One from the road

The stories from the last year. Some fill my journal.  Some simply fill my heart. Some have taught us more love and compassion while others have simply made it pretty clear that this is our journey. Just the word hospital grips my heart these days. Not in some kind of fear ...maybe it's more of a why have you led us this far if....and then I focus on what God has called us to do. Back in the spring when my mom was admitted the 1st time ( we are at 4 now...admits and releases to and from the hospital) Frank called from Florida and the conversation went like this...

Frank "I think I was offered a job in Alabama today"

Me "what!?" Pause. "Where? "

Frank " somewhere in Alabama. This gentleman offered me a 1/2 million dollar house"

Me "seriously?"

Frank "yes. Seriously"

Me "what's the catch?"

Frank " he wants me to be the youth pastor at his church, but I don't think that's a catch"

We prayed about it for several days and God told both of us the same thing....

Yes. We could have had an eternal impact on the lives of the people in that church. But honestly, we can impact many more traveling.  This has not been the easier path in so many ways, but it is the right one... maybe not for you...but for us.

When you homeschool people feel the need to tell you their (sometimes limited by the media) view of homeschooling. 
When you have 7 children they tend to feel the need to ask if we own a tv ( and many other crude ways to say you have too many children)
We have been told straight out that we are ruining our children's lives ( feel free to ask them if they like our lifestyle)
When you tell people you sold your home .... ( yeah... more interesting comments)
When people learn that my husband was not only a skilled Marine but has a degree people feel the need to tell him what kind of job he should get ( honestly,  I think they are jealous because they didn't retire at 38 like he did)

Or when you tell people your mom bought an RV and will be traveling with you.... guess what? More (maybe even,  well intended) advice.

We are doing what God is calling us to do. And maybe it seems crazy (to you) that we have 7 kids... that we enjoy homeschooling....now roadschooling....that we would turn down higher paying jobs so we can have the freedom to be missionaries. ..yes. in America's campgrounds.... even if it seems strange ( to you) that we are enjoying this nomadic life...and that we choose this life....and that we have considered ( in vivid detail) the blessings, hurdles and challenges that adding my mom to the mix could bring (and that, fyi, we invited my father-in-law along last August after Frank's mom died...he turned us down)

Please know we trust that God will guide our steps and prepare our hearts for what lies ahead.

We simply pray that we stay out of God's way and continually put His will above our own. But you know the craziest thing? We love our life...look forward to meeting new people and reconnecting with treasured friends. As long as our family is on the adventure of a lifetime ... we will try and enjoy the steps ( ok miles) of the journey.