From Sea to Shining Sea

We've been on the road almost five months now, and we've made it from sea

Canaveral National Seashore, Florida

to shining sea!

Pismo Beach, California

It's been absolutely fantastic.  Before we left, I think some people, including me at times, wondered if doing this adventure with kids would be wise.  I did want our kids to see and do the things they'd read about in history and science books some day.  I wanted them to see, feel, hear, and smell the wonder of God's creation, and not just see photographs.  I wanted our kids to have a broader view of the world, and the way life is lived, than to only know a little corner of Ohio.  I wanted to have the time and space to focus on just my family of six.  And, I wanted them to know it's okay, and encouraged, to live life outside the box, and to do things that are abnormal.  And, I would say our five months have been a success!

Some comments from our kids will always stick in my mind, like, "Wow!!!  This is HUGE!!!  I thought the Grand Canyon would be a really, really, really deep crack in the earth, and that I'd have to be really, really, really careful when I jumped over it!"  Ha!  Now we know.

there will be no jumping here

Now, we know how the ground shakes under your feet when cannons from the Civil War are fired.

We've scootered on top of the levies that failed in New Orleans while reading about that time in history, and we've talked with people who lived through these hurricanes.

We've read about the California gold rush while camping in California.

there will be plenty of jumping here

We've walked around the Alamo.  And a bunch of other forts that the kids will later hear about in history.

We've lived current events while observing the evidence of probably less-than-legal-immigrants swimming across the Rio Grande.

We've experienced the power of rivers and currents while white water rafting in Colorado.

We've walked and climbed around ancient Indian dwellings and then read stories about some of these Native Americans.

We've seen the God-created beauty in sunsets, waterfalls, oceans, canyons, rivers, and animals.

We've met lots of friendly senior citizens who are overjoyed by children, really knowledgeable rangers, helpful campground owners, other road-schooling families, and a French ambassador to the U.S. and his family. There's such a variety of people everywhere!

It's been fantastic!

There are also moments when I think we need to get off the road.  Like when I wonder if I've given my kids enough spelling words, and if that will screw them up for life?  Or, are they missing out on a happy childhood by not being on a soccer team at the moment?  Is a tenth birthday celebration complete without a birthday party?  What about friendships for everyone?  Are the kids missing out on their education without being near good friends?

It's all a trade-off in life.  Taking one path means not taking a different path.  Which path is better for our families, and when?  I'm sure sometime we'll be off the road, and as our kids study for tests in school, I'll be wishing I could take them to the spot they're learning about, so that they can live the experience!  I'll be wishing to be surrounded by the glory of God in all kinds of different natural beauty.  When we are surrounded by friends again, I'm sure I'll be wishing for more family focused time.

Two different worlds; two different ways of life.  We're so blessed to experience both.  From sea to shining sea, there are very different ways of living.  I want to be so very thankful.  If you ever have a chance to see the world like this, then I hope you take the opportunity!  But at the same time, as I think about possibly switching lifestyles again, I don't want to always have the "grass is always greener on the other side of the fence" syndrome.  There's beauty in different ways of living life from sea to shining sea.