It is always great to get to talk with other RVers. Some have been traveling for over 10 years and have a wealth of experience.
We were doing some volunteer work at Lake View Conference Center in Texas. There were some other volunteers there that we had done V-work with in Arizona last year.
Janna invited me over for a ladies coffee and snacks. As I walked into her camper I felt like I had entered an extremely high class home. The curtains, couches, table, and kitchen were stunning. I loved just being in there!
I visited with her for a few minutes, enjoying her homemade muffins. That is when she mentioned how she traveled with all of her tea pots and expensive glass wear.
She buys the Duck Easy Liner shelf liner. I have a link for you so you can see what I bought.
I bought the kind that was not the smooth top. Janna cuts it up into just the right size pieces for what ever she places it under. The day before they travel, she takes out the pieces of cut liner and puts it under her tea pot, cups, decorations on her coffee table, and other fragile pieces. She does wrap her extremely fragile tea pot in bubble wrap and puts it in her sink, though.
So, I thought I would give it a try. We put it across my entire dresser. My laptop, printer, and other items sit on it. It seems to keep it from sliding. We had a terribly bumpy ride through Oklahoma since then and everything was fine. I do not keep anything near the edge of the dresser, just in case. Also, our bed slides up to the dresser, so I am hoping that if there was a problem while traveling, any of the items on my dresser would at least fall onto the bed.
It also works great on book shelves, under toys, and under the basket on my washer/dryer that hold laundry soap. I do have a hook to help hold that shelf, though.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Bad Weather in a Camper
There are many positives and negatives to hitting the road full time. We love traveling, seeing the sights, visiting family, climbing, hiking, four wheeling, kayaking, mountain biking, spending more time together, are just a few of the wonderful reasons to travel.
Yet, there are negatives and the worst for us is bad weather.
The recent outbreak of storms has hit us hard in central Texas. It is quite scary to have lightning crashing around us as we hide out in our 42' camper that seems like a tin can when the wind is rocking it back and forth.
The first big storm hit about a month ago. We were at Navarra Mills Army Corp of Engineers campground. It was a beautiful place to stay. Our camper was nestled among numerous large trees which kept us shaded during the day.
But, when the winds hit, the trees bent extremely far down. I was concerned one might fall on the camper, and even if it didn't fall, lightning could strike one of them and then go into our camper.
The winds hit suddenly and the kids and I ran for our truck. We didn't even have time to put shoes on. I drove as fast as I could to the bathhouse just across the field. We ran inside and huddled in the corner. Most of the kids were half asleep as this happened around 6 or 7 am.
Shae, my husband, and Cody our 18 yr old, were still at the camper, closing windows, vents, and grabbing as many items outside before they blew away.
It wasn't but a few minutes after we had arrived at the bathhouse that Shae and Cody showed up.
We hid in the bathroom/shower area for over an hour. It got very cold so Shae ran back to the camper to get us a blanket and shoes.
Once the storm was over, we drove back to the camper, relieved to find everything in tact and accounted for. The only damage was to our tent we had set up for the kids to play in.
We were thankful to be ok and to have our camper in one piece.
Storms are terrible in a camper. I have more stories to share....one about the tornado!
Yet, there are negatives and the worst for us is bad weather.
The recent outbreak of storms has hit us hard in central Texas. It is quite scary to have lightning crashing around us as we hide out in our 42' camper that seems like a tin can when the wind is rocking it back and forth.
The first big storm hit about a month ago. We were at Navarra Mills Army Corp of Engineers campground. It was a beautiful place to stay. Our camper was nestled among numerous large trees which kept us shaded during the day.
But, when the winds hit, the trees bent extremely far down. I was concerned one might fall on the camper, and even if it didn't fall, lightning could strike one of them and then go into our camper.
The winds hit suddenly and the kids and I ran for our truck. We didn't even have time to put shoes on. I drove as fast as I could to the bathhouse just across the field. We ran inside and huddled in the corner. Most of the kids were half asleep as this happened around 6 or 7 am.
Shae, my husband, and Cody our 18 yr old, were still at the camper, closing windows, vents, and grabbing as many items outside before they blew away.
It wasn't but a few minutes after we had arrived at the bathhouse that Shae and Cody showed up.
We hid in the bathroom/shower area for over an hour. It got very cold so Shae ran back to the camper to get us a blanket and shoes.
