We are fully living in the camper! We have sold a lot of our things, we have donated a ton of things, we have put things in storage and our 17 Acre Homestead is now empty except with a few tomatoes still ripening in the garden.
To say this has been an emotional roller coaster would be an understatement. To say this has been an absolute whirl-wind, flipping up-side down, not sure which way is up type of physical, mental and emotional roller coaster would be a much more accurate description!
One thing Chris and I plan to do with this blog and everything we may choose to do in the future is keep things real with you guys. I wouldn’t describe us as ones to sugarcoat things or be afraid to speak the truth. With that being said, the typically hard things of a big lifestyle change are the things that have been surprisingly smooth for us.
On July 7th, 2022 we looked at and walked through about a dozen campers.
July 19th we bought our camper!
July 25th our house went up for sale. Three days later we accepted an offer and we now have a closing date in near sight.
September 9th we officially start this journey with our first long stay at a campground, still in Michigan.
God has been at the forefront of our every decision. He has made a way in times I literally could not see how it was going to be feasible. He has made our path clear when I doubted (and continue to doubt) our ability to go forward with this. We have decided that this lifestyle choice is God’s plan and in order for it to all work out, He has to be the one in charge. (Psalm 119:105)
If there are decisions to be made; there are prayers to be prayed.
Culture tells us that in order to thrive and feel fulfilled we need all the THINGS!!! I don’t consider myself a hoarder by any means, okay. And we also didn’t have a giant house to begin with. But downsizing from 1600 square feet home to about 350 square feet home is no small feat.
Let’s talk THINGS for a moment. How many Tupperware containers do you own? How many blankets? Or extra kitchen items do you have on hand in case you just might need it. How many toys/clothes do you buy or receive for every holiday and birthday versus how many of those do you turn around get rid of. Not only is it eye opening but it’s depressing! The list went on and on for us you guys. For almost 6 years we have raised kids and dogs in this house; it doesn’t seem like that long really, but boy do we accumulate. We have hand me downs from different generations. We live in Michigan so we have like 50 different types of clothing for about 50 different seasons for each person in the house. We have different hobbies for each season so we can’t get rid of those because ya know, next season we might still be into that exact same hobby. Not to mention, we spent over $50 on that, I can’t just throw it away!! Oh. My. Gosh. Insane!
So yes. God is always faithful and He stays the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. No matter what decisions need to be made. It’s awesome and incredible and I have so much to be thankful for!
And yes. I have cried. I have whined and complained. I have thrown perfectly good items away that I spent money on. I have argued with people at my garage sale because it’s hard getting rid of our THINGS. Chris and I have had multiple discussions about things we each want but can't find room for or justify the need to bring. It comes down to surrendering and sacrificing. How much are we willing to do that?
Are you ready for the point now. 😉 Things Morgan has learned so far: 1. Don’t buy it unless it really has a purpose for you in the next two weeks.
2. Don’t buy it unless you are 100% certain you don’t already have it or some version of it. And I mean 100% sure. Society tells us we need the new version, the expanded, the updated, the perfected versions. NO. NO you do not. If it works, you do not need another version!
3. Don’t keep more than two of the same darn thing! With some minor exceptions.
4. Don’t teach the kids that THINGS mean more to us than time spent together.
Ok rant over. Lesson learned; we do not need as much as we think we do to live. Needs vs. Wants. And when it comes down to it, we live more according to wants and it’s sickening how much of that is wasted.
Anyways…the growth within us all, the patience, the understanding, and responsibility this lifestyle brings on is immeasurable. But here’s a few highlights of the things we are learning.
For the first time in our life, we have learned how to drive a massive dually truck. And Chris, has learned how to hitch on to a 5th wheel. (I’ve learned what a 5th wheel hitch even looks like!) We have learned how to empty our grey tanks after we shower and do dishes, as well as our black tanks after we go potty. We have all learned a whole heck of a lot more patience with each other and still need some more of that! We know who’s turn it is to vacuum every day and who’s turn it is to wash, dry or put away dishes. Small spaces get messy very fast. Three dogs and four humans create a LOT of waste and LOT of mess. There is no skipping cleaning day anymore. On moving days, we all have a duty, a checklist and a walkie-talkie. We all know that every single item in this camper has a purpose and a place to keep it safe and our home safe or it does not get the opportunity to ride with us. We carry our home and every item in it that means something to us behind our truck every where we go. It's terrifying and awesome all at the same time. It makes us responsible beyond measure. Plan. Plan. Plan. We have a plan for everything. Grocery shopping used to be a once a month thing, it’s now weekly. We buy one of things instead of stocking up in case the world shuts down and I need some bread and cookies in a month! Ha! Freezer space is kind of an issue I’m still struggling with, kind of like the THINGS, except it’s food so it’s even worse! We’re still learning, I’ll update next time. 😉
We also are planning our route, not only for this year but next as well. Touristy spots need to be planned way ahead and next week needs to be planned as well. Don’t be surprised if you see us at a Walmart parking lot, just smile and wave knowing we didn’t do very well planning that week.
All in all, it's been about two months and we have completely flipped from homesteaders to camper living. Through the chaos, the nerves, the hardship and the excitement, we begin our journey in Kalamazoo, MI while we continue to get to know our new home on wheels. While there, we will be making sure we have everything we need (and a lot less) of what we don’t need…but might need; before we hit the road for our next location.
We are so thankful for your support throughout this process so far!! All the well wishes and excitement from you all has been encouraging to say the least so please don’t stop. We are excited to keep sharing what God is using us for throughout all of this so keep following along. If we can encourage one person to get to know the goodness of Jesus then we are making an impact and that is our one true goal in all of this.
“Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20
Until next time,
Morgan
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