One Tenth

Happy Campiversary to us! On December 18th, it will have been one year exactly, since we moved out of our beautiful 2400 sq. ft. home in South Carolina and into our (maybe) 240 sq. ft. fifth wheeler. The last year has been full of surprises, disappointments, adventure, personal growth and WONDER. The one thing we haven’t felt, even a smidge, is regret. When we first transitioned into small living, and downsized to one tenth of the space we were used to, I interviewed each of the kids to share their perspective on our new life. It seems fitting to do the same now, after one year of experience under their belts. But first, I will start with me:

My favorite part of living the nomadic life is discovering things you didn’t even know existed. I was looking forward to visiting all the National Parks my parents took me to as a kid, but have been floored by all the amazing things I didn’t even know I wanted to see! I think exploring nature is a deeply spiritual experience, I never feel as close to Father as when I’m sitting in awe of this indescribable world he created, for us. I am eternally grateful for the things we have seen and done in the last 8 months on the road. We have been incredibly blessed. The hardest part about this life, for me, is relationships. I’m a bit of an introvert, in that I don’t necessarily crave socialization, but what I do crave, is community. And I feel like community, by nature, is hard to maintain long distance, so that is what I miss the most.

Now for Erich’s view: What is your favorite part of traveling? – “The change. I’ve always loved change, but now every new change brings with it an element of discovery and amazement.”

What is the hardest part of traveling? – “Sometimes it’s hard to get alone with your own thoughts. There is a constant stream of noise, movement, and interruptions.”

What has been the highlight so far? – “Sitting on the shore at Jackson Lake, watching the sun set over the Tetons. It was a moment that will be forever etched in my mind.”

Asia’s favorite part: “It never gets boring. There is always new terrain, new places to see.”

Hardest part: “Community. I’m excited about finally being a part of a youth group, but I feel like we won’t be here long enough to really get involved.”

What has been a highlight for you? – “Camping at the Tetons.”

Jake’s favorite part: “That I get to see a bunch of new things.”

Hardest part: “Not being close to family.”

Highlight: “The Tetons.”

Are you ready to settle down, stop traveling? – “Not really. I want to do at least two more contracts. I still want to see Utah and Arizona.”

River’s favorite part: “Driving around the world with our camper behind us.” (Why?) “Cuz I like seeing different things.”

Hardest part: “Sitting in the car for so long, it’s hard to sleep in the car.”

Favorite memory: “Seeing the grizzly bear up on the mountain in Yellowstone. And seeing all the animals.”

Are you ready to stop traveling yet? “No, I like traveling. We can do it for the rest of our lives.”

Micah’s favorite part: Bison

Least favorite part: Driving

Favorite thing we’ve seen so far: Bison!

Okay, so I might have filled in the blanks for our little Micah Bear, but I’m pretty sure those would be his answers. I’m pretty sure bison was one of the first 10 words he learned. As I contemplate our life on the road, there are a lot of ups and downs, good surprises and bad. There are things I wish I had known and things I’m glad I didn’t. I’m thinking another blog post for the highs and lows of camper living might be in the works. Life lessons from this year: we are all made for adventure, the Tetons are unreal, and sometimes life turns out even better than you imagined.