(We hope you had a wonderful Independence Day! We had a great day celebrating here in Moab and reflecting on how beautiful America truly is…. in so many ways !!!)

Today is our 6 month anniversary of hitting the road!

In some ways it feels like we just left and in other ways it feels like it was a lifetime ago that we were posting about this new beginning and giving introductions!

WOW! We have come such a long way in RV life knowledge and experience since our practice weekend at Holden Beach and our RV 001 post!

We’ve touched 13 states, earned 18 Junior Ranger Badges, visited 8 national parks (and many national monuments!), and called 22 different locations “home” as we parked Woody at rv parks, national parks, national recreation areas, state parks, harvest host locations, KOAs, and county parks!

I’ve walked and hiked roughly 2,000,000 steps so that means the kids have done about 4,000,000 😊. I finished 55 beachbody work outs. Read 24 books (check out my Goodreads if you want to see what I’ve read!) and met friendly (and just a few unfriendly) people from all over the US and the world!

And I know y’all want to hear from the Lil Rookies (and maybe someday B!) but first I want to share about Rafting on Sunday!!!!

It was so wonderful! This was definitely on our bucket list to do and it was so fun. We chose a brand new Christian rafting company called “Way to Moab” thanks to a friend of our friend . The guides were young but experienced students that are studying in International Rescue and Relief of Union College. What an interesting program!

We went through numerous different rapids as we ventured down the Colorado and I think that about 4 of them were Class III rapids! Those were our favorite parts for sure. The views around us were amazing!

We took lots of precautions not to get sunburned because again – the sun is stronger in higher elevations.

Dips in the cold Colorado helped!

(It’s such crystal clear water huh!? Not. Ha! We didn’t care!)

I couldn’t take many pictures because my phone was locked up in a dry box in a dry bag attached to the raft! But here we are stopped for lunch:

Would you believe that we also climbed up the side of a cliff and jumped off into the water!? I’m sure you would believe me that RR and B did it….But Mommy and AB did it too! I have no pics to prove it though! 😍. E still has to wear a plug in her right ear because that hole from her tube may or may not have closed all the way yet. (We pray it is closed!) The jump was high enough that Mommy and her both agreed she should sit this one out. Man I wish I’d given her my phone to take pics but we have the memory for sure. I think it’s safe to say that this day will end up being a top 5 memory of the trip!

The kids loved being able to take a turn oaring… as you can tell ! 😊

Such a great adventure!

And we ended it with happy raft sliding!

Yes even Mommy! 😊 These are screen shots so don’t try to play them ha . But oh my goodness I love how this adventure is helping me get off the sidelines again.

I’m just so thankful for the health and strength to play and be active. It’s definitely part of who I am but it was dormant for too long as my body and mind went through a lot! I’m feeling so strong and I’m so thankful. This week I ran 4 miles at a 9:30 pace and was crying at the end!

I had no idea I could do that! I had really given up running because of my neck and back but all the work outs for my core and all this hiking is really helping my strength! So there’s another amazing gift from this trip!

BUT – I write all these posts so everybody’s very familiar with my thoughts and perspective.

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Here are some thoughts from the kids when I did a little “interview” for our 6 month anniversary! (I could just show you the papers but you wouldn’t be able to understand the handwriting haha)

What’s the hardest part of living in Woody:

R: not having a comfortable queen bed

E: RR is always asking us to switch beds

AB: the door (ha! it’s true! Woodys door is having some issues and some days we can’t get it to stay closed. We are thinking it has to do with how unlevel or level we are. Hopefully our next stop it will be better)

What’s the best part?

RR: seeing all these great places together

E: seeing Gods beautiful creation

AB: the bunk beds

What’s the best part of this adventure?

RR: I am becoming closer to my family and becoming more patient (PTL!)

E: always learning more and being with my family all the time and seeing everything instead of reading it in a book

AB: the views we get and national parks

What is God teaching you?

RR: same answer as above

E: to be patient and sweet and if you don’t need it then you don’t have to have it.

AB: how to love and trust other people. helping mommy. Learning to not give up on hard things.

Are you ready to live in a house?

RR: I love this adventure and I want to continue to go on but I will also enjoy my own room and yard when I get it.

E: I love living in Woody. I like not having lots of stuff and not always being busy

AB: No

What do you miss most about NC?

(Everybody answered that they miss the people of course! But then…)

RR: the beach and the feeling of a hometown

E: running into the ocean and up and down the dunes

AB: our bath tub and the beach

What are some fave memories of the trip so far:

RR: rafting, swimming in the Rio grande, swimming in the pacific, all the national parks, the bike ride at the missions in San Antonio, hot springs, and much more!

E: how funny Daddy is. When he said “I think your horns are on too tight” to the goat that had poppy out eyes. And then holding a baby goat!

AB: I liked the hike to delicate arch when we brought our stuffies (I allowed them to bring a stuffed animal because I knew it would be a hard one and they would need an oomph!)

A stressful time that God saw us through?!

RR: just the stressful times of living in a 33 foot trailer together ha

E: trying to park in ridiculous 4J park in Ouray but then God brought us to Ourray RV and it was awesome!

AB: I don’t know

What are you looking forward to?

RR: Glacier, DC, South Dakota, Yellowstone

E: glacier and Yellowstone

AB: Canada and New Jersey (wow haha)

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SO! What’s next for us? Well our route through mid October looks like this:

And then we plan on being in New Jersey and North Carolina for November and December!

We are praying about what happens after that and will definitely share soon how the Lord is leading us. 😊

The rest of the FAQ I will talk about in future posts: money questions, how we plan our travels, how we connect with church on the road, and some travel bloopers! Honestly the best bloopers have to be shared in person so remind me when I see you to tell you about the underwear in California and the hose in Arizona! 😊

Thanks for your prayers and love. It’s hard to be away from friends and family so your words and messages mean so much! It’s hard not being known and not knowing people. I think it’s especially hard on me since I’m the most social of the family hehe… But the Lord is constantly encouraging me that He has hidden me away for a purpose, that these ones here are my ministry and focus right now, that He will keep in tact the special friendships that He gifted no matter the distance between, and that this season will be over so quickly and we will soon enough be in a different season…. AND He does always help us find brothers and sisters everywhere we go so that really helps!

Love y’all!!!