I blinked.
It was my fault. I knew not to do it. But I blinked and now it is November. One more little eye twitch and there will be stale Christmas cookies on a plate and discarded bits of wrapping paper all over the floor.
Who am I kidding? Like three kids would let a cookie last long enough to go stale.
I procrastinated so long in posting an update on our travel blog that now the update and our annual Christmas letter can be neatly packaged into one. This doesn’t do much to encourage me not to procrastinate but that’s my problem, not yours. I kept putting it off writing until there was something of note to share. We lived life, we were present for most of it, and it has been good. Sometimes hard, but still good. Countless "somethings" have come and gone and I barely remember the details.
Blink.
November. One year on the road. We have traveled close to 10K miles, been in 20 states, seen incredible natural and man-made wonders, and met more people than we can even remember. We started a business, lived at the beach, traveled by RV and then van, and learned more about God, His creation, and ourselves. The kids have grown in both height and character. This year marked the point where each has now made a profession of faith. This and the fact that all three can use the bathroom by themselves, feed themselves, swim, read, and do basic math has lifted quite a weight from my shoulders. The footings are set, now it’s just doing our part to guard, guide, and release as the foundation cures and they’re ready to set off and build their own lives.
Don’t blink.
Caden is seven years old. He is one of the kindest, most selfless kids that I know. He is quick to help, to sacrifice his preference for the happiness of others. Training him often looks like gentle reminders that he is allowed to enjoy life, even when others might not have it as good as he does. Someone will always be worse off and someone will always be better off than you. Contentment is learning to live at peace with that knowledge, doing what you can for others without burning yourself out. Many of us are still working toward this balance. Caden enjoys playing with his siblings and friends. He considers himself to be shy in this season but I’m watching the glimmer in his eye when he’s around people and I wonder how long that feeling is going to last.
John / Jack is eight and a half years old. He has grown significantly over this past year - he is at least an inch and a half taller than Madelyn and there doesn’t seem to be any catching up. He has also grown in character and awareness of others. With so much thinking happening inside his head, it is a beautiful thing to watch him intentionally pause, assess his surroundings, and offer help to someone or to handle something small without being asked. He continues to have an interest in all things mechanical as well as the tactics and strategies of war. The latter part makes his mother nervous but it has made visiting several of our nation’s historic battlefields all the more fascinating as he recounts facts of various battles.
Madelyn is ten years old and no longer a little girl. She has grown in her self-directed learning this year. She asked me to teach her French (which I don’t know how to speak) and when I said “maybe next year” she asked for access to a free app so she could teach herself. She then proceeded to learn French well enough to hold a conversation with a Canadian couple at an RV park in October. I have no idea what they talked about. I am so proud of her initiative and perseverance. Josh knows some French and so they work on it together. Madelyn has also recently started sewing lessons with a friend of ours. I was expecting her to learn how to sew a straight line on the first lesson and she came home with a drawstring bag. I’m starting to realize that my time teaching her is transitioning into a time where I am more of a facilitator and guide. It’s bittersweet.
Don’t blink.
Josh and I have enjoyed both the sabbatical from the first half of the year as well as the start of our own business during the second half. Josh completed his certification training for RV tech work and inspections. He found that he enjoyed the inspection side more and even built an app that made inspections easier to complete. With the creation of the app, we realized that Josh does enjoy the digital work world and he’s looking to possibly step back into a corporate digital role in the new year. We are both incredibly grateful for the opportunity to try something new. We have no regrets.
The end of 2023 finds us back in Anderson, SC for the time being. We had the opportunity to sell both the truck and camper to dear friends and felt a complete peace that it was the right time to do so. As we finalize our next steps we are renting a small home in Anderson for a few months. We’re not ones to brag about our high style of living but it does have two bathrooms. Everyone is excited about that.
The things we’ve learned, the places we’ve been, the people we’ve met - all have had a tremendous impact on each of us. We don’t even know yet to what extent! And the adventure has not ended. We are continuing to walk out this life trusting God - with both our decisions and the outcomes. We hope that this letter finds you with a heart that is at peace, hands that are open, and feet that are willing to go where He leads. It isn’t an easy life. But it is good.
Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!
The Wild Flowers
Josh, Stephanie, Madelyn, John, Caden
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