with 300-foot drops on either side. Looking at the wreckage, it's truly a miracle we're alive.  Dean was unresponsive at the scene, which was absolutely terrifying. I was transported to the emergency room as a Level 2 trauma patient and diagnosed with a cracked C6 vertebra in my neck, a broken foot, a knee injury requiring stitches, and what we initially thought was a sprained ankle. A later MRI revealed my other foot was broken, too.

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Thankfully, my sister Jamie and our son-in-law Ariel (Chelsea's husband) dropped everything and flew out to help us. Having family show up during one of the scariest experiences of our lives meant more than words can express.  Our vacation came to an abrupt end, but we were incredibly fortunate to be coming home at all.

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July & August: The Road to Recovery (and Replacing Everything!)

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The rest of the summer looked considerably different than we'd planned.  Instead of traveling and enjoying adventures, we were navigating medical appointments, healing broken bones, and learning to slow down.  Thankfully, in July, we were able to replace our truck and found an RV that was almost identical to our original one. The only problem? It didn't have any of the renovations we'd spent so much time doing to ours!  So, while we were incredibly grateful to find a replacement, we were essentially starting over. Because apparently recovering from a major accident wasn't enough to keep us busy!  If you know me, you know sitting still isn't exactly my specialty. And now we had a whole new list of projects waiting for us!  Through it all, Chelsea and our wonderful team helped keep The Frugal Faculty running while I focused on recovering.

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September & October: Getting Back to Life

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As fall arrived, things gradually started feeling a little more normal.  Chelsea and I have been busy growing The Frugal Faculty, exploring new partnerships, and preparing for the holiday shopping season.  Meanwhile, Dean has been hard at work renovating the main living area of our replacement RV. Freshly painted cabinets, new fascia, custom valances, a bench with shoe storage, and a HUGE upgrade just for me!  The bathroom is next on my list, although I'm not entirely sure Dean shares my enthusiasm for tackling another project before our January trip to Texas.  Negotiations are ongoing!

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A Whole New Perspective

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Looking back, it's hard to believe how much life has changed since May.  One minute, we were enjoying our California vacation. The next, our lives were hanging in the balance.  It's a powerful reminder that tomorrow isn't promised and that the people we love are far more important than anything on our to-do lists.  I'm incredibly grateful for our family, our friends, and everyone who has supported us through these past several months.  Most importantly, I'm grateful that Dean and I are still here to make more memories together.

Here's hoping the rest of 2026 is a little less eventful. We've had enough excitement to last us a lifetime!  And if our next adventure could involve beautiful scenery, good food, and absolutely NO emergency rooms, that would be wonderful!