The Road is Long
We have been traveling now for almost 3 months. Our travels have brought us into 12 different family’s homes to spend the night and many others for a meal or short visit. We’ve also stayed in a cabin, a tiny house, a beach house, several airbnbs, and a handful of hotels.
Our shortest stay has been for one night and our longest stay for one month. The trip itself has not been physically exhausting. We have had very few responsibilities other than homeschooling, scheduling upcoming stays, and phone calls for Mark’s business.
What HAS been exhausting is the emotional toll of packing and unpacking so many times, battling our own doubts about the trip, and talking through all of the constant changes and unknowns as a family.
When you don’t have a familiar HOME to come back to, then wherever we are becomes home. I’ve even caught myself saying “let’s go home now” on nights we are staying in a hotel. Home has been the resting place at the end of the day, wherever we find ourselves.
Three months has felt like a marathon as we continue to trust that this is the best path for us. It has been incredible to see how the road has risen up to meet us. As we have asked people to host us or simply prayed and asked God to lead us, the next steps have literally appeared.
Just last week I was feeling discouraged about being alone for a weekend while Mark flew back to Minnesota to DJ multiple events. I got a text from my friend Ami in San Antonio saying her family was gifted a beach house in Corpus Christi for the weekend and with only one days notice, she asked if I wanted to join them. Her family and friends’ company was refreshing, and I came back to pick Mark up from the airport at the end of the weekend feeling refreshed and ready to move forward.
We are spending most of January in the BIG state of TEXAS. From the freeways with more lanes than I’m used to, to the vehicles with waist high wheels, to the gas station, Buc-ees, with 200 gas pumps – everything’s bigger in Texas.
Tex Mex is everywhere. Tacos, burritos, fajitas, oh my! It would be hard to be vegetarian or vegan here….or a Democrat!
I don’t think I could live here year around simply because of the heat. We are fortunate to be here in January. We went into downtown San Antonio yesterday wearing shorts and someone asked where we were from. Apparently people from Texas don’t wear shorts this time of year because this is winter for them.
The highlight for me in Texas has been seeing new and old friends. We don’t have to stay in any hotels in this state. We have friends and family willing to host us.
Here are some of the people we have stayed with or spent time with so far.
Houston, TX.
Carson and Alicia Clark and family Wes and Lesley Patterson and family
San Antonio – Week One
Eric and Autumn Lundquist
Corpus Christi Beach House Weekend – Van and Ami Teodosio and family
San Antonio – Week 2 is off to a great start. Teodosio and Chouravong Family
Thanks to all of our past, present, and future hosts for welcoming us! Let me know if you are interested in seeing us as we head West to Arizona and California in February and March.
It’s been quite a ride, and it’s not over yet!