Unexpected History Lesson

March 28, 2026

The Lewis and Clark Monument Park was one of those unexpected pleasures of traveling. Heading north that day we were driving to our first ever Harvest Host for the evening, a beautiful orchard just outside of Council Bluffs, Iowa. We arrived in Council Bluffs earlier than planned and had a little time to kill so we decided to visit Monument Park before heading to the Host site. (A Harvest Host is a business or an individual who allows you to park overnight on their property in return for supporting their business by donation or purchase.)

The beautiful park overlooks the Missouri River, Council Bluffs, and Omaha, Nebraska. The winds and views were both breathtaking and there are plenty of monuments and markers describing Lewis and Clark’s meeting with local Otoe and Missouri tribes.

The park was dedicated in 1936 in honor of the Lewis and Clark expedition of 1804. We highly recommend a visit if you are ever in the area. See the link in the comments for more information.

A Really Big Step

March 27, 2026

First of all, I want to give a huge shout-out to those of you who have followed us from the beginning of our Facebook Page way back in July of 2025, AND to those of you who have taken the time to look back at those early posts of ours! Thank you for staying with us and reading all of what we have to share with you.

Now back to the story. . . We left on our first multi-state excursion on October 2, 2025, almost 6 months ago. Wow, it seems so long ago! Our first stop: a concert in Jonesboro, Arkansas, with Matthew West, Mercy Me, and Toby Mac. What an awesome show!!

Then we enjoyed our first overnight experience at a Cracker Barrel parking lot. Boondocking at its finest. . . breakfast just a short walk from the van!

That day we then drove to my daughter’s home and had a lovely visit with her. Things were going so well we thought we had it made in the shade!

And then, we suffered a breakage in the van. . . the beautiful Yeti cooler slide construction Terry worked so hard to create failed us. Unfortunately, the added weight of ice on top of food and beverages was just too much for it.

But no one got hurt. We simply had to pivot.

Terry quickly used the tools he had packed “just in case” and took out the tray and slides that the cooler had been resting on and moved the big Yeti to its new position in front of the bed. It wasn’t an ideal situation, but we made it work.

As you can see in the photos, the cooler then also served as a bench seat during the day and a very large, safe step to get in and out of the bed at night. It took up almost half of our floor space, but we just accepted that this was our new normal and went on down the road!

Be sure to Like and Follow us to find out the interesting historical significance of our next stop in Iowa.

 

Ready to Roll

March 26, 2026

So, in yesterday's photos, you can see our original plan was to put the big red Yeti cooler on a slide in the main cabinet behind the driver’s seat. It was a beautiful concept! Looked solid on paper and Terry brought the idea to life with his woodworking skills.

Terry also built our wooden bed platform with storage underneath to house our Bluetti electrical system and all the miscellaneous larger items we need while on the road. He found a metal queen sized mattress frame we set the mattress on to allow air to circulate underneath the bed.

As you can see from the photos, the bed takes up most of the floor space in our van. But we both agree having a comfortable place to sleep was the top priority in our build.

And we accomplished our goal! We had a nice bed, an awesome cooler in a cabinet set-up, plenty of storage. . . we were ready to hit the road!

Our first trip was planned. First a concert in Jonesboro, Arkansas, then back through Missouri to visit my daughter. And then headed to South Dakota with Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse in our sights!

Like and Follow us to find out the first thing in the van that broke on our maiden voyage.

 

A Chilling Adjustment Needed

March 25, 2026

Life is full of change. . . seasons change, people change, feelings change. Sometimes we can control it; other times we cannot.

And sometimes an adjustment is required, not just desired.

And that is what has happened to our van layout. We’ve decided we need to upgrade our perishable food storage situation. Especially as we head into the warmer seasons.

Don’t get me wrong. . . our big red Yeti cooler was great! It kept food chilled longer than any other cooler we’d had. And it was big enough for our needs. It held multiple beverages and enough food to last a week.

But that ice situation got to be a drag. Draining the water and replenishing the ice supply while trying to keep food sealed and properly chilled. . . it took time, energy, and planning.

And so, we’ve decided to upgrade. . . to a refrigerator!