Once the storm was over, we drove back to the camper, relieved to find everything in tact and accounted for. The only damage was to our tent we had set up for the kids to play in.
We were thankful to be ok and to have our camper in one piece.
Storms are terrible in a camper. I have more stories to share....one about the tornado!
Monday, April 4, 2011
Pests invade the camper!
We have had ants invade our camper while in Nevada. A branch was touching our slide out so the little buggers just hiked across and into our couch/dining room. I was very unhappy when we got home that night to thousands of them roaming around our camper.
I began smashing them with my fingers while my husband grabbed the vaccuum. We sucked and smashed everyone of the pesky little creatures.
He went out and sprayed the outside of our camper with bug killer and cut down the branch they were using as a bridge into our home. I'm sure all of the crumbs of food on the floor and in every nook and cranny didn't help the situation!
I did not use chemicals inside of the camper because I did not want to breathe it in. Instead, my finger and a vaccuum did the hard work of removing the ants.
We also had some mice move in. They wanted to make their home in our camper as well as in our truck's motor. They enjoyed eating wires and pooping in random places. Thank goodness Shae checks the wiring before we leave a campground. He noticed the mice had chewed through the insulation but had not actually chewed the wire. He was able to fix it himself.
We used traps and bait to kill them. My husband about went crazy at night when he would have to listen to them running in our walls.
We spent two months in Wisconsin, leaving our camper in Missouri. After a run in with pack rats in Arizona and mice near the border of Arkansas, we decided to put led lights in our compartments and under the hood of our truck. They were on for two months and worked great. Of course, the poison and traps my husband put in a compartment, may have helped, too!
Now, it is spring again, and once again, the little critters are trying to make their way into our camper. Shae bought bug spray for the outside and we put chalk around the bottom of our picnic table. I'm not sure if chalk will work, but we heard it did. Someone also told us they put Ajax around the tires of the camper and any other piece of equipment that touches the ground. We have not tried it ourselves, so I can't verify if it works.
I often see campers with bags of water hanging outside their front doors. It is supposed to scare off flies. We have one hanging out right now. It seems to be a welcome sign for the nasty critters - telling them to come in and dine with us!
Hopefully, we won't have anymore pests in our camper. With all of the kids I can't stand the thought of nasty, little creatures biting my wee ones. Finding a way to kill them all or keep them out without chemicals is a challenge. I will share more as I learn more.
He went out and sprayed the outside of our camper with bug killer and cut down the branch they were using as a bridge into our home. I'm sure all of the crumbs of food on the floor and in every nook and cranny didn't help the situation!
We also had some mice move in. They wanted to make their home in our camper as well as in our truck's motor. They enjoyed eating wires and pooping in random places. Thank goodness Shae checks the wiring before we leave a campground. He noticed the mice had chewed through the insulation but had not actually chewed the wire. He was able to fix it himself.
We used traps and bait to kill them. My husband about went crazy at night when he would have to listen to them running in our walls.
 |
| Thankfully we saw this tarantula outside of our camper. |
Now, it is spring again, and once again, the little critters are trying to make their way into our camper. Shae bought bug spray for the outside and we put chalk around the bottom of our picnic table. I'm not sure if chalk will work, but we heard it did. Someone also told us they put Ajax around the tires of the camper and any other piece of equipment that touches the ground. We have not tried it ourselves, so I can't verify if it works.
I often see campers with bags of water hanging outside their front doors. It is supposed to scare off flies. We have one hanging out right now. It seems to be a welcome sign for the nasty critters - telling them to come in and dine with us!
Hopefully, we won't have anymore pests in our camper. With all of the kids I can't stand the thought of nasty, little creatures biting my wee ones. Finding a way to kill them all or keep them out without chemicals is a challenge. I will share more as I learn more.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Bulls, bull riding, ranches, cutting horses, and wild times!
After weeks of sickness, visiting family, exhaustion, and a lot of hiking, biking, kayaking, four-wheeling.....
I AM BACK!
And boy, do I have some stories to tell. Where should I begin....
Bull Riding
You read it right, my husband and 18 year old decided to try their hand at riding bulls. Now, let me tell you, was the testosterone flying!
