OK, we must know WHY!!

The purpose of this blog is to relay the upcoming insanity that will ensue due to the fact that we are going to live in a 5th-wheel camping trailer in Alabama for 1 year.  With our 3 young children.  Collective *sigh*.  And to be clear, from the moment I was selected for this school, I've been telling everyone that I was hoping to do something different in regards to our living situation since it was just a year.  I meant 'city loft' or 'unique suburb'.  So here's how that whole crazy decision came about...(insert Wayne's World flashback noise!)

It's June and I'm in Alabama for an orientation to the program that I'm going to be attending.  I was selected for a pretty prestigous military school and they wanted all the Reserve and National Guard people to come early for a writing test.  I'm not kidding, we really did take a test.  Oh, and it was also to give us a chance to explore the surrounding metropolis of Montgomery and find all the book stores and beer on tap.  That took 2 minutes because there are none!  Just kidding, there was a book store.  I'm not really knocking Alabama because in my heart, the Civil War history of the region is just calling my name, "Kelly, there are old dusty archives to be explored...Kelly, come be in our re-enacment..." and other things that cause normal people to already be asleep.  Anyway, I'm at orientation and a bit bored, so I'm texting my loving husband "Lonnie", who will heretofor just be "Lonnie".  The speaker at the front was talking about different housing options for us to consider for the year, and the base campground was mentioned.  Here is the actual text conversation (yes, I kept it!):

Me: Morning
Me: We need to live in fam camp here! Only 400 a month
Him: Morning
Him: What's fam camp?
Me: It's the camp site on base and apparently people buy trailers and live there
Him: We could totally get that van [SNL fans will get this]
Me: Totally
Him: Could buy a 5th wheel and a dually pickup for the same money that we would spend on rent
Me: Let's consider it [I don't hear back for a while]
Me: Are you busy shopping for trailers now
Him: Not yet
Me: I wasn't totally serious, what the hell would we do with all our crap?
Him: Too late, just ordered one

He didn't really, but the conversation was started and I was intrigued enough to go our to the campground and check it out.  One of my new friends, Sherri, is a single gal who bought a trailer on site and was already living in it.  It had the apt name of Cougar printed all over the front.  I met a family of 6 who had been living in their 5th wheel for about 8 months and the kids were not as ferrel as mine are, so I figured someone must emerge from this adventure well-adjusted.  I actually liked the location enough that once "Lonnie" and I had spoken further we decided to take a chance and do it.
I spent the next few days getting the kid care situation settled and opening a mailbox, all the while "Lonnie" is in man-heaven shopping for large trucks and toys.  The type of toys that cost partial mortgages.  I set a budget.  Regardless of the budget, there will never be a time that I will spend an equal amount of money on shoes that "Lonnie" is getting in man-toys.  Ergo, the decree was made that should I be "the best wife in existance" and live in this trailer for a year, that I will be allowed to buy as many shoes as I want for the rest of my life without ever getting slack for it or being denied all the closet space I need for said shoes.

The other ladies I met at orientation, besides Sherri, thought I was truly insane and didn't fail to remind me of that fact quite often.  So I went to Facebook for the opinion of people who know and love me best.  And you all failed me!!  When I posted that we were considering the trailer, I was hoping for the "you're crazy" or "what are you thinking" posts.  But no.  You people encouraged me, which in turn encouraged "Lonnie", and all hope was lost.  As a matter of fact, I was also told that I needed to start a blog about it, because my best friend Sue lives vicariously through my adventures (she totally said that too!).  I believe there were also a few "cool" and "where's the pictures" posts as well.  Of course, ya'll know me best and a life less ordinary is the normal operating state at our house.

So there you have it, the story of how it came to be.  More to come on trailer shopping, packing, broken bones, and other pre-moving shannanigans (somebody no one gets pistol-whipped).