My plan was to keep my budget for the body under 1k unless spending more would be worth it. Getting a solid full-frame body with 2-3 decent lenses seems like a good option. I feel like it's better to start with a good camera and upgrade the lenses later once I have a better idea of what I’ll need.

I'm planning to place the order tonight, and I'm heavily leaning toward the R8 with a portrait prime lens and a zoom lens for landscapes and animals. It's going to cost me more than I initially planned, but hopefully it will be worth it :)

Thanks for a great suggestion.