Sailing, sailing away…updates from Jo

We’re just shy of a year ago when I posted for the first time on this blog. I posted the letter I wrote for Randall as he headed out to sea. When I wrote last time I thought I wouldn’t see him again for a year. The reality was very different.

Hi Figure 8 Voyage readers, this is Jo. Yes, I do exist. Yes, I am 100% supportive of Randall heading out on his adventures. Yes, I miss him terribly. Yes, I have adventures of my own. What can I say, we’re not your traditional couple. But as I’ve said to Randall several times over the last couple of days, as he’s apologized for being “so selfish to put his desires above my own” for “wishing he could just magic me to the cabin so we could continue our laughter filled and entertaining dinner conversations”, I choose the life of adventure and uncertainty any day over the mundane and predictable.

For those of you that are new to the virtual voyage, I pop in periodically to update when Randall can’t or just provide a different perspective. I’m also part of the team (including the fabulous Freddy) who manages all of the logistics in posting and updating everything from this site, to Facebook, and everything in between. So a couple of things you need to know.

1. Posting schedule – yes, Randall tries to post every day. We say tries because staying afloat is the priority. If he doesn’t’ post don’t panic. Someone will update eventually but it may take a couple of days.
2. Timing of posts – due to time zones and a bunch of other logistics we post the day after we receive the update from Randall. Basically, this means his post might be dated anywhere from 1-2 days behind his actual position. His coordinates on the posts are noon on the date of writing.
3. Messages and comments – yes please comment, write, share. Everything. If you have a question please submit them. We can’t guarantee Randall will answer them all, but we try to send ones that we think might be useful to the larger audience and have him share the answers. We also let Randall know who’s commenting etc. He loves to know you’re reading.
4. Can he read your comments / Facebook messages etc – nope. There’s no internet connectivity at sea. It’s all through us and as Freddy and I both have “day” jobs this is a side gig for us to respond. We do however read ALL your comments. They’re important to us too!
5. How can you support Randall? TELL EVERYONE! Seriously, we want as many people to be able to be part of this virtual voyage. If you’re feeling super generous we’re still running the Go Fund Me to pay for the satellite fees/equipment to allow him to send all the photos and videos from sea.
6. Where is Randall? You can always see where Randall is on the Follow My Challenge Tracker it’s super fun to play with. Check out the wave height view. It does get disconntected periodically so don’t worry if it’s down. We’re watching it like a hawk.
7. We love it when the kids get involved. We’ve had lots of families put maps up in their homes to play “Where’s Moli? each night. Not doing it? You don’t have to be a kid to join in. But if you are a family and your school gets involved please let me know as we’re happy to have Randall try and creatively message (weather permitting) from sea.

I’m sure there’s going to be more updates and questions but I thought these would be a good start.

Before I sign off I’m also posting our other tradition. When Randall heads out to sea I write him a goodbye letter. We shared my letter last year and apparently, people enjoyed getting a peek into the Family Reeves. So below is the 2018 letter I sent with Randall out on his adventure.

Thanks again for everyone’s support, Jo

THIS IS WHAT LOVE LOOKS LIKE

It’s Saturday, September 29th, 2018. As I sit an write this note, you are on the roof attaching twinkle lights to the house. Twinkle lights that won’t get turned on until December. You’re doing it because:

1. You don’t think it’s safe for me to get up on the roof
2. You laugh every time I yell “Twinkles!” at every display of twinkle lights during the holiday season.

All this, when I know you have a long “to do” list of items you need to complete before you head out again tomorrow for another year at sea. But you do it because you love me.

• The same way you show me your love when you bring me coffee in the morning.
• The same way you show me your love when you get up with me to “make sure I get out the door ok” when I have to head out on a long trip.
• The same way you show me your love by letting me drag you to my endless events, even when you’d just prefer to stay home – just the two of us.
• The same way you show me your love by trying to remember all my friend’s names. “Is that surprise-baby-Julie or the other Julie? Is that Australia Maria or Spain Maria?”
• The same way you show me your love by being a best friend to my sisters and their kids, and find my parents “entertaining”.
• The same way you show me your love by being the biggest cheerleader on my own adventures.
• The same way you don’t make me carry anything when we hike the trails of Kauai.
• The same way you let me choose the side of the bed to sleep on.
• The same way…..it’s all those little things right?

Because that’s what the secret is to our happiness together isn’t it? Even if we’re miles apart, even when you’re heading into bad weather and we BOTH now know what might happen, even though our emails are just not the same as chatting at the dining room table – we let each other be us.

I’ve cried twice three times this morning. I’m going to miss you SO much.

But I couldn’t be prouder of what you’re doing. I couldn’t be more excited to see you again as you sail under the Golden Gate Bridge in the fall of 2019. You couldn’t inspire me to push myself to do the things that scare me.

So I’m turning the twinkle lights on tonight, my love. And I’ll turn them on every night until you come home to turn them off.

Because this is what love looks like.