Six short months ago today, Terry built the cabinet shown in the photos above just behind the driver’s seat. And this week, he had to reconfigure that cabinet in order to put in the fridge.

Like and Follow us to see how things are evolving!

 

 Just a Man

March 21, 2026

I believe all men can relate to “being 10 foot tall and bullet-proof.”

I can do this. I can do that. I don’t need any help. Here, hold my beer and I’ll show you. Well, it’s all downhill from there.

As you’ve probably heard by now, Chuck Norris has passed away. The toughest man ever.

If anyone fit the bill of “10 foot tall and bulletproof” it was Chuck Norris.

He was the man, the myth, the legend. The unbeatable, indestructible, invincible superhuman Chuck Norris. Nobody or nothing could bring him down. Except death.

Hebrews 9:27 says “And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgement.”

Chuck Norris the man was a Christian and he understood that verse very well, I’m sure.

The movies made him the superhero, and he played the part very well. On the movie screen he was larger than life. He didn’t need any help. . . he was Chuck Norris.

As a Christian, on the flipside of that Hollywood persona, he knew he needed a savior. He needed Christ. He couldn’t do life on his own, no matter how tough one man could be.

He spoke often of his faith and how important it was to him. In real life he was man enough to admit that real men do live for Christ.

I guess what I’m trying to convey here is, no one is invincible. No one can save themselves. Noone can beath death. It’s unavoidable.

The problem is we don’t know when, where, or how death will find us. But it will. Guaranteed.

Thank God Chuck knew this reality. He knew where his hope lay. Not in his movie and television created personality, but in the Creator of all things. And he was unashamed to share his faith and tell all who was willing to listen.

Chuck Norris was just a man, but he was a man who lived for Christ. And that is something to live for.

              ---Terry

 One Man’s Trash

March 19, 2026

While we were in Texas, Becca and I were able to enjoy a porch swing at the campsite we were staying at. The swing sat both of us comfortably and it overlooked the bay. The view was beautiful and the swing did its job. . . carrying our minds to somewhere else, just the two of us, side by side, back and forth. That’s when we grinned and said to each other, “We need one of these at the cabin!”

Well, guess what?

As we were taking our walk around the lake today, we ran into our neighbor who just happened to be getting rid of their swing! Bada Boom, Bada Bing. . . Terry and Becca have a porch swing!!

After lugging it home, we set it up and, of course, took it for a test drive. Perfect!

We swung for a while together, enjoying the movement until Becca went inside. I stayed outside on the swing. I turned on some music and I kid you not, the swing started doing its thing. With every song, with every back-and-forth swing, the songs started carrying my mind to somewhere else. Music has a way of doing that. A song can remind you of where you were when you heard it first, who you were with, what you were doing. Like magic.

My question is, was it the swing or was it the music? Either way it was a great afternoon. . . Just a Swingin!

 

Unusual Discovery

March 18, 2026

It finally warmed up enough this afternoon so that we could take our walk around the lakes and in the middle of the main gravel road I found an old spark plug! Not sure how it landed in the middle of the road, but it did serve as a conversation starter between us.

We both wondered if modern cars still used them---we’re both so mechanically knowledgeable! So I googled it (of course) and found out gasoline cars do still use spark plugs and that the newer ones can last 100,000 miles or more! I guess that’s why our vehicles don’t need tuneups as often as in the olden days.

And then I dug a little deeper as I like to do and found out some amazing coincidences between signs of a bad spark plug and me having a bad day. Sounds funny but it’s true. Read on:

Having a bad spark plug can cause a car to be hard to start, especially in the morning. On more trying days it is more difficult to get out of bed.

Bad plugs can also cause poor acceleration or sluggish performance. Need I say more?

Sometimes the check engine light can come on which is often triggered by misfires. When I’m not having a good day, I can get quite irritable and fiery too.

And a bad spark plug can also lessen your fuel economy due to increased gas (consumption). I like to try to lighten my mood by eating junk food, which tends to lead to gassiness.

So, what can we do to keep plugging along smoothly?

Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Romans 15:13, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

James 4:8, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.”

Trust God and seek Him. Spend time in the Word. It takes time and dedication, but it will make a difference in your everyday life.