My Story: Part 6: The next step

When the day begins and we get out of bed, we must stand and take that first step.

For me, it begins with a walrus like wiggle to the foot of the bed while being careful not to squish a kid that has come on the bed in the middle of the night, and trying not to trip over anything left on the floor...but nonetheless a first step.

I am a morning person, and very much enjoy waking up before the rest of the family to read, study, plan, and prepare for the day.  

With children, I feel more like a thief in my own home.  I have to keep the lights off and be extra quiet otherwise the kids wake up and take away my alone time.

Needless to say, I have become quite accustomed to navigating the home in the dark.  I learned to slide my feet across the store to avoid legos or other toys ending up under foot.

Before living in a tight RV, when everyone had their own room and lots of area to play in, I could stand up right out of bed and walk to the kitchen in the dark and get a glass of orange juice.  I would find a blanket on the couch and sit down with a book and a notepad.

Some of my choicest ideas and discoveries have come while sitting alone reading.  Whatever my choice of study, be it a fiction novel, an entrepreneurial self-help guide, or the word of God, my mind explores my life decisions and wanders through upcoming activities and past experiences.

It is in these quiet moments that I usually journal or dream about the next step.  Sometimes the next step is very clear, and in fact I can see for a long way where my path is headed.  Other times, like now, I can’t even see the next step.

For instance, last night we set up the RV in a parking lot where we had received permission to stay.  We checked to make sure that we had charged the batteries, plenty of food, propane for heat, fresh water for the plumbing and showers, and quite comfortable waiting for the next day’s activities as we gathered with family.

In the middle of the night, the heater quit, and I found out at 2am that the outlet we had plugged into for power was on a timer and turned off after 11pm.  Our furnace, night lights, and charging electronics quickly drained the power, and the heater didn’t have enough power to run. The unusually cold town in central Idaho left us in 47 degree weather for the night.

We wrapped up in many blankets and slept well enough, but in the morning, had to move the RV and find another place to keep ourselves.  We could have gone on our journey back to Boise, or to a relative’s home for the day, or moved into an RV park...not a huge decision, but definitely an unknown next step.

Not wanting to go far, as we had arrived for an upcoming wedding reception, we decided to look for a relative with a space for an RV.  We happily found a relative not a few miles away with a double vacant lot next to their home and moved the RV.

At the same time, we had planned on exploring the snake river canyon in the area with our children, but on the fly, they decided instead to jump in with grandpa and go visit other cousins for the day.

For the first time in a long time, I have a quiet day without the children to sit and spend my time however I desire.  For the record, I have a hard time sitting still, and having nothing to do is more stressful for me than having a day double booked.

After taking the morning to plan and organize my schedule, take care of some small to do items that have been waiting for a spare moment, go through all my emails...I get a few hours with my beautiful bride to explore and discover nature trails.

I do not have any answers or wise advice on the matter, other than to enjoy the journey, and be careful where you put your next step.  Watch where you are going, and make sure it is where you REALLY WANT TO BE. Don’t lets follow the crowd without first knowing for sure you want the destination and results.

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