A Time to Go Across the Country

When Ben was a senior in high school his parents loaded up all 6 kids in their van, hauled a camper and took off to drive cross country. They began in. Madawaska and went to California, with many stops and many campgrounds in between. They came home through Canada and it all took 5 weeks. They planned and saved a long while for this trip and I have lived it through Ben's photo album complete with commentary. Our kids love taking this album out and seeing all the places they went to and hearing the funny stories. 

Ben and I have talked since very early in our marriage of taking a similar trip with our own family. Back then it seemed a lifetime away and yet, here we are beginning to plan. That lifetime is here and how fast it came! We want to take the trip when Noah is either a Junior or Senior in high school, depending on the circumstances at the time and that is only about 5 years away. 

***Excuse me while I die a little inside at this thought!***

We began praying about all of this about a year ago. Things have changed in the 20-years since Ben's parents took this trip, mainly the cost of everything! It seems at times daunting how much this has the potential of costing but we also know that the God who owns the cattle on a thousand hills can provide for this trip and allow it to be affordable. The first thing we needed to figure out was how would we travel? Did we want to do hotels along the way? That seemed crazy since our family has to get two hotel rooms at any hotel we'd stay at! But camping in tents just seemed like way too much work. Setting up a tent site every other day and packing and unpacking...I'm tired just thinking about it. Then there was the thought of getting a camper...but any camper that fit us all would be way outside our budget. 

So we prayed. 

A few weeks ago Ben saw a camping trailer for sale just down the road from our house. He stopped in out of curiosity to look at it and see what they were asking. He sat on it for a couple weeks praying, not sure if we should get it. Finally he had decided, after consulting with a few people who had experience with these types of trailers, that the price was too good to pass up and if it ended up not working we could easily sell it for twice what we would be paying.  So he went up last night to get it and, come to find out, they were so desperate
to get rid of it that we got it for even less than what they originally were asking.  God is so good! 

What we appreciate about being allowed to purchase something so soon before the actual trip is this will allow us to test out camping in this way and see if it's for us. We will be allowed to practice hauling it before having to haul it across the country! We have also been given permission by a friend who owns many acres of land to store it on his property. So much goes into planning for a costly and lengthy trip like this and we are just feeling so blessed that as we pray for the different things necessary for the trip and all the little details, God is hearing and providing!

As we map out our routes and destinations we want to see, I ask you fellow travelers...what MUST we see? 

*** You can pray with us ***

1. That we would continue to be able to set aside money each month to build up our trip fund...gas money, food, camp site fees, laundering fees, entrance fees to the places we want to go and any unforeseen expenses along the way. 

2. Pray God would provide the right vehicle and that we would have the patience to wait on Him. Our current vehicle is a 1/2 ton and we really need a 3/4 ton in order to haul this trailer long distance. It also has to be 9-passenger or accommodate our 4th row bench seat. 

3. Wisdom as we map out routes. 

4. That God would prepare our hearts for any changes to our plans He intends to make...A lot can happen in 5 years!