The Work Behind the Dream

When people picture a move to Europe, they usually imagine cafés, cobblestones, ocean air, and slow mornings. What they don’t picture is someone on their hands and knees scraping paint, hauling debris, or standing in a driveway staring at a very old deck that absolutely has to go.

But that’s where this chapter of our LifeTrek has really been happening.

As part of our move to Portugal, we’re selling two houses — a rental property and our primary residence. And the rental, in particular, earned every ounce of sweat it took to get it ready.

I tore out an old deck and replaced it with a concrete patio.
We put in new floors.
Painted cabinets.
Fixed plumbing.
Did yard work.
And I painted the entire house myself.

On top of that, there was the deep cleaning (my wife credits her Moroccan genes with her cleaning prowess) — the kind that makes you realize how much life (meaning dirt, cobwebs and fingerprints) accumulates quietly in the corners.

Our primary home didn’t need that level of repair, but it needed something just as challenging: letting go.

When you’ve lived in the same town for almost 30 years and raised kids there, you don’t just own furniture — you own decades of memories, projects, hobbies, and “just in case” items. Every box was a small archaeological dig of who we used to be.

And yet, through all that work, a couple of really good things have happened.

On January 29th, we listed our rental.
Within four days, we had an offer, made a counter, and it was accepted. We’re not closed yet, but everything is tracking well.

And today, our primary home is being photographed by the realtor. It will be on the market by the weekend, with an open house scheduled right away. We’re nervous, of course — but also optimistic.

But here’s the part that matters most.

Through all of this, my wife and I have done it together.

We’ve made decisions as a team.
We’ve trusted each other’s intentions.
We’ve talked through stress instead of turning it into friction.

This move has a thousand moving parts — finances, paperwork, timelines, emotions — and none of it is easy. But it has confirmed something we’ve known for a long time:

We chose our mates well.

I’ve told my kids for years that the single most important thing they can do for their long-term happiness is choose their partner wisely. A strong, supportive relationship doesn’t just make life more pleasant — it makes bold dreams possible. It gives you the emotional safety to attempt things that would otherwise feel too risky.

And that’s what this move really is: a bold attempt at a better-aligned life.

Portugal isn’t just a destination for us. It’s a direction — toward more time, more connection, more walking, more presence, more shared experiences. And the best part of any adventure isn’t the place you go… it’s who you get to go there with.

So if there’s a takeaway in all of this for our LifeTrek readers, it’s this:

Big life changes don’t happen by accident.
They happen through consistent effort, hard choices, teamwork, and the willingness to let go of what no longer fits.

The work is real.
The uncertainty is real.
But so is the possibility.

And we’re walking toward it — together.

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Rental house sales link: 1565 E Main St, Hillsboro, OR 97123