BOULDER COUNTY, Colo. — Nic and Katie Ferrington think about their life in stages.
In this phase, they have great jobs and two children, Harper and Emery. They also had a house in Boulder County. In 2020, the family lived in an RV on Panorama Drive while they scraped the house that was on the lot and built their dream home.
"We weren't planning on going anywhere, and we even said we're never building a house again," Katie said. "So yeah. We were ready to be there 'til who knows when."
Then, on Dec. 30, 2021, the Marshall Fire destroyed hundreds of homes, including the Ferringtons', and forced them back in time.
"We're in our third place now, and we've got a fourth place lined up for June," Nic said. "But it's almost like you're back in college, where 'All right, who wants to be roommates this semester?' You just go with it when you're that age and that stage of life."
Below, watch the video Nic Ferrington took on the night of the Marshall Fire as he learned their home had burned.
The grief for what they lost came quickly – tears for three days straight. Nearly two months after the fire, the Ferringtons are done crying. The laughter comes easier as they work toward what's next.
Laughter, even as they look at the reality of being $800,000 underinsured. They were insured for the house on the property that they scraped and didn't realize their insurance didn't adjust after they rebuilt.
"It was a comfort level where we were at," Nic said. "And now I would say I'm scared to spend a dollar because I don't know how much we're going to have to make up."
Despite the financial and emotional hits, the Ferringtons plan to rebuild. They said they feel excitement at the changes they can make to their home but also sadness that they have to go through the building process again.
"It's a long process," Nic said. "That takes a lot of energy."
They've already met with builders. One of those builders, Josh Mitchell, not only works with people whose homes burned but also must rebuild his own home. In a way, the process that's ahead is therapeutic for him, he said.
"This is what I always do, every day, so for me it seems a bit easier," he said.
For the Ferringtons, it's overwhelming that so many ended up in a stage of life that they had never anticipated. At the same time, they said they find comfort in knowing that as they go through this stage, they're not alone.
Nic started to describe how many people want to help the fire victims, then he stopped on that word. Victim.
"I don't like being called a victim," he said.
"I heard recently, 'the burnouts,'" Katie responded. "We're the burnouts."
"The burnouts," he said. "OK, maybe I could do better with that one."
9NEWS will continue to share the stories of the Ferrington family and others as they each navigate the journeys to find their ways back home.
SUGGESTED VIDEOS: Marshall Fire Coverage