Growing closer together...

It has been a lot of fun getting to see and do things we haven't been able to.  I feel as if I am a child anxiously waiting to see the next adventure and where it takes us.  We have seen so many things.  I've watched my baby learn how to walk to running as fast as her little feet can take her; head bobbling with her happiness pouring out of her.  My 8yr old mastering riding her bike before we moved to Texas in December 2013.  December 6, 2014, on my oldest's birthday, my son Robert learned how to ride his bike with no training wheels.  Huge milestone if you know my son.  Being 6 and very mechanical, he couldn't wait for mama to come out so he took off his training wheels that weren't working right and there he went!  Over the next month my oldest finally decided that 2 wheels rather than a scooter was worth trying.  She loved it and so now it's just awesome cause we all get to enjoy bike riding together.  Just need a little rider to carry baby and we are off!  Daddy just got a bike too so  very soon we will be off on some bike rides! ;)

Living in an Rv creates so much freedom and just enjoying life.  It's simplified rather than having a huge house with lots of stuff and never having time for what really is important.  At a blink of an eye, the person standing next to you could be gone.  It's best to enjoy what the Lord gives you and not take advantage that there will always be tomorrow.  Don't get me wrong there are some disappointments that come along the way but overall when you look at it, I'm glad we've done this.  How long will we be full timing it?  I'm not sure but what I know is we have each other, we have a home and we have lots of love.

Currently we are in Newton, Texas.  We have met a lot of wonderful, kind, compassionate people.  I'm so glad that the Lord knows who you need before you do!  Many blessings have come and I treasure each one.  Will our path take us somewhere else?  I'm not sure but it is quite possible.  Life is all about footprints and if I leave a few footprints on someones life than I'm doing exactly what the Lord wants me to do.  We are pilgrims just passing through.  Life truly is a journey and one should enjoy it!

I look forward to sharing some pictures of some of the nature we've experienced.  Some of God's creatures leave to be desired but there is no way I would have gotten this kind of hands on.  NO...I have not picked up any snakes but I have stood a distance as my kids have.  You know the mother hen in me.  Having one on my slide out really sent shivers up my spine but the Lord helped me through it.  There are some really neat spiders, dragonflies, some lizards/skinks, cicadas (some call locusts/grasshoppers) as well as I'm sure more I'm missing.  We have some pictures from the Gulf of Mexico too.  We've had some friends and family down since we've done this and it's fun to show them the different things we are learning.  It's an adventure!  Who gets to swim in the Gulf of Mexico!?!  Some say ewww... but where we were, it wasn't bad.  We even got to see a baby black tipped shark.  The couple's grandson was screaming put it back and we were all like "hold on...we want to see" as were running quickly to see it!

Life is a Journey...

Hi Y'all!  Welcome to Life on the Road with my family! We are trying to find a way where we can keep up with all of the wonderful people that leave imprints on our lives.  So blogging we go!  

Most know we moved to Texas for my husband Robert's job December 2013.  We weren't exactly sure where the road would lead except that we were together, we'd see daddy more and what an adventure it would be!  My husband spent many times in the south and so it really was ground he's tilled in before.  Myself, I was born, raised, and never been south of Cave City, KY.  I was excited!!!  Though 8 months pregnant and traveling 1300 miles was a little on the crazy side.  Overall, it was the best decision we made.  We are together and now it's getting even more exciting!  December 2013, We moved into a rental house in Orange, TX .  Pretty area we were in and schools pretty good. Kids did great in the school...loved my teachers too!  Don't regret it one single bit!

About 8-9 months passed.  We had some dear friends move down here that were also from Michigan.  I remember visiting one evening for I think it was a birthday get together.  On the way home, my husband asked "How would you think of living Rv style?"  Me...no way!!  Nope...notta!  Needless to say, I am a thinker and had to think hard about it.  I started thinking of places we could go, the adventure side of me kicked in overdrive.  I thought about the homeschooling aspect.  Having the kiddos home would be new and very rewarding.  School is not what it use to be.  Kids can be mean not too mention some schools are getting so corrupt.  Teenage years are not far off...  

But what about all my stuff...we looked at Rv's online and checked them over.  We found one with 3 slide outs, Aerolite 2014.  We definitely got blessed with it and decided that this was opening a chapter that we've never crossed. October 2014 we decided this is what we were gonna do and started purging stuff.  Downsizing...let's just say it was hard taking a 2000sq ft down to a 1400-1600sq ft house let alone down to a 33ft Rv.  We did it and got a storage unit for some of the items we didn't want to part with.  We have 4 little ones; 19 mon, 7, 8 and 10 yr old.  We can't exactly throw everything away...or at least coming from a mama who packs for Armageddon.  Sorry guys...bare with me.  It's change! Sometimes easier for others.  We've learned what we like in an Rv with 10 months of experience; door on master, outdoor kitchen, more storage, lighter travel trailer, etc.  We have been searching for awhile and lots of Rv's but nothing really what we wanted or wanted to settle for.  It had to be the one if we were gonna trade it in.  Over the last 4-5 months, we've gotten to see some from being in an Rv park.  Seen what might work, could work, not work, etc.  My honey showed me a couple Rv's and one I was like ok but if it's not all what we're looking for, let's keep looking.  He sent me the last link and I was like...ok...let's go see this!  It was an Open Range 308Bunkhouse travel trailer.  Walked in it and I was pretty much sold on it but still ok if it didn't work out.  It was a decision that determined if we were gonna do this longer.  So that being said, we are gonna full-time for awhile!  Go see things we've never seen.  We live in such a beautiful country and I've only seen just a glimpse of it and pictures.  I want to experience all there is....and if that means downsizing again...let's do it!  Lord's gonna have to help me in the process though cause it's not easy for me letting go of things.  I have to process things and I'm a thinker.  Think too much sometimes but hey everybody has their personality quarks.  

Let me talk a little about our Homeschooling experience so far:  So far the kids are so excited about learning. They were really excited about the new curriculum with Abeka.  In fact, they kept asking "So, when are the packages coming?"  If I told them a day, they were mapping it out and reminding me that day.  "Do we have a box yet?"  When I said one was waiting for us in the office, I heard squeals that just made my heart leap more than you could ever no!  They love school and that's so awesome!!  Not all do :)   Living in Texas, there are all new things to explore.  We've seen king snakes, water moccasins, alligator turtles, huge bull frogs, spiders of all kinds (banana spiders are fascinating the kiddos right now), lizards, skinks, cicadas(often heard people call them grasshoppers or locusts), mosquitos you could strap a saddle too (ok...maybe not that drastic but you get the picture!) and so much more.  Faith loves history, Grace is loving reading and Robert is really getting excited about a little of everything.  Baby points out when nobody has their shoes on or if there is a mess on the floor needing cleaned up.  I'm in good shape if that is what a 1yr old cares about.  A good helper I will have ;)  We have grown a lot.   Kids love to swim and all but younger 2 know how to swim now and that makes it so much easier.  It's hot and you need a way to get cool.  Let's just say if they could swim 365 days a year, I think they would!  I have fish ;)  Can't wait for the other adventures that we come upon.  We are probably going to go by the beach for a little while.  We shall see.  I really want to go on the ferry and see the dolphins by Galveston.  I've seen them on TV but not in real life.  There are so many things to do.  Kids can learn so much and I've seen them grow closer together more in the last year than I ever have.  Not too mention their love for the outdoors.  Family is precious and you never know if you have tomorrow so live, love and laugh!  Enjoy every second you have and don't regret any of it!  Show people you love and care about them!

Well...that's enough for now!  We will keep you posted as we take this journey through life!  ~Lisa