"And the best thing you ever done for me, is to help me take my life less seriously. It's only life after all."

2020 turned out to be Adam’s last full year of life. 

We traveled more than usual that year and had Hawaii on our radar. We would be celebrating our 15th wedding anniversary that year and we’d both turn 40. It seemed like the perfect time.

Enter COVID and our Hawaii dreams came to an end. No sense flying all that way when so many things were closed. We took a bunch of other trips instead. 

Our final trip of 2020 was a surprise.

For Adam’s 40th birthday in December, his brother, Chris, and I conspired on a surprise trip to Key West, Florida. Adam had no idea. Just Chris and his wife, Ann, Adam and I. We flew into Miami and drove down through the Keys. A week in the sun. No kids. 

We've often said  we're so glad we took that trip because five short months later Adam was gone.

 While in Key West, Adam and Ann, hit up hot dog vendors at night.

I’m the kind of girl that would never eat a hotdog again in life and be just fine with that. Adam was the complete opposite. He’d try every hot dog cart in America if I let him.

Which leads me to this –

Me. In a hot dog eating contest. 

Adam would be so proud.

I've watched enough Nathan’s hot dog eating contests with Adam to know that the buns were the tricky part. So hard to swallow. I drank a lot of water and walked out a champion! 

The things I do for this man.

I’ve learned so much since losing Adam. These kinds of lessons are brutal and change every part of you.

I had a habit of taking things too seriously. 

I had a job that required me to be careful about what I participated in and what people thought.

None of it matters anymore.

I absolutely take life less seriously these days.

My whole life is a gong show at this point and I have to embrace the chaos and the mess. Not knowing what comes next or where we’re all going to land.

It means one day I’m a guest on a radio show and the next thing I know I’m winning a hot dog eating contest. 

Not knowing what comes next in life can be freeing, if you let it.

Take a trip.

Eat a hotdog.

Do something unexpected.

It could all be over tomorrow.

I hope when you’re looking back, you’re saying “I’m so glad we did this.” Instead of “I wish we would have.”