Over the years, I’ve referred to our fifteen years on the road but have never written much about the specifics. I thought that every once in a while I would do a road post and share about what our life was like back in those days.
For new readers, we lived full-time in RVs for fifteen years, doing concerts and services in churches nationwide. We also did a bunch of studio recordings of mostly original music.
Needless to say, it was a season like no other. Ever since I was a small girl, my dream has been to travel and sing with my family and I’m grateful that my dream came true.
I’ll start with a snippet of something I wrote in 1998 summing up a particular travel day. As a reminder, when this was written, we lived in a 45-foot fifth wheel with four slide-out rooms. pulled by a Kenworth semi-truck. We lived in 500 square feet of space; not a whole lot of room for four people and a dog but we made it work.
The reason I even have these written-down memories is that my mom saved all the newsletters we used to send out. Ruth found a whole stack of them and sent them to me.
I’m writing this from the Washington, D.C. area. The first night we arrived, after an already long day on the road, we got stuck for three hours on the beltway going around the city. A main bridge had been closed down due to an accident and we couldn’t pull off anywhere because every lane and exit was full.
Steve, as always, adroitly steered our 68-foot rig through snarled, endless traffic while I did my best to keep two tired, hungry kids occupied. It was fabulous to finally pull into our destination and be somewhere that wasn’t moving.
Unfortunately, living in an R.V., you don’t just get “home” and go to bed. Here is a partial list of all that had to be done before we were able to turn in for the night.
While I was doing all of that inside, Steve was working outside unhooking and leveling the trailer, unrolling multiple feet of drinking water hose, gray-water hose, and electric cable, and then hardwiring the trailer’s electricity into the fuse box.
Then, finally, it was time for me to get the sleeping children out of the truck. Nathan fell right into bed but Sarah wanted a quick snack. She had her chin propped in her hands and her eyes closed the whole time I was feeding her. When I laid her on the couch to change her diaper she opened her eyes and inquired bravely, “Are we going to travel now?”
I think she thought that the brief rest she’d had during her snack was all the sleep she would get and that it was time to hit the road again.
She and Nathan were such good sports.
Here’s Nathan helping to unload music gear. Did he not have a great sense of style?
A few more pictures from inside the R.V.
I loved homeschooling my children. (I schooled Nathan through 7th grade and Sarah through second grade until she got sick.) One of my greatest joys is the knowledge that I taught both of my children how to read; such a privilege to be able to give them that gift of a lifetime.
(These are old pictures that have been reformatted a few times so not easy to get them to line up, size-wise.)
Steve nourished that gift, too. I love the intense attention the kids are giving him.
So there you have it. A snippet of Road Life from back in the day!
who traveled all those miles with his family is now all grown up and tending to his own sweet family. (By the way, Meagan also lived full-time in an RV full-time with her parents and two sisters for several years.) Nathan and Meagan definitely have a lot in things in common.
Here are some photos from their recent family photo shoot.
I still can’t believe they live just thirty minutes from us. So grateful to have them and Sarah and Gage so close by.
And speaking of Gage–while he and his family of eight didn’t travel in RVs, they have lived in many countries around the world doing mission work. Nathan and Sarah both married preacher’s kids and traveling kids! We couldn’t be more thrilled with the bonus son and daughter we’ve been given.
Like you, Steve and I are gradually turning our thoughts and plans toward Christmas. My main word for this season is simplicity. The older I get, the less interested I become in loads of activities and lots of stuff. Also, the older I get the less energy I have, so there’s that, too!
I’m grateful every year to get to celebrate that manger-born Child who brought light into a dark world. If we ever needed His Light in our world, it is now.
What about you?
Have you done much traveling in an RV? Do you love it? Or not?
If you haven’t done it, would you like to?
Have you homeschooled your kids? What was your experience like?
What plans do you have for this month?
I’ve never traved in an RV but I think I would enjoy, but not on a permanent basis. My sister and brother-in-law however, want to live in their 5th wheel full time when she retires from teaching. She says her dream “retirement gig” is to be RV park hosts.
Sue Ellen,
I love the term “retirement gig.” I think being an RV park host would be pretty cool; hopefully, your sister will find that dream coming true soon!
Always love looking at the pictures of Nathan and Sarah and when you began traveling. Have written this before but I remember when she was 2 years old because that is when you were at the church we went to at the time. We only traveled once in an RV which we rented to go to my parents 50th anniversary when they lived in Kansas. Did enjoy it but wished it were bigger (our daughter and her family came with).
