We are all brave in the teeniest of ways every day. These are the stories of my bravery and yours.

It's been a year

It's been a year

Kimmy Gustafson

On November 15th, 2018 I got in my jeep with my girlfriend and son and drove to Mexico. It’s been a year since that moment and I am only just now starting to realize what a radical, insane, brave move that was. 


It came from a small, seemingly insignificant moment in September when I was at a friend’s house discussing travel and trying to decide how long I wanted to spend in Mexico that winter. You see, I had just started to kiteboard and wanted to continue progressing. Housing in La Ventana was expensive and scarce unless I stayed for a longish period of time. On that dark cold Oregon evening, nestled on her (you know who you are) pristine white couch, I caught a moment of bravery, emailed the owner of an apartment I had been conversing with, and booked a place for the next three months.


And I went. 


Life since then has been the wildest ride. I would love to tell you all about it, and I am sure I will over the coming months, but the best I can do right now is give you a list. Partly, this is so you can bear witness. Partly, this is so I can remind myself (because remembering is so very sacred). Seeing as this past year has not only been my journey, there are in fact four lists: mine, Michaela’s, Lincoln’s, and ours. 


Before you read them I want to say a few things about this blog. Fucking Brave is a writing project where I am going to explore everyday extraodrinary moments. I want to look at the teeny acts of bravery (an email, packing a car and driving south, etc) that lead us/me/you to live a wild and brave life. I hope to inspire others as well as be inspired through the stories of others that I plan to share here.


I feel compelled to do this because I love you so, and I want you to see and understand past Instagram and Facebook. This is going to be the raw, ugly, painful, beautiful reality of being fucking brave. 


Now, on to the lists. This past year: 


Kimmy

  • Sold my house

  • Got divorced

  • Learned to kite. Well… I could already kite a little. I learned to stay upwind and everything that comes after that. 

  • Lost my best friend

  • Held a job at Airtime Kite where I learned to repair kites

  • Resumed working as a writer

  • Started this blog 

  • Went to lots of therapy

  • Got an epi pen thanks to a run in with a wasp that informed me of how allergic I really am to those jerks. 

  • Landed my first backroll

  • Reconnected with old friends

  • Made new friends

  • Bought so many kites

  • Bought a mountain bike

  • Downsized my life A LOT (by about 75 percent I would guess)

  • Made a life with a girl I am madly in love with

  • Have had a bit of a falling out with my family

  • Tore a disc in my back (twice)

  • Struggled terribly to adjust to life in Australia

  • Ripped my 8m kite in half 

  • Learned aerial silks

  • Celebrated my 4th birthday out of the country

  • Visited my 26th country and 6th continent

  • Became a better mom



Michaela

  • Had a shitty job at Oregon Kiteboarding

  • Landed a dream job at Kite Republic

  • Rigged for work in Portland 

  • Hit the kite park for the first time

  • Rode at a cable park for the first time

  • Had an emergency appendectomy in Mexico

  • Got her International Kiteboarding Organization Instructor certification

  • Started her vlog - Stay Wild

  • Had an incredible ski trip to Colorado to see old friends

  • Her grandma passed away and she went on a trip to Wisconsin for the funeral

  • Traveled to Mississippi for Derek’s graduation from flight school

  • First time eating at Marrakesh in Portland

  • Made a life with a girl

  • Missed Christmas at home

  • Snorkeled with tropical fish for the first time

  • Rode a strapless surfboard in the ocean for the first time

  • Taught a mountaineering course for the University of Oregon

  • Struggled in Hood River - a LOT

  • Met more famous kiteboarders

  • Got her first pair of kiteboarding boots

  • Ripped the 10 meter kite in half

  • Threw her first kiteloops

  • Almost landed a handle pass - completed a surface pass

  • 100% on her IKO test

  • First time off north American continent

  • Became a mom

  • Built out Artemis (her Jeep) for winter living


Link

  • Got stung by scorpion

  • Went to lots of therapy

  • His parents got divorced

  • He had to say goodbye to all his pets

  • We identified a huge reaction to food dyes

  • Went to school in Mexico

  • Went to school in Hood River

  • Played soccer

  • Learned to ski

  • First time flying kites – both trainer and four line LEI kites

  • First time trying to ride a kiteboard

  • Learned to mountain bike a little

  • Is homeschooling in Australia

  • Stayed home alone for first time

  • Lost his first tooth (followed by three more)

  • Learned to read

  • Learning multiplication

  • Learning to live with less

  • Wears size 8 clothes

  • Got reading glasses

  • Had a rad pool birthday party

  • Has his own bunk bed with a desk underneath

  • Visited his 9th country and 6th continent


We

  • Moved to Mexico

  • Moved to Hood River

  • Moved to Australia

  • Became a family

  • Skied

  • Hiked

  • Backpacked

  • Ate a lot of tacos

  • Ate a lot of pizza

  • Became family with the Sletmoes

  • Got a new car in Australia

  • Camped in Baja

  • Celebrated so many birthdays, both ours and of family and friends

  • Saw the OMG rainbow in La Ventana

  • Went to the La Ventana Circus

  • Went to Sunday morning Yoga in Hood River as a family

  • Started Friday pizza night tradition

  • Started living authentically and wholeheartedly

  • Cried a lot

  • Laughed a lot

  • Danced in the kitchen

  • Made so many new friends


I’m worn out right now. Like a lot. Moving Down Under has been no joke. However, I know one way to help my heart heal is to tell these stories, so that is what I am going to do. 


Love you much,


Kimmy


The little brave makes the big brave

The little brave makes the big brave

Related Posts