We had the pleasure of meeting Mike Lee, a World Champion PBR Bull Rider. He is one of the nicest and most generous people I have ever met. During our last visit with him, in Springfield, MO, he asked us to come stay at his ranch for a while. We were all so excited to get to actually get to know him as a person. We had been following his career for over a year and praying for him faithfully.
A few months later I called him from Missouri and said, "Mike, we would still like to come down and visit. Will now be a good time?"
"Come anytime and stay as long as you want," was Mike's thoughtful reply.
His dad met us at the gate as we pulled into the large ranch in northern Texas. I was quite nervous about our huge camper being able to find a place on the ranch where it would fit and be level. I also hadn't quite worked out the details of needing 30amp hookups as well as water and a dump for the sewage. My plan was to hope for the best and if the facilities weren't available, we would just stay a few days and then move on. Thankfully, they had a beautiful spot for us to park. Horse stalls surrounded our camper and were a lovely view to wake up to every morning.
The electrical box was right next to our camper and water hoses were everywhere. They even had a place for us to dump our sewer.
It was an interesting and unique stop for us. We didn't really know them and they didn't really know us. I had talked with Mike a few times. Our family met him four times at different events. Gabriel had written him letters and sent him pictures for over a year. Yet, here we were.
Thank goodness we all got along great, although by the end of our stay Mike and I had a boxing match! That is another story.
Mike's dad and step mom live on the ranch. They are both such incredible people. We were so blessed just to get to know them and visit with them.
Our first couple of days began with horse back riding on cutting horses. Now, when they told me they were cuttin' horses I had no idea what that meant. I didn't ask either. Surely in the next couple of weeks I would figure it out. My first thought was it had something to do with breeding them. I vaguely remembered hearing the word "cutting" in relation to something with animal privates. Later, I found out cutting has nothing to do with breeding but refers to using the horses to split up herds of cows to separate them for various reasons.
These horses are highly skilled and difficult to ride for the ignorant person, like me. It was amazing to watch these men ride and train the horses to split herds. Mike put some of the kids on them for fun. Naomi didn't know that putting the reins down told the horse to go backwards. She laughed so hard as the horse continued to walk backward across the arena.
Over the next month, Dennis and Mike taught my oldest son, Cody, to do some of the training on the horses. What an education!
During our first few days, Mike told us about his two bulls he owned. He is training them to be for bull riding. One is tamer than the other, but he warned us not to go near them. Both have very bad attitudes. So, after that warning, Mike thought it would be a blast to let us sit on them! He marched us over to the chutes, not giving us a chance to back out or come up with an excuse. He put the nicer one in the chute and commanded Cody to get on.
"Don't hesitate now. Just sit right down on him." Mike told Cody.
Cody sat down carefully yet quickly. No problems.
Next.....ME! No, surely Mike wasn't telling me to get on. Now, if you know Mike, you know he does not take no for an answer. He told me to get on and that is exactly what he expected me to do. So, on I climb. I gave him that look that said, "If anything happens to me you will pay for this!" Sure enough, things went fine and the next person got on.
Hanna was next. She talked to the bull the entire time. "Nice bulleeeee.....You are so sweeeeetttttt."
Naomi was smart, though. She hid behind me and Mike didn't see her. She got out of it. I must admit, it was quite thrilling. I'm glad I did it.
Now for you Texans and rodeo people, you must be thinking I am the biggest sissy in the world. Well, go ahead. I don't care what you think! Those bulls were big and mean!
I learned a lot about myself that month. Mike really helped me get over a few fears I had as well. But, more stories to come soon, including the one that tells how my husband made his knee swell up 3 times it size for two months!
I AM BACK!
And boy, do I have some stories to tell. Where should I begin....
Bull Riding
You read it right, my husband and 18 year old decided to try their hand at riding bulls. Now, let me tell you, was the testosterone flying!
We had the pleasure of meeting Mike Lee, a World Champion PBR Bull Rider. He is one of the nicest and most generous people I have ever met. During our last visit with him, in Springfield, MO, he asked us to come stay at his ranch for a while. We were all so excited to get to actually get to know him as a person. We had been following his career for over a year and praying for him faithfully.
A few months later I called him from Missouri and said, "Mike, we would still like to come down and visit. Will now be a good time?"
"Come anytime and stay as long as you want," was Mike's thoughtful reply.
