Month: July 2025

No Destination Vacation number three is now in the books. On the first day we headed north to South Dakota. The last time we were there we had tried to visit Wind Cave National Park, but it was closed and we were not able to get in. This time we checked the website and saw that it was open, so we decided to make it our first stop.

Since KH lives in that area, we decided to invite him to meet us in Deadwood. I honestly was not sure how that meeting was going to go. Part of me wondered if I would end up hitting him or if we would simply talk things through.

At one point AJ was on the phone with AE, which gave me the chance to speak with KH privately about the messages that he and AJ had exchanged. He told me essentially the same thing AJ had said. According to him, the messages were mostly just trash talking back and forth and nothing serious. He also said they were from a long time ago and that things had changed since then.

During that conversation I made it clear to him that I was not the one who had almost broken AJ and me apart. I also told him that I was not the one who had to live with the fact that an emotional affair had happened while someone was already in a relationship. That responsibility belonged to him and AJ.

After that, we continued our trip and made it to Wind Cave. From there we drove west to Glacier National Park. The park was incredible. We entered from the east side so we did not have to deal with the timed entry system. Parking was full in many areas, so we mostly drove through the park and only stopped in small pull offs that were barely large enough for the car.

At one stop we found a quiet spot along a river. We sat together there for a while, just taking in the moment in each other’s arms. While we were sitting there, a few deer wandered close to us. They seemed more curious about us than we were surprised to see them.

From Glacier we headed south to Yellowstone National Park. We saw Old Faithful and several other sights before continuing on to Grand Teton National Park.

Grand Teton turned out to be one of the highlights of the trip for me. I was able to get some great photos there, and it is easily one of the most photogenic national parks I have ever visited. We ended up spending more time there than anywhere else on the trip.

Since we were ahead of schedule, KH invited us to meet him in Wyoming and take his side-by-side out for a ride. AJ left the decision up to me, and I decided that we would go.

When we arrived, AJ seemed upset that KH had brought another woman with him. That reaction felt strange to me. If their relationship was truly just friendship, I could not understand why it would bother her.

Later, after we got home, AJ posted photos from our night in South Dakota and tagged both KH and me in them on Facebook. The way the photos and the post were put together made it look like she and KH were a couple. There were more pictures of the two of them than of everyone together.

I told her how I felt about that and removed myself from the tag because I did not want those photos showing up later as memories. After that, she deleted the post.

Later on I learned that during our night out in South Dakota, KH had told AJ that he was in love with her. Hearing that only reinforced my feeling that she may still have some kind of emotional attachment to him. Otherwise, I cannot understand why she would have been upset that he brought another woman with him.

It’s the day before this years No Destination Vacation, and I am very excited about it. I can’t not wait to show you everything I can and where I spent a good portion of my life. There are 3 National Parks that we have the ability to see along the way, and I am hoping that we get the chance to see them. I did not even know that Congaree National Park existed until this week. Since it is very close to I-20, why not make a pit stop even if for a short time.

On the way back from the coast, we will have the opportunity to see the Great Smoky Mountains Nation Park and Hot Springs National Park. I know you have already been to the Great Smoky Mountains. That area is so beautiful. Then we have Hot Springs in Arkansas. I have never been there, and I am really looking forward to it. Double check to make sure you have your hiking boots.

I could tell that yesterday’s letter hurt you, and that tugs at my heart. Please know, it was never my intent to cause you pain. You are the love of my life, my safe place, and these letters should reflect that. They should be a source of comfort, joy, and something you look forward to, not something that brings discomfort or that heavy, yuck feeling.

Moving forward, I want to make these letters something warm and uplifting, something that brings a smile to your heart. I’m going to leave the intrusive thoughts and sensitive subjects out of them so they can become a beautiful thread in the life we’re building together.

As for the subject that’s been consuming me for far too long, I’ve decided to stop giving it space between us. I know it has caused pain, and I don’t want to bring that into our present or our future. It’s time for me to bury it, completely in its entirety. Moving forward, I won’t speak about the situation, or even mention his name. It’s time to let it go for the sake of our peace, our love, and the life we’re building together.

I love you more than you could ever know, and I will not risk hurting you again. You deserve peace, happiness, and a partner who lifts you up. And that’s what I want to be, every single day.

