“Living the RV life? But why?” I’ve had a lot of questions about why our family would sell our recently completed, custom-built, ocean view home in Seabrook, WA, to go travel the U.S. full time in an Airstream, so I thought it was time to share.

Escaping the hustle and bustle of the city

Just over four years ago we left the Seattle suburbs, sold 80% of our personal belongings, and ventured to a remote beach community on the Washington Coast. People thought we were crazy then, but the process of escaping the big city, the hustle and bustle, to find a simple peace from small-town living was exactly what our family needed at the time.

We completed an amazing home, which was an experience in itself. I am forever grateful for the process of building our home from the ground up, as it truly helped shape me, develop a different connection with my husband, and certainly brought our family together in a way that otherwise would not have happened. Oh, and during that three-year process, we lived in 400 square feet, so small living is something we know all about.

The pursuit of living a full life

This year I think, has given us a chance to truly see what’s important in our lives, what truly matters, and that really, life is short and if you desire something, you better go out and find it. So that is what we are doing.

Back in early spring, I began having a sense that perhaps our time in this little town was coming to and end. I wasn’t sure really where we would go, but a friend of mine had been traveling around the country living the RV life for the past few months and I was intrigued. Now, let me say, just months prior, I was the one saying, “I could never do that.” But, it’s funny how things can change when you open your heart.

I brought the idea up to my hubby and we chatted. His job as an airline pilot allowed him to be flexible, meaning her could basically fly into work from anywhere,  and I work from home, so that gave us a sense of freedom. We began looking at logistics, touring some trailers, and digging into this idea to see if it was something we could make happen.

We prayed, we talked, we dreamed about where we would go. We watched YouTube channels (I highly recommend Keep Your DayDream) and we waited. When you proactively begin seeking for God to show up and lead you, you will see his kindness and how He opens doors. That is exactly what happened for us.

One of the biggest doors that opened for us was that my husband was given the chance to take a three-year leave from his job. Just…wow. We prayed and felt it was an answered prayer, which would lead us into taking the next steps to sell our home and then go full time on the road.

We had already determined we would be homeschooling our ten-year-old in the fall, so that issue had been resolved. So he applied for the leave and was awarded it. We adjusted our family budget and determined it was time to sell our home.

Reality is setting in

Now, our home, Coastal Haven, is incredibly special to us. Not just because we determined each unique feature in the home, picked all the knobs, handles, windows, finishes—all of it, but because the home sits with an incredible view of the Pacific Ocean, among other things. To say we are emotionally attached to the home is likely an understatement, but when you know in your heart the time has come to allow another family to take over the space, well…you just know. It doesn’t make it easier, but you just have a peace that passes anything you can describe. We listed our home, and it sold in perfect timing. We took delivery of our Airstream almost two weeks ago and are a bit nervous, but in a good way.

I have come to realize with downsizing for the second time in less than five years that a home is special. The things in it are nice, but really, when all is said and done, it’s experiences you cherish the rest of your life. I want to live my life full right now. That is one thing I said to my husband when we were considering this new adventure. We have the ability right now to do this. We have the freedom of time; I can work from anywhere…what more do we need? In fact, I will get to see many of the people I chat with online every single day in my oily community—in person! I am thrilled about that. If there is one thing my heart has been missing, it is the loveliness of people.

So here we are. As I write this, I took my last walk around our beach town this morning. I didn’t cry; I just enjoyed the walk and wanted to etch it in my memory. Now I am packing up the last few things to take out of our home, as we leave in the morning and another family will call it theirs. We met them on Sunday, and they are so excited for their next chapter, and I am thrilled for them. You see, when you have something special and can share it with another, it truly does bring more joy to everyone.

Having faith as we embark on a new future

We have said we will travel for a year and decide what our next step is. I think we will build again, not sure exactly where, but we don’t have to figure it out right now. We can just think about what we are doing tomorrow, and the next day, and that is a beautiful thing.

Be sure to follow me on Instagram to watch our adventures living the RV life. I will do posts here on the blog occasionally, but consistent sharing will be done there.  For those praying for us, I will forever be grateful.

The topic of grief has been on my heart for several months. For many of us, including myself, we typically only think of grief with losing someone we love. But all of us at one time or another find ourselves grieving losses other than death. I believe that as a society, we typically do not give merit to the other places grief can show up.

Loss comes in the form of death, but also making a move, selling a home, losing a friendship or relationship with a family member, and one which has been completely overlooked the past six months—the loss of normal routines and connections.

You are likely in a season of grief right now. Have you considered that?

Regardless of the type of loss you’ve experienced, your grief is real.

Right now, in my season for example, I am grieving losses other than death. I am struggling with grief over selling a home we built with all our heart and soul (more on that and why we have chosen to do that in another post), moving from the small town we’ve been blessed to be a part of for over four years, launching into a season of uncertainty, being isolated from friends and family during this pandemic, grieving the inability to proceed with vacation plans we made, and having any sense of control and ability to dream and plan, and the one big one for me is a disintegration of a relationship with a close family member without knowing exactly why.

What we often don’t realize is that grief is not always about death. Grief is about loss, and that loss comes in many forms, death being just one of them.

My heart has been tender for so many months, and I am sure if you sat down and thought about your situation and what has been happening, you could come up with a list as well. Grief often brings along varied feelings that may be difficult or confusing for you. Some of the most common reactions to loss are:

• Feelings of loneliness and isolation. A desire to be alone or an inability to converse with or reach out to friends and loved ones.
• Loss of control of your thoughts and feelings. Feeling like you’re “going crazy.”
• Difficulty concentrating, numbness.
• Guilt, remorse, or constant anxiety over what you could have done differently.
• Anxiety and fear.
• Irritability, frustration, and anger at yourself, someone else, or the situation at hand.
• Listlessness, lethargy, and general exhaustion.