A change is as good as a rest

Welcome back to my blog and to the start of a new chapter my life. With this blog my aim is to write about the trials and tribulations transforming from one adventure to another - The adventure of family life.

Photo taken with Finn at 8 weeks

It's been 3+ years since blogging, so please let me re-introduce myself.

My name is Jo Wilson now Jo Rabone. My job is a professional kitesurfer turned kite coach and my husband runs a design & landscape business. People think he is the chilled one, but not a lot of people know that he has traveled as part of a team with climber Leo Houlding to Ulvetanna & Mt Asgard to climb 2 treacherous unclimbed lines on 2 exquisitely beautiful rocks jetting out the Arctic & Antarctic ice.

Photo by Alistair Lee of Posing Productions of Chris crossing a river on route to Mt Asgard 

I bring shells back from the Pacific, the Red Sea, the Southern Ocean after my kitesurfing adventures and Chris brings rocks from the peaks of the mountains they conquer in the polar regions! We're quite the same in terms of adventure but wildly apart in terms of choice. By star sign he is water & I am fire, a perfect synergy!!

Around 6 months ago we welcomed our son Finley Jack aka Finn into the world and 6 months has flown by. What I have come to realise is how I always strive to have far too much in my hands and now I really truly have a good excuse.

Photo: Packing up the car for kitesurfing with Finns stuff too. Finn aged 9 weeks

By having Finn I do not intend for an adventurous life to end, just a new one to begin.

My career is a slightly less orthodox career; running kitesurfing holidays from South Africa to Egypt & Morocco to Brazil. I coach people who can already Kitesurf who would like to improve. I also run a youth program that travels around my home country of the UK helping talented riders to progress. Through this blog I plan to share my delights, secrets & epic fails of becoming a parent & striving to continue on this unorthodox path.

Photo First Round of the Youth Training Program complete, Finn aged 18 weeks

In my day to day life pre family I would try to work a 5 day week. Once on my trips I'd often work for 16 hours a day for 2 weeks straight. Simultaneously Chris has left the house by 7am and seldom returns before 7pm. Clearly post Finn these hours don't work out so I tend to snatch a few hours work on a Wednesday when Finn would be with his nana then I'd work after 8pm in the evenings when possible. Chris in my desperate times will 'work from home' and so I prioritise the jobs that need to be done the most in order to keep my business rolling.  He is incredibly supportive.

Photo Egyptian Energy Kitesurfing Holiday pre Finn.

My kitesurfing coaching holidays continue to run because I have someone who I've trained over the last 2 years. She has studied in sports psychology to. I consider her to be a dedicated coach I provide her with a detailed itinerary for each day on the trips plus nightly feedback for the days when trips are running. She has my complete support and she puts in the enthusiasm, energy & hours on a trip that I consider essential.  I'm very lucky to have her and it allows my coaching holidays continue to run the way I would like even though I am at home.

Photo The awesome Dakhla Dreamin' Crew with Nanette, April 2016.

Working during the day when I'm with Finn is out of the question. He's my koala and basically needs to be in my arms or within direct eye contact 90% of the time. Working at the same time would make me resent his constant need for attention & make me look forward to his naps, so it feels both luxurious, exciting & fun to pack our day with activities that we both like such as walks, runs, swimming & becoming coffee connoisseurs. Our routine involves leaving the house at some point & coming home again. I focus on him & him only.

Photo Finn in Coniston with Chris when aged 12 weeks

I have no idea how life will pan out - I kinda like that!!!

My entries on this blog will be about our adventures, successes & fails. I will talk about where we go, what we do & how I come back to full fitness & strength post pregnancy. I will never look back on things I may have lost, but on things that I gain.

Photo Early days of getting back in to exercise, Finn aged 12 weeks

Right now I am enjoying spending more time with my friends who I'd often go for months without seeing. More adventurously I've spent time exploring the Lake District which is where I live. I've been learning the geography and walking hills with just Finn for company. I've never felt comfortable with this before as I've spent all my time on the coast making hills feel daunting. One funny thing is that walking up Coniston Old Man now feels less daunting than going to the supermarket!

Photo Questing up from Glenridding towards Hellvelyn Finn aged 6 weeks (he's in my jacket)

I hope with this blog I can inspire woman who are not sure about taking the plunge with having a child because of their sporting sacrifice. I also hope to inspire woman who feel insecure about pushing their comfort zone once having a child & I hope that anyone else may just enjoy the read.

Photo by Angel Giudicelli of Jo building up confidence & strength in Dominican Republic, Finn age 23 weeks

Next post will be about exercise & our trip to Dominican Republic.