{"id":2114,"date":"2020-10-21T07:00:15","date_gmt":"2020-10-21T07:00:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/?p=2114"},"modified":"2022-04-05T17:34:44","modified_gmt":"2022-04-05T17:34:44","slug":"so-this-is-40","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/?p=2114","title":{"rendered":"So This is 40"},"content":{"rendered":"

This day has been looming over me for a while. Once you enter into your mid-30s, 40 is the next big milestone. Destination 40th birthdays have been a thing for a while now. I have friends that have gone to Vegas, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic to celebrate their 40th birthdays.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When we were first planning our travel adventure, I thought we would be in India for my birthday eating curry, exploring markets, and visiting temples. When our plans changed I thought we would be somewhere in South America climbing mountains and visiting villages. When we came back to the U.S. we thought maybe we would be out west in Wyoming or Montana.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The reality is that on my 40th birthday I will be unemployed and living at my parent\u2019s house. We laugh about that because it does not sound great, but I have no regrets about that. It is exactly where I want to be.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It has been one year since I quit my 9-5 job. Since then I have done some contract work, but mostly we have been traveling and I have been focusing on Lucas and Henry. Now I am devoting a lot of time to my parents. This is what we planned, taking a break from work to focus on our family. We love the decision that we made. I like to call it a midlife retirement. It is not forever, but we are enjoying it right now.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We did not plan on coming back to North Carolina for an extended period of time, but life does not always work out as you plan. Having the ability to spend time with my parents and help them as my stepmother battles cancer is a blessing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We look forward to getting back out on the road and eventually getting back out in the world, but for now, we are where we need to be. We are having a great time seeing family and doing activities like golf and tennis that we missed while we were in Central America.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hello, 40. I am excited to see what this new decade brings.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n