The Anderson 5
In 2019, we voluntarily made a large life change. We went from living in the suburbs of Denver, Colorado, to traveling full-time. We decided to live with less, so we sold most of our stuff, turned our house into a place we could rent out, and started running our business online. We wanted to see the country in an RV with our three kids. So, after we purchased our home on wheels (Big B), we hit the road in early 2020 (before the pandemic started). We saw many places in the western part of the United States while navigating the unexpected roadblock (pun intended) infamously known as COVID-19. Despite the shutdowns and drama of the world shutting down, our journey was filled with hiking, biking, camping, discovering new places, meeting great people, and experiencing things that touched our souls deeply!
How We Became The A-Team
Almost a year into our wonderful journey, we received a phone call that dramatically altered the path of our lives. Andrew’s sister and our brother-in-law tragically passed away due to a car accident on November 6th, 2020. They were returning from a dinner when their car was struck by someone racing on the street. Here is the full story of that day.
We were camping in Zion National Park with Andrew’s parents when we got the call. We packed up and drove to Texas to be with our family. We lived there for about two years to adopt Meg and Ben’s children and help them adjust to a new life. Overnight, our little family of five became a family of nine.
We were The Andersons and The Arbours so we call ourselves The “A-Team”
What’s Next
Our family’s healing journey is unfolding. We have seven kids who used to learn at home, but they’re attending public schools now. The five Andersons switched from living on the road to staying in a house with walls. The Arbour kids now live with new parents. We decided to move the Anderson five to Texas for a couple of years to help the Arbours adjust to life without Meg and Ben. We spent that time focusing on getting better, growing closer as a family, and going on adventures whenever we could.
After a couple of years in Denver, it was time for Andrew and I to get back to our home, Colorado. With full travel off the table, we needed to return to our adventuring lifestyle in some way and also get closer to our business (still in Denver). After much searching and prayer, we chose Salida, Colorado as the place we would call home of the A-Team. The change to ‘start over’ as a new blended family has been an incredible experience so far, we are blessed.
Thank you for your kindness and support. We might seem cheerful and organized from pictures and blog posts, and indeed, life is better now. However, healing and bonding take a long time and might not have an absolute end. We are grateful for your daily prayers and the support you give us. Thank you.
