Answering Your Top 10 Qs?

There's enough full-time RV families to answer all your questions of how? why? where? etc. We, personally, watched Keep Your Daydream on Youtube for years before moving to the road. However, if you're not a full-timer, it's easy to romanticize or scrutinize the mobile lifestyle.

Every time I meet someone on the road and tell them I live in an RV with my husband and four boys, they say, "Wow, I have a million questions." So, I figured I'd answer the top 10 for those who are still wondering, or for the few people who read along.

1. Do you work from the road?

• While Covid prompted a lot of people to travel and work from the road, we currently are not working. We traveled part-time for years while my husband had work trips around the country, and we rented different RVs to see what we liked. When he asked me about full-time living, the idea of keeping the boys quiet so he could take a phone call felt exhausting. But then he said he'd be taking a sort of sabbatical by selling everything and utilizing some savings for a few years. That's when I was fully onboard! So no. We don't have "real" jobs, but life on the road is non-stop work mixed with fun. There's no convenience about it. It's like "working" on the Oregon Trail (just with better horse-power).
  

2. Do you homeschool?

• Yes and No. We "roadschool." My boys were in a homeschool hybrid for 1-7 years (depending on age), so I received a little help and practice before jumping in alone. Now, I road-school the three younger boys while also utilizing online school for my eldest son. 3. How do you get mail?

• We use "Escapees RV club" in Livingston, TX for most of our standard snail mail. They scan your envelopes, and you can decide whether to have them opened, scanned, shredded, or forwarded to your current location. They will also ship any package that arrives at your convenience, but Amazon has made quick temporary orders easy to receive anywhere. 4. What do you do for healthcare?

• There are many options for healthcare, but we went with CHM and have so far appreciated the benefits. Christian Healthcare Ministries is a heath share program, so it's not technically insurance, but costs are shared by members in the program. It's been a good fit for our family thus far. We have appreciated the telemedicine options from the road for our kids. We have returned to our previous home state for annual appointments when we are back in that part of the country. 5. Where do you go to church or find community?

• This changes week to week. We've been blessed to visit "planted churches" that we've known about through friends at Send Network, but we have also visited brand new places from researching the area we are residing. We also utilize online services when we en route or unable to locate a good nearby church. God has given us wisdom in scouring websites before going to a place with the word "Christian" on the marquee. Sometimes it's been life-giving. Others times it really teaches us why we believe what we believe. Community comes and goes in this season, but it's incredible how all you have to do is ask God for friends, and then you meet some. 6. How do you have time alone with your husband?

• With four boys under 13, this looks different every week. But so far, God has provided pockets of time and space alone together. Don't underestimate the power of a movie and a walkie talkie as your babysitter. Our marriage is stronger because appreciate living this journey day-in and day-out together. The good, the bad, and the ugly makes you stronger if you embrace grace. The trade off from routine date nights, is that we don't have a routine or corresponding rut. Magic can happen at any moment. ;) 7. What has been your favorite place?

• I'm not sure I can pick one place because we've visited each area of the US during its "peak season". However, New England during the fall was our very first RV trip, making it pretty memorable. Baja California, Mexico was our first full-time RV destination, so that ranks high too. For rugged beauty, Banff and Alaska win. We also loved the Great Lakes area--specifically Door County in summer, as well as Durango and Golden, Colorado. It just depends on what "favorite" you're asking about. Living, vacationing, with kids, without kids, people, activities, cost-effective, etc. It's a loaded question. 8.  How long will you travel?

• We don't know for sure. We envisioned at least two years in the US, and now we have a nudge to travel overseas during year 3 with our kids, at least for a bit, but God's plans are always better than ours. What we have loved most is rewiring rhythms so that we can truly live Spirit-led. 9. Do you have a home to go back to?

• No. This was really hard for me at first, but now I am thankful God threw away my "place pacifier." That way we can put down roots where He calls, and not have a "forever" home on earth. Many people rent out their homes in order to secure a little income or keep the door open for a place to return when they are done traveling, but we felt called to give everything up in order to go wherever God called us without looking back. 10. Do you plan or book in advance for where you travel next?

• We have a vision or sort of blueprint of where we'd like to go, but like any good plan, it's best to hold it loosely. God has clearly directed our path the past two years, and it has been incredible to experience His control. Sometimes we don't know where we are sleeping until the day of travel. As it says, "You who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.' Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that” (James 4:13-15) Hope that helps anyone still itching with curiosity. We shall see what the future holds, but God's will is wonderful, and we encourage anyone who is interested to tryout this fluid, open-handed lifestyle. It is not for everyone, but stepping outside of what's comfortable is absolutely for everyone. It's how we keep growing.

  
  

  If you have more questions, let us know. :)
  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  ~Traveling Carefully & Carelessly