His dad met us at the gate as we pulled into the large ranch in northern Texas. I was quite nervous about our huge camper being able to find a place on the ranch where it would fit and be level. I also hadn't quite worked out the details of needing 30amp hookups as well as water and a dump for the sewage. My plan was to hope for the best and if the facilities weren't available, we would just stay a few days and then move on. Thankfully, they had a beautiful spot for us to park. Horse stalls surrounded our camper and were a lovely view to wake up to every morning.
The electrical box was right next to our camper and water hoses were everywhere. They even had a place for us to dump our sewer.
It was an interesting and unique stop for us. We didn't really know them and they didn't really know us. I had talked with Mike a few times. Our family met him four times at different events. Gabriel had written him letters and sent him pictures for over a year. Yet, here we were.
Thank goodness we all got along great, although by the end of our stay Mike and I had a boxing match! That is another story.
Mike's dad and step mom live on the ranch. They are both such incredible people. We were so blessed just to get to know them and visit with them.
Our first couple of days began with horse back riding on cutting horses. Now, when they told me they were cuttin' horses I had no idea what that meant. I didn't ask either. Surely in the next couple of weeks I would figure it out. My first thought was it had something to do with breeding them. I vaguely remembered hearing the word "cutting" in relation to something with animal privates. Later, I found out cutting has nothing to do with breeding but refers to using the horses to split up herds of cows to separate them for various reasons.
These horses are highly skilled and difficult to ride for the ignorant person, like me. It was amazing to watch these men ride and train the horses to split herds. Mike put some of the kids on them for fun. Naomi didn't know that putting the reins down told the horse to go backwards. She laughed so hard as the horse continued to walk backward across the arena.
Over the next month, Dennis and Mike taught my oldest son, Cody, to do some of the training on the horses. What an education!
During our first few days, Mike told us about his two bulls he owned. He is training them to be for bull riding. One is tamer than the other, but he warned us not to go near them. Both have very bad attitudes. So, after that warning, Mike thought it would be a blast to let us sit on them! He marched us over to the chutes, not giving us a chance to back out or come up with an excuse. He put the nicer one in the chute and commanded Cody to get on.
"Don't hesitate now. Just sit right down on him." Mike told Cody.
Cody sat down carefully yet quickly. No problems.
Next.....ME! No, surely Mike wasn't telling me to get on. Now, if you know Mike, you know he does not take no for an answer. He told me to get on and that is exactly what he expected me to do. So, on I climb. I gave him that look that said, "If anything happens to me you will pay for this!" Sure enough, things went fine and the next person got on.
Hanna was next. She talked to the bull the entire time. "Nice bulleeeee.....You are so sweeeeetttttt."
Naomi was smart, though. She hid behind me and Mike didn't see her. She got out of it. I must admit, it was quite thrilling. I'm glad I did it.
Now for you Texans and rodeo people, you must be thinking I am the biggest sissy in the world. Well, go ahead. I don't care what you think! Those bulls were big and mean!
I learned a lot about myself that month. Mike really helped me get over a few fears I had as well. But, more stories to come soon, including the one that tells how my husband made his knee swell up 3 times it size for two months!
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Seems like we never want to leave an area.....
There are so many amazing places across our wonderful country. I don't know how many times we have said, "We don't want to leave yet!"
Yet, we also know that around the curve in the road will be another town that may be just as special and meaningful as the last.
Some towns stand out more than others; ones we might visit again or even consider moving to someday.
Other towns we would just as well avoid and hope to never even drive within 40 miles of them!
Recently we were in Dublin, TX. What an amazing little town! It had a feel of unity and love. The residents liked their town and loved living there. Everyone seems to believe in their community and its potential.
I do believe I could call it home someday...
Yet, we also know that around the curve in the road will be another town that may be just as special and meaningful as the last.
Some towns stand out more than others; ones we might visit again or even consider moving to someday.
Other towns we would just as well avoid and hope to never even drive within 40 miles of them!
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| Proctor Lake |
-8.jpg) |
| Dr. Pepper factory |
I do believe I could call it home someday...
Monday, February 28, 2011
How Time Flies in Between Sickness and Travel!
Literally, time sure has gone by fast. With six kids, home school, and all of the travel, it is hard to find time for much else. That is not a complaint, just a fact.
