Kelli-Rie's Dialogues

Just Another Reason To Fall More In Love With My Husband...

Since Tariq was a young boy he's wanted a motorcycle. upon reaching the legal age to drive, he began begging his parents to allow him to purchase one. The answer was always a firm N-O. Thank God as Tariq on a motorcycle at 17 years of age? Yeah, don't think he would be with us today if they had given in to that request.

Then he married me and requested my support in his quest to buy a motorcycle. I said N-O. We had a young child at the time and I just don't trust other drivers. He hung his head and walked away. Over the next several years he never failed to send hints here and there about how much he would love to have a motorcycle.

Not long ago Tariq began studying for his boards to become certified in Hospice and Palliative Medicine. He worked during the day and studied much of the night for over a year. All to provide a better life for his family.

I knew he deserved something B-I-G as a thank you from us for giving up so much of his time for his family. This had been a stressful time for us. He wanted to be with the kids and the kids wanted him. Jalyn didn't understand why daddy couldn't play and go places with us.

I let this idea about a motorcycle re-enter my brain. I never wanted Tariq to resent me for not letting him pursue a dream of his. I reached for the phone and hung it up......(did this about 10 times) before I actually got up the courage to ask questions. And just like that, I had done it. I signed my husband up for a two day motorcycle safety class. I figured if he's going to be riding against MY better judgement, than he must go through the safety class. He was over the moon excited.

The class day came and he was a different person when he returned home. I have never...ever...seen him so happy. He felt so free, like he had finally found a piece of himself that had been denied for so long. The sparkle in his eye that night, well I'll never forget it. From that point on I knew I had made the right decision. This meant so much to him and for this dream to have gone denied for so long just broke my heart.

We have wanted to purchase a camper for sometime and had finally saved enough to start looking. However, I made a decision to give Tariq the choice. I said to him "This is your choice and I will support either choice 100%. You can buy either a motorcycle OR a trailer. You have done so much for our family and given your time so unselfishly to everyone else that YOU deserve something for YOU!" The next day he went to local motorcycle shops and sat on a gazillion. He looked so happy when he came home. I told him to take as much time as he needed in making his decision.

A few nights ago he came to me and said "babe I've made my decision. While sitting on the motorcycle a lot went through my mind. I have the rest of my life to ride a bike after the kids are grown, and believe me I will. However, our kids are only this age once and we have only a short window to make memories with them before it will be not cool to hang with mom and dad. I choose the trailer."

I was thrilled, you've got to know I was hoping for the trailer (but would not have been disappointed either way!) So we packed the truck up today with coolers and snacks, everything you need to take two kids out looking for trailers all day. It was fun. Leila did pretty well but it was difficult as Tariq had to do most of the talking to the sales men and I cannot lift her. This created some issues and made it difficult to really listen to the salesman. Every trailer we went into Jalyn had to check if there were enough beds to fit his cousins and then before departing EACH and EVERY trailer he said "are we buying this one?" Seriously, this was equally annoying as "are we there yet?"


A full day later and nothing to show for it. The kids were D-O-N-E and the decisions are overwhelming.

~Travel Trailer VS Toy Hauler?

~Expensive but great quality?

~Not AS expensive with good/average quality?

~New vs used?

We want something that will grow with us. The last thing we want to do is buy something smaller to save money and realize that we are totally uncomfortable. Then you find yourself not using it as much because it's not so much fun being cramped.

The only decision we have made is that we WILL have something in time for the unbearable summer heat. We want to escape at least two weekends a month.

Have you gone through similar decisions regarding trailers? Have any ideas, advice or something helpful to share??? Please, send me comments! Would love input.