We are heading out today for the beginnings of our adventure. I woke up with such fervor you would have thought it was Christmas morning. We head out to South Carolina today and are staying on a farm I found on the app Hip Camp. The farm is called Denver Downs and apparently their Fall Festival will be going on as we arrive. I have not mentioned to the children yet as I am not sure what we will be pulling into, but I sure hope it is all I am expecting.
We purchased our RV early this year before the wrath of Covid took over the world. Our plan was to always travel the country but due to the state of the nation we ended up postponing it from our original dates. However, as life has it we ended up selling our home and decided what a better time to travel than now! She is named Polly after my late Grandma Barlow, a woman who loved the Lord, people and had lasting class.
Later that day …
We landed tonight in Anderson, SC and were met by Ron who obligingly filled up our water tank and led us to our campsite. He brought us to the back entrance of their fall festival to camp for the night. And let me tell you … what a festival it was. It is 12 acres of fun for the whole family. Fire pits were burning with hay stacks for seating, ninja course, ropes and walls to climb, zip lines, mini donuts, hot dogs, farm animals, a mini playground, duck water race and more! A carnival in our backyard.
We played late and went to bed even later – slept with the windows open and the breeze rushing in. Could not have asked for a better first night.
We sold our home and it is all things bitter and sweet. If there is one thing I have learned through our move and short time in Richmond, VA, is no matter where you live there are relationships waiting to be cultivated, places to be explored and lessons to learn. When we first sold our home in Cary, NC over 2.5 years ago I was a droopy mess headed south on I95. I thought I was trusting that the Lord was guiding us, and yet the doubtful tears kept falling. As my children drifted to sleep and I had a car full of our things I could only think of what I was leaving and not what was awaiting me. I was blinded by my past blessings and that in itself was not trusting the Lord. I am always reminded of Lot’s wife in the Bible, who turned back to look at Sodom instead of ahead and she turned into a pillar of salt. Obviously I was not leaving a sinful city like Sodom, however the illustration is something I could relate to. My grandmother used to remind me that the Lord was ahead of me, so go there faithfully.
Our home in Richmond, VA (we rented in the Fan for 8 months before we purchased this home) always reminded me of the Secret Garden. Full of beautiful Poplar, Oaks and Dogwood trees. I felt as if they were hugging me, protecting and providing a place for the birds, squirrels and plants to grow. We very quickly made friends with our neighbors and life just felt right. We joined a church, Movement (check them out if you are ever in town) and immediately felt loved and cared for. It wasn’t long after moving into our home that I became more open for the Lord to change my heart. The first lesson I learned is beauty to behold is in every place we are – all we have to do is let go and allow him to reveal it to us. Sometimes we have to remove the blinders in our eyes before we can see the beauty…but it is always there.
So it goes with this story of mine. Richmond became my home. Not just the river, albeit beautiful and enjoyable, not just our neighbors – although their friendship is the type of depth that will be forever, not just our church even though we will miss everyone and grew greatly there but the accumulation of them all together. Like a big pot of soup warm and comforting to your soul. I have changed here, grown here. There is something that has happened in this place like no other, it was a breath of fresh air. It is palpable. I am sure there are places like this everywhere but there is a pulse in this place that beats to a beat I can understand. And that beat brought so much revelation and color to my life. It revived my marriage, drove us to explore and get our feet in the mud and brought beautiful people into our lives. Oh how grateful I am for the souls who fed my own with their hospitality, laughter, deep friendship, encouragement and hugs (cause you know how much I love a hug).
As we embark on a new adventure, leaving behind a place we love I am determined to do it differently. There are still tears, sometimes many of them and well sometimes it ends with my dear friends Heather and Morgan over wine as they hug me. Nevertheless it is different because I am different. I am happy with the growth in my life, I am happy to let go of people pleasing, blessed to have a marriage stronger than when we arrived, grateful to the James River and the life it brought to mine and the memories that will forever be in it’s waters. Thankful for the rocks we painted, the art sales at the end of the driveway, bike rides with friends, Frosted Fritt’s drinks over a game of HORSE, pool days with my sweet friend, Canoe rides down the river, paddle boarding with my run group, The Gathering that brought incredible depth to my life, our Wild & Free group and our book clubs, hikes and laughter, morning walks by the riverbank praying, my children having friends down the street and the most glorious birds I have ever seen visiting me every morning. Thank you ….
Today we head out to my in-laws for two weeks as we prepare our RV and ourselves for our cross country trip. As I pack up my car one last time to head south it does not dawn on me that this place will no longer be my home. Instead I am overwhelmed with the love and blessings that have changed my life in this place. I leave with a full heart, a few tears and a knowing that God willing I will walk these streets again and be with those I love again, this time not as a resident but as a guest.
I am an idealist, a woman with many dreams, driven by knowledge and passion. I adore my children and felt the desire to homeschool them while my oldest was a toddler. My husband and I have moved 5 times in 10 years and recently sold our house to move states and build our dream home. We are currently living in our RV Polly as we travel the country and build. I love Jesus and every day do my best to pick up the cross and follow Him. It’s my desire to learn as much in this life as possible and to share this journey of learning with my friends.