January brought one of the most wild times of our trip. Sorry to say, I am just too tired to write about it all tonight, but I do want to touch on one aspect of the last two months.
It is so easy to get so busy. Often times, the busyness is not intentional or even our desire. Busyness can be thrust upon us and not welcome at all.
Such is the last two months.
We spent one month at an amazing ranch in Texas (details later). But, while there, we had three different sicknesses! It was terrible. It seemed that I had at least one to four children at a time with a fever. Shae and I even got sick with only Hanna to help us all. Cody was working on the ranch, so he was busy during the day and helped when he could. Still, it was such a wonderful time with our new friends.
From there, we went to a camp south of Dallas, where the kids got pink eye! And, on top of that, we were in an ice storm for five days! Our camper is not made for that! It was miserable.
Leaving there, we had to be in another town to visit family. The kids were almost over pink eye, but not quite. We told the family they had it and may still be contagious, but the family didn't care. They just wanted to see us anyways.
Two weeks of driving to their house almost every day for many wonderful hours was great, but are we exhausted!
What a crazy two months!
Six weeks of it I didn't have decent internet or cell phone! I felt like I was in the stone age!
Now, we are at a campground with full hook ups, no visiting, only my husband is sick, and cable tv! Yes, you read it right! Cable TV! We sure are spoiled here! I have great cell signal and ok internet. What a treat!
Now, we need a break. It is time to take some time off to catch up on chores and get some kind of order to our lives.
The other day I was so wore out, I sat in my lawn chair and stared at the lake. I didn't think, move, or talk for an hour.
I can't wait to share some of our adventures since Jan 1st. I just have to stay awake long enough to write it!
January brought one of the most wild times of our trip. Sorry to say, I am just too tired to write about it all tonight, but I do want to touch on one aspect of the last two months.
It is so easy to get so busy. Often times, the busyness is not intentional or even our desire. Busyness can be thrust upon us and not welcome at all.
Such is the last two months.
We spent one month at an amazing ranch in Texas (details later). But, while there, we had three different sicknesses! It was terrible. It seemed that I had at least one to four children at a time with a fever. Shae and I even got sick with only Hanna to help us all. Cody was working on the ranch, so he was busy during the day and helped when he could. Still, it was such a wonderful time with our new friends.
From there, we went to a camp south of Dallas, where the kids got pink eye! And, on top of that, we were in an ice storm for five days! Our camper is not made for that! It was miserable.
Leaving there, we had to be in another town to visit family. The kids were almost over pink eye, but not quite. We told the family they had it and may still be contagious, but the family didn't care. They just wanted to see us anyways.
Two weeks of driving to their house almost every day for many wonderful hours was great, but are we exhausted!
What a crazy two months!
Six weeks of it I didn't have decent internet or cell phone! I felt like I was in the stone age!
Now, we are at a campground with full hook ups, no visiting, only my husband is sick, and cable tv! Yes, you read it right! Cable TV! We sure are spoiled here! I have great cell signal and ok internet. What a treat!
Now, we need a break. It is time to take some time off to catch up on chores and get some kind of order to our lives.
The other day I was so wore out, I sat in my lawn chair and stared at the lake. I didn't think, move, or talk for an hour.
I can't wait to share some of our adventures since Jan 1st. I just have to stay awake long enough to write it!
Friday, December 3, 2010
These are a few of my favorite things.....
Watching The Sound of Music sure puts a smile on my face tonight. Sitting around with my children and husband, enjoying each other's company as well as a classic movie.
There are many difficult times traveling full time in a camper with six children, one of which is a young adult trying to stretch his wings in 42'!
Yet, the difficulties that we endure are much fewer than the amazing experiences we enjoy. Spending the last six weeks with my grandmother have been priceless. My children spending countless hours with aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends have brought a lot of joy, some pains, and much fun.
We organized an impromptu family reunion held at a Veteran's Center. I made some phone calls, emailed, and sent messages on face book. Many relatives came and we had a wonderful time. To see so many loved ones visiting, laughing, and telling stories was worth more then my entire home. To watch my grandmother talk and play with my children, Cody play the Bodran with Uncle Steve playing the penny whistle. Hanna leading worship at a local youth group. Naomi talking so pleasantly with anyone of any age. Tytus running to and fro making everyone giggle. Gabriel and Josie making friends with cousins.