I can’t believe it’s been a couple of weeks since I’ve written you a letter. Life has been moving so quickly, and we’ve had so much going on lately. Between Alec moving into your house and you transitioning into this one, there’s been a lot of change, but it’s all been part of something beautiful.

Watching how naturally you’ve stepped into this house and started to make it our home has meant so much to me. What once felt cold, industrial, and a bit impersonal is now slowly becoming filled with warmth, comfort, and life, all because of you. The little touches you bring, the thought you put into each room, the way you soften the edges, it’s exactly what this place needed.

I feel lucky every day to build this life with you. Thank you for making this house feel like it’s truly ours.

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little nervous about Alec being on his own. It’s one of those milestones that hits a parent differently, the kind that comes with pride, but also a quiet, lingering concern. I just hope he can manage the house, the bills, and everything else that adulthood throws at him.

No matter how old your kids get, I don’t think the wondering ever stops. You still find yourself asking, Will they be okay? Will they manage? Will life be kind to them? But deep down, I know he’s going to be just fine. He’s strong, smart, and capable. And while he might hit a few bumps along the way, we all do, I have no doubt he’ll find his footing and build something solid for himself. I believe in him.

The 4th of July weekend was truly amazing, one of those weekends that lingers in your memory for all the right reasons. Hanging out with your brother Billy was such a great experience. He’s got a laid-back energy that made everything feel easy and fun, and it honestly felt like one of those rare moments where time just slows down for a bit.

I’d love to go back up there next year, maybe even stay at the RV park and make a full experience out of it. The fireworks were absolutely one of the highlights, they lit up the sky in a way that just felt magical, like the perfect punctuation mark to a weekend full of good company, and little moments that mattered.

Lately, I’ve been really struggling with my dreams. It’s strange, I never seem to remember the good ones, only the ones that leave a weight on my chest when I wake up. I don’t want to dream about my past, but that’s where my mind keeps going night after night.

You asked me once if the dreams were about you, and I brushed it off. But the truth is, a few of them are. The one that haunts me most is vivid and painful: it’s our wedding day, and I’m standing there waiting for you… but you walk down the aisle and marry Kevin instead. I’m left there, alone. Everyone else celebrates while I’m just standing there, invisible, discarded.

I know it’s just a dream, but it feels like my subconscious is trying to sort through all the unresolved questions I still carry, that I can’t ask. I can’t shake the feeling that there are parts of your relationship with him that you’ve kept guarded, not to be secretive, but maybe to protect us. Maybe you’re afraid it would hurt too much or spark emotions you or I can’t control.

But I hope that someday, when you’re ready and you feel safe enough, you’ll open up fully and help me understand how deep things really went with him. Not to judge, just to have peace. Because it’s hard fighting shadows when I don’t know what they’re made of.

I’m really looking forward to our trip out east. There’s so much I’ve been holding onto, places, stories, moments, that I’ve never been able to share with you, simply because of the distance. But now, I finally get to open that part of my world to you.

There are so many things I want you to see and experience, not just landmarks or scenery, but pieces of my past, the kind that shaped who I am today. It’s more than just a road trip for me, it’s a chance to bring you into parts of my life that have stayed tucked away until now. And being able to do that with you by my side… it means more than I can really put into words.

You are my entire world, the center of my heart, and the calm in my storm. With every moment we spend together, my love for you grows in ways I never thought possible. It’s in the quiet glances, the shared laughter, the way your hand fits in mine, every second with you deepens the bond I feel.

I love you more than words could ever fully express. More than I can describe, more than you may ever truly know. It’s a love that lives in every breath I take and in every hope I have for the future. You are everything to me, my love, my peace, my home.

It turned out to be a pretty good day, even though we were not able to stay at the tipi resort we had originally planned because of mold in the tipis.

Spending time with her brother really helped make the day better. He took us out on his boat, though you could tell he was a little nervous. He had only been boating for a short time, and the lake was pretty rough that day. Even so, we made the best of it and still had a good time being out on the water.

Later we picked up some fireworks and found a campground that offered day passes. They had a roped-off area where you could safely launch fireworks out over the water, which made for a really fun way to end the evening.

By the end of the day we were already talking about coming back. We told each other that in 2026 we should bring the RV and spend the whole weekend there.