Did not home school my children (wouldn’t have wanted to). Daughter home schooled her son but was having trouble teaching him and found out he had a mild case of autism (I say mild case because he is getting married next April and you would never know he had it as a child). So enjoy when you travel back in time – good memories and some sad. But the Lord has always sustained you through each one.
Sharyn,
I love being reminded that you met Sarah when she was two. Somehow, I always forget that. Not many of my blog readers can say they’ve met her that long ago!
So glad to hear that your grandson is getting married, even with the challenges he’s faced. That is wonderful news.
Bless you today!
I have never had the desire to travel in an RV really. I’m impressed that you did!!
I did not home school our kids. I was a working mom. We felt they got a great education in our public school system. Besides, I would not have had the patience to home school.
Our December isn’t too busy yet which is fine. I still have a bit of shopping to do and some goodies to make. Our son and his two kids are living with us temporarily so that keeps me on my toes. We are loving having the chance to ‘catch up’ with them but it’s been a LONG time since we’ve had little ones in the house! Whew!
LeeAnne,
Yes, having little ones around is definitely a happy adjustment! Joyful chaos is what I always call it.
Glad your kids had a good public school to attend; that’s a blessing!
Dear Becky, I have read this blog several times, and I am still trying to wrap my head around traveling in a huge RV (pulled by a Kenworth Semi with Steve at the wheel!) with a family and a dog – for FIFTEEN years. I was particularly fascinated by the “set up list” of tasks to be done at each destination. Your memories of those days probably would fill volumes! Lucy and I never “travelled” in an RV, but we had a small camper that we took to Manteo and the Blue Ridge Parkway for a week (each) every year. We have wonderful memories of camping in that trailer both before and after kids. Lucy’s mom & dad had a much larger camper and some of our fondest memories are taking both campers to the Blue Ridge mountains and talking to them on the CB radio as we followed them to the mountains with our little camper. Regarding your Christmas comments, it has always been “the most wonderful time of the year” for us. Now that we are in our late seventies, and with an empty nest (and with decreased energy!) we too, are having to keep the holidays simple. Our younger son cannot visit during Christmas this year, but will be coming this Saturday to spend a week with us. We will beye having “Christmas day” with him on Sunday, and again on the 25th with our older son’s family. Finally, thank you again for the beautiful photos that you include in your blogs – especially your family photos. They make a significant difference in conveying the stories and themes in your blogs. Best regards to your family!
Fred and Lucy,
You always leave the nicest comments; thank you!
I can imagine the fabulous memories you and your family made in your little camper. There’s something special about everyone being all squished together in a small space and preparing/eating camper meals–not to mention seeing beautiful scenery!
Glad you get to have two Christmases this year. As we said last week, the date isn’t as important as the people. Enjoy your tribe!
I haven’t traveled in an RV and although it sounds fun at times, I know it’s probably not for me.
I don’t have any kids so no home schooling. My niece’s half-sister has 8 kids ranging in age from about 21 months to 17 years old. She started home schooling the fall of 2020 because she didn’t want her kids to have to wear masks to school. I think she only does the oldest 6 although she may be doing preschool for the 7th one.
My month so far consists of mug gathering with neighborhood ladies Thursday, lunch with a friend Friday, Sunday School party Saturday, rocking babies Sunday during second service. The week after next we have reserved the activities room at the nursing home to have Christmas with my parents. Christmas Eve will be services at 11:00 PM with a prelude at 10:30. It’s always a beautiful service and ends in candlelight singing of Silent Night. At some point, I will take another friend to lunch or dinner for her birthday on the 16th. Yesterday, she and I attended a Christmas concert put on by the community philharmonic orchestra directed by my brother along with the community chorus.
Great picture of Nathan’s family!
Phyllis,
You sound like your calendar stays busy. I love that you volunteer in your church nursery and get all those baby hugs. So important that babies and children associate church with the warmth of being accepted and loved.
I’ve never been to a late night Christmas Eve service; sounds like a very special event. In Manteo, we always ended our candlelight services with Silent Night; what a beautiful experience.
I spent 24 summers living in a 15 foot trailer, but didn’t travel in it. I understand the set up process, but I only had to do that once a year as the trailer stayed in the same spot. For 12 summers my husband pulled a 23 foot trailer to the spot, but it was only 5 days of traveling and then a final set up for the summer. I think Steve was a great driver to take on such a long trailer. I never drove our trailer at all. I love traveling, but I don’t know how I would have done full time. My parents took several 9 month trips in their 23 foot trailer when they retired and they both loved it.