How can I put things and bricks before this? Things are not eternal, people are. I do want a house some day; a place to call home. But, I will not go so far in debt to buy one that we can no longer afford to travel.
There have been a few hard times while we were here. Some family and friends are harder to get along with than others, yet, the Bible says that what kind of Christians are we if we only love those who are easy to love! I saw some walls break down in some relationships here. It took six weeks to break them down, but they are down none the less.
There are many difficult times traveling full time in a camper with six children, one of which is a young adult trying to stretch his wings in 42'!
Yet, the difficulties that we endure are much fewer than the amazing experiences we enjoy. Spending the last six weeks with my grandmother have been priceless. My children spending countless hours with aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends have brought a lot of joy, some pains, and much fun.
 |
| Cousin Eleanor in Montana |
We organized an impromptu family reunion held at a Veteran's Center. I made some phone calls, emailed, and sent messages on face book. Many relatives came and we had a wonderful time. To see so many loved ones visiting, laughing, and telling stories was worth more then my entire home. To watch my grandmother talk and play with my children, Cody play the Bodran with Uncle Steve playing the penny whistle. Hanna leading worship at a local youth group. Naomi talking so pleasantly with anyone of any age. Tytus running to and fro making everyone giggle. Gabriel and Josie making friends with cousins.
How can I put things and bricks before this? Things are not eternal, people are. I do want a house some day; a place to call home. But, I will not go so far in debt to buy one that we can no longer afford to travel.
There have been a few hard times while we were here. Some family and friends are harder to get along with than others, yet, the Bible says that what kind of Christians are we if we only love those who are easy to love! I saw some walls break down in some relationships here. It took six weeks to break them down, but they are down none the less.
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| Great Grandma reading a book to the kids. |
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| We celebrated Advent in the rental cabin on the lake. |
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| Naomi loved making angels in the snow. |
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| Celebrating Great Grandma's 82nd birthday - priceless. |
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Thanksgiving in a Camper
I was asked by http://www.rvparking.com/ to write about Thanksgiving in a camper. Read it at their website.
It was a lot of fun to remember the craziness of our first Thanksgiving in a camper.
Check it out at the above website!
It was a lot of fun to remember the craziness of our first Thanksgiving in a camper.
Check it out at the above website!
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Heading North This Time of Year
Crazy is an adjective used to describe us for numerous reasons. I am about to give you another...
We headed NORTH
a couple weeks ago, to stay in Wisconsin for a month or two.
Yes, you read it right.
We headed NORTH!
This time of year most RVers are heading south to get a spot at the quickly filling campgrounds. There aren't a lot of places to spend a warm winter, so reservations are a good idea.
But, of course, we just couldn't do the norm. Instead, we packed our bags, left our camper behind and made the long trip to northern Wisconsin. You see, it has been six years since I have seen my Grandma and I decided I didn't want to wait another winter. So we winterized our camper, left it at a friends, and headed north. This is the first time away from our home on wheels in over two years.
After three days on the road, in motels, and with family, I told my husband,
"I am never traveling without the camper again!"
It took us sooooo long to get to our destination. On day two we stopped almost every 45 minutes for the 4P's
PEE
POOP
PUKE
OR PLAY
We left a trail of bodily fluids from Missouri to Wisconsin. I have children of all ages, and getting them on a potty cycle is almost impossible. So, we decided to enjoy the trip no matter how long it would take or how gruelling it would be.
The good news is that we found a cabin to rent for a month! It feels so weird to stay in a house again. We actually have privacy and peace and quiet again!
And, with visiting family comes the faithful sicknesses. It seems when ever we visit family we get sick. Why is that!? So we enjoy the cabin while we are cough, snort, and wheeze!
Monday, November 1, 2010
Life gets busy...we must not be blind
Traveling with six kids, trying to home school, and write three books, can sure be time consuming. Back on the road, after staying put for the summer.....life is busy! But, it is a good busy.
After two years on the road, we are finally getting to visit my Grandmother.
We only have two weeks here, so we have to treasure it. But, like with all plans, things change. Upon arrival, we found out two uncles died. One uncle was 88 and died of cancer, while the other was only 53 and his death was quite a surprise.
