"I'm Done" Or Is It Just The Beginning?- The Daughters View

     Some of you have known them for years, some of you they have known them for a shorter time and some of you that will read this they have not even met yet. Randy and Deb Vogeler, my parents. They have decided to start their journey of a lifetime and we cannot let this experience go undocumented.

     To start their new journey, I need to tell their story so far. My parents were married December 21, 1974 and eventually parents to three children and grandparents to five grandchildren. They became farmers and farmed upwards of 1,000 acres of corn and soybeans in Iowa. They worked incredibly hard and did something that seemingly few farmers do today, built themselves a farm that was completely theirs and very successful. Even while they were farming, the running joke was that they would write a travel book called "Nothing to Do 'Til Spring". You see, they loved to travel, especially in the winter, although their later travels included the summer as well. They always wanted to take advantage of any time they had to go to new places and discover new things. They had seen others that wanted to travel in their retirement but did not make the decision soon enough to be able to thoroughly enjoy it. They knew they didn't want to be those people but speaking as their daughter, LeeAnn,  I didn't think they would ever commit to retirement, I thought they would farm forever.

     Then one day I get a call from my mom. We chatted for a little while and eventually she said, "I guess I do have something to tell you! Your dad said, "I'm done."" When she said that I honestly didn't know what she meant. She then said, "Your dad is done farming." I immediately started to cry. I had been begging them to stop or at least slow down. It was such a huge feeling of relief but at the same time it didn't seem real. But as time went on, I definitely found out it was real. I knew my mom would be very excited about it but to see my dad as truly happy and excited about it, as he was and still is, is amazing. Plans began to be set in place quickly with a retirement date set as November 1st. Anytime I talk to them, I get an update as to the days left until then from the app on their phones. They have decided to full-time RV, found a motor home that they love and purchased it. They have decided what to do with the house and farm and how to proceed from here.  So many things have changed and so many things continue to change as they get closer to beginning this new journey, both in their lives and in the lives of those around them. So keep checking back as we continue to update you on what is going on even now as they are getting things in line to start their journey.