I think you did an amazing job homeschooling your kids and it really was your only choice with your traveling. Would you have homeschooled if you had been stationary all those years? As a former teacher, I am not a big fan of homeschooling as I have seen it abused by so many parents. You are an exception in your dedication to it.
This month I am finishing up my last two craft shows of the season and trying to fit in some decorating and Christmas prep in between. We haven’t gotten all the Christmas decore out since before Covid so I am trying to get it all out, and downsize some this year. So far, out of 3 boxes, I only found a small bag that I am ready to part with. Maybe the downsizing will have to wait…
Patti,
Downsizing Christmas is always a bit of a challenge because there are so many memories included with the decor. At least you’ve got a small bag to get rid of. Progress!
I’m not sure if I would have homeschooled if we hadn’t traveled. Probably not but I really loved that I “had” to do it. I’ll always be grateful for those one-on-one hours I spent with my two kids.
Sounds like you have a good bit of experience with RV living. You weren’t in a huge trailer but at least you understand all that goes into making it work. Quite the adventure!
Living full time in our RV was our retirement dream and we are very thankful to now be living that dream. There is so much to see and do in this great country and we like being able to experience those things while sleeping in our own bed every night.
We both retired in 2020. While we prepared to sell our home and it’s contents, we did a trial run of spending our first winter in Florida. It was everything we had dreamed about and that motivated us to get back to PA to get everything completed. On the way home we broke down and spent two nights rocking on the side of a very busy I-95 in Georgia awaiting parts. We decided we also needed to find a more dependable motorhome.
The house was ready for listing and the contents auction date was set for June. It was the middle of COVID and inventory of used RVs was low. One day the dealer we were working with us in Tampa took us on a video tour of two motorhomes and one was exactly what we had been looking for. We put down a deposit without ever walking in the door. The day after the auction in June 2021, we drove to Tampa, transferred all the contents to the new to us coach. It is a 45 foot motorhome with 4 slides and we tow our Chevy Colorado.
We love living the full time in our RV. We winter in Florida and travel the rest of the year. This year, for example, we visited 25 states, highlighted by a 26 day caravan through the Four Corners area (Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Colorado) with 11 other RVs.
We are back in Florida for the winter, planning next year’s adventure!
Ginny,
You guys are so fortunate in that Kenny is so good with repairs, driving big trucks and all things mechanical. Lloyd taught him well.
I am just slightly jealous of you guys getting to see the country. There is soooo much to see out there! I enjoy journeying along with you on your FB posts.
I’ve spent a few hours/days on the sides of busy roads and it is no fun. You know you’re a real road warrior the first that happens. So glad you got a lovely vehicle that you enjoy so much!
I adore that photo of the Nathan crew. What a gorgeous family! Those kids are GROWING!!!
I’ve never lived in a travel trailer, but several of our friends have retired to full-time RV living. I will admit – it had its appeal! I don’t need a lot of space, and I think I’d be happy with being able to just “up and go” at any time. Retirement is still about five years away for me, but planning has begun! I hope to be able to find a part-time position or a less-stressful full-time job when I retire from this career. I know I won’t be able to “just sit” around. 🙂
I come from a long line of teachers (my dad, my grandmother, two of my great-grandmothers, an aunt, a great-aunt). Me? I’m not a teacher. I don’t have that gift, but I have the utmost respect for those who do. So many of my friends are teachers, and seeing their joy when their students do well is lovely.
December will be laid-back for us. I decorated our mantel and got our “big” tree up in the living room and a smaller one in the breakfast room (the two rooms where we spend our time). Yesterday, we finally put out our inflatable snowman and the two tiny porch trees. That’s it. Some years I just dont’ “feel” it, ya know? I used to put up trees in every room, and in our old house, we had high ceilings so I had a HUGE tree for the living room. It took HOURS to decorate it, and it was lovely – but it was a lot of WORK.
Stefanie,
I can only imagine how beautiful a huge tree would be in a room with high ceilings. I can picture it now! But yes, it’s a whole lot of work to create all that beauty. I can’t imagine ever putting a tree in every room. We can barely get up our one tree in our one room! 🙂
Yes, I respect and admire teachers hugely. Talk about unsung heroes! You have a lot of heroes in your lineage.
You should give some short RV trips a try and see how you like them. It’s a cool way to travel/live.