Plan B

A journey through service, family, friends, auroras, and a surprising return to Christmas

When we first decided to take the leap—selling everything to move to Costa Rica—we had a Plan B tucked in our back pocket. The idea was simple and sweet: buy a camper van and travel all over the U.S., visiting friends and family who wanted help with projects. Maybe it was something they’d always wanted to do but needed a spark of motivation, support, or a skill set that DeWayne and I could offer. I pictured us as “Fairy Friends,” floating from one home to another, being of service and supporting people we love.

Even though we’re still fully in the Costa Rica adventure, we’ve gotten to experience Plan B while Plan A continues to unfold.

DeWayne and I each bring something different to the projects. He brings a wide skill set and a deep well of knowledge around building, preparing, repairing, and remodeling. I bring technology help, emotional support, ideas, presence—and yes, a little gopher energy—being available to get whatever is needed at the moment. Ha!

Over the past few years, we’ve helped build a garden, tackled random house projects that had been on lists for years, supported friends in their businesses, helped with yard improvements, and walked alongside friends navigating tough life changes. And when our own project in Costa Rica hit a standstill, we decided to leave during rainy season to help DeWayne’s family in South Dakota, flying in with a one-way ticket and no idea how long we’d stay. They had been caring for and living with his mom. After her passing, they purchased a new home and have been sorting, repairing, and remodeling ever since.

I helped with unwrapping, painting, moving, packing boxes, and offering ideas—along with emotional support as everyone navigated the complex mix of grief, transition, and the guilt of feeling excited about a new home after such a loss. With the help of his brothers, DeWayne remodeled a bathroom, created new walls, removed old ones, replaced flooring, patched holes, packed a giant trailer—plus a whole lot more.

It has been such a gift to be there for an extended stretch and to weave in visits with friends who live nearby. A few even drove up to see us, and another set flew their own plane so we could spend a few days together at the hot springs.

On our final days of this trip, I stopped in Vegas for some girl time with a soul sister before visiting my folks and celebrating my dad’s 83rd birthday. I even got to help them design a business card and info card for their new Condotel business. DeWayne helped my dad replace his alternator.

Tomorrow it’s back to Costa Rica, with heavy bags full of goodies—including a unicorn floaty for waterfall and ocean fun. Soon we’ll welcome another friend who will be with us for the holidays.

More and more, I feel freedom, joy, and a deep gratitude for this life—for getting to see the people I care about and to be of service in ways that feel genuinely supportive.

There have been so many magical moments—witnessing the aurora borealis, taking lovely walks, soaking in hot springs, watercoloring, deepening connections with friends, and establishing new threads with family. Somewhere in the midst of all of this, I even felt inspired to bring Christmas back into my life—something I haven’t truly celebrated in decades.

And woven through it all was a new sense of home within myself, where no matter where I went, I felt anchored and at home in my own body.

I feel my sparkle coming back.

Service really is a beautiful medicine.