(This post was written before we rented the cabin)
Our happy vacation turned into a time of mourning and bonding. I brought my grandmother to the viewing of Eugene. The family was sad, but not overly distraught. Eugene was old and ready to be with the Lord. Of course, he left a huge farm with lots of items of value on it. I am hoping greed doesn't divide the family. If everyone will do what is fair and right, things will be fine....
Uncle Orville died too young. He has four children, all adults, but still too young to be without a father. When we got word of his death, we dropped everything. I told my husband that our vacation was over. Our only job was to help the family through this hard time.
You see, I lost my dad when he was 53 also. It was one of the hardest things in my life.
We made a huge salad and tons of enchiladas. I bought paper plates, silverware and cups for them. We brought them to their house. As I walked in, my cousin Sara rushed to me and collapsed in my arms. I'll never forget the sobbing and her body shaking with sadness. This was her daddy that died. Her heart was crushed. I led her to a bedroom and rocked her in my arms. We cried together for a while.
We didn't stay long, in fact, I didn't let the kids come inside. When someone loses a loved one so tragically, it is not time to visit or make it into a family reunion. I held her and comforted her until she was ok, then we left.
Two funerals were not what we wanted to do on our vacation up north. Yet, it is times like this that makes us question our motives for our traveling full time. Yes, we travel to see great sites, spend time as a family, have fun....but are we willing to sacrifice our own plans to help another in need.
We gave up three days of our vacation to help our family. I told my kids, "Are we here for us, or for God."
We helped clean up after the funeral, which took up most of our one of only two Saturdays here. It was the right thing to do, though. People must always come first...before sight seeing, playing, or resting.
It is like the good samaritan....when we see a desperate need,
Do we go on with our plans?
Do we keep driving and say the next person will help?
Do we feel that it is not our responsibility and they wouldn't do it for us?
Sometimes, it is the hard choice that is right. I am not saying all of this to act like we are so great and look how holy and wonderful we are. I write this to remind all of us to
After two years on the road, we are finally getting to visit my Grandmother.
We only have two weeks here, so we have to treasure it. But, like with all plans, things change. Upon arrival, we found out two uncles died. One uncle was 88 and died of cancer, while the other was only 53 and his death was quite a surprise.
(This post was written before we rented the cabin)
Our happy vacation turned into a time of mourning and bonding. I brought my grandmother to the viewing of Eugene. The family was sad, but not overly distraught. Eugene was old and ready to be with the Lord. Of course, he left a huge farm with lots of items of value on it. I am hoping greed doesn't divide the family. If everyone will do what is fair and right, things will be fine....
Uncle Orville died too young. He has four children, all adults, but still too young to be without a father. When we got word of his death, we dropped everything. I told my husband that our vacation was over. Our only job was to help the family through this hard time.
You see, I lost my dad when he was 53 also. It was one of the hardest things in my life.
We made a huge salad and tons of enchiladas. I bought paper plates, silverware and cups for them. We brought them to their house. As I walked in, my cousin Sara rushed to me and collapsed in my arms. I'll never forget the sobbing and her body shaking with sadness. This was her daddy that died. Her heart was crushed. I led her to a bedroom and rocked her in my arms. We cried together for a while.
We didn't stay long, in fact, I didn't let the kids come inside. When someone loses a loved one so tragically, it is not time to visit or make it into a family reunion. I held her and comforted her until she was ok, then we left.
Two funerals were not what we wanted to do on our vacation up north. Yet, it is times like this that makes us question our motives for our traveling full time. Yes, we travel to see great sites, spend time as a family, have fun....but are we willing to sacrifice our own plans to help another in need.
We gave up three days of our vacation to help our family. I told my kids, "Are we here for us, or for God."
We helped clean up after the funeral, which took up most of our one of only two Saturdays here. It was the right thing to do, though. People must always come first...before sight seeing, playing, or resting.
It is like the good samaritan....when we see a desperate need,
Do we go on with our plans?
Do we keep driving and say the next person will help?
Do we feel that it is not our responsibility and they wouldn't do it for us?
Sometimes, it is the hard choice that is right. I am not saying all of this to act like we are so great and look how holy and wonderful we are. I write this to remind all of us to
take the time
love others
give of ourselves when it is inconvenient or difficult
prioritize
I know we have not always made the right choice, or helped when we should have, but we are trying to be thoughtful to those around us and hopefully spread a light, that is not our own, but Christ's.
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