Special Delivery Tour

So, how do you fit 7 people and 3 pets into less than 400 square feet of space? It is one part organization, two parts just having less stuff, and another part acknowledging that sometimes you're going to have to cram stuff into odd places, and this really isn't causing anyone long term psychological damage.

Twinkle is requesting a "Special Delivery".
This blog is a special delivery for you.
Also, it's a peak inside the RV.

Some things are just practical shifts in thought processes. Keeping counter space clear and dishes put away suddenly becomes far more important, and the fact that your husband's uniforms take up 3/4 of the closet becomes a non-issue when you remember that you a) have hardly any dresses anyway and b) no place to wear them even if you had them. Some things are just making the best use of space possible. The pantry shares space with the washer and dryer, and the cat litter box is under the girls' bed (which has really motivated me to keep it cleaned out). Under bed storage space is, in all honesty, prime real estate--the master bed has the laundry basket in it, sweaters, t-shirts, beach towels, spare sheets, and extra hangers (why? I don't know). Some things are admittedly just trade offs. For instance, the amount of storage space available underneath a king bed almost makes it worth it that we have no walking space in the bedroom. We've also utilized our vertical space by hanging stuff on the backs of doors...but this means some doors don't stay open/closed quite like normal. This is only affecting my sanity in small ways (all doors should be left open except for closet doors, which should always be closed--there are standards! unless you live in an RV).

But the best way to fit 7 people, 3 pets, and all their stuff into less than 400 square feet of space? Kick everyone out doors as often as possible.

Trigger--out where I would prefer everyone to stay
90% of the time

However, should you decide you actually want a peak inside our RV...if you come in the door and turn to the right, this is the sight that will greet you: the main bathroom door, gaping open like a gigantic sink hole because my children can't remember to close doors.

Here's what it's supposed to look like:

So much nicer, right? Regardless, if you choose to enter the bathroom first, most likely you will discover a cat perched on the sink ledge and Twinkle trying to force feed it milk from her sippy.

Behind Twinkle you can see storage (each drawer fits almost exactly one folded bath towel because of course) and the shower--which even has a seat! Luxury! 

Other half of the shower and the toilet, which I somehow didn't get in the frame. Skills. Incidentally, when we left the RV for the first time in February, some of my children (who shall remain unnamed) had trouble reverting to a normal flush instead of a foot pedal.

Bathroom wall art because obviously.

Proceeding into the bedroom (Twinkle is everywhere!). Normally the creepy baby doll isn't hanging out on the bed and we're trying really hard to keep Trigger off too, but, as always, the Man has far more success with this than I do. There is storage above the bed and under the bed, and the closet is behind the mirrors. Both nightstands have turned into glorified bookshelves. Don't judge.

I cleaned all the hand prints, foot prints, snot prints, and paw prints off that mirror before I took these pictures so somebody be impressed with me.

Back out the bedroom and down the two steps, you land in the kitchen/living area. 

Thank goodness for the full sized fridge, and thank goodness for creative cooking (because that oven is small). Gone are the days of sheet pan meals, and baking a full batch of cookies now takes an entire afternoon. Still worth it.

Here's a quick peak into our pantry/laundry room. Incidentally, this picture is super old and I thought I'd already posted it on the blog before. Twinkle is standing between the island/sink (left) and the stove (right).

And here's a quick look into our cabinets. Thanks, Oswald, for making sure that bowl stack was to scale.

Moving out of the kitchen, the corner shelf houses books, cat foot, protein shakes for the Man, and the griddle...because all those things totally make sense together. The door next to it leads to the kids' room.

Extra TV stands are stored under the couch (as well as library books, play dough, and my yoga mat). Homeschool materials, games/puzzles, and the Instant Pot go above the windows. Cats are stored in whatever sunny spots they can find.

See? So much space. We're totally getting spoiled.

Heading on into the kids' bedroom--and look, there's Twinkle again. I can't get rid of that child, she's everywhere. If you look carefully, you can see the litter box underneath the girls' bottom bunk.

Here's a panorama of the kids' bathroom/bedroom...because there wasn't anyone there to stop me.

The kids' bathroom is about the size of an airplane restroom, but it gets the job done. The job being, of course, providing an alternative place to pee for the child who desperately needs to use the restroom the second someone else is already in the toilet. Also, it's a great place to store Twinkle's diapers. And to display the road signs that the Man helped me scavenge from around the old neighborhood.

Command hooks are my friend. Because there are never enough towel racks for us. Even in normal houses.

The girls got the door hooks--and nobody who is reading this now actually cares.

Here's Tiny, diligently doing math in his bunk. Always so serious, that kid. Bottom bunk on this side is Bruiser's. It can be a couch or a bed or, in Bruiser's case, a couch-bed. Why take off pillows when you're just going to have to put them back on again the next morning? And yes, he's also our child who likes to sleep on top of the covers so he doesn't have to make the bed the next day.

Every kid got their own bulletin board strip to display art work, mostly because I got tired of them trying to tape things to the wall all the time.

 Here's the bathroom door closed. And yes, even homeschool kids need their own backpacks.

Littles has the top bunk, and the girls share the bottom. It is a smallish full, but it's getting the job done. The toy bin is under their heads. The shoe bin under their feet. Their bed can technically fold up and turn into a table and couches but considering that Twinkle takes a nap in the afternoon...ain't nobody got time for that. Although Bee has not stopped trying to talk me into it.

Lego storage (and more books and spare sheets) are up top. Then under the books/globe/alarm clock are the boys' drawers (one for each). Bee and Twinkles' drawers are set into Bruiser's bed. Do not ask to look in those drawers. The kids put away their own laundry and dress themselves. I avoid their drawers at all cost, and the last time I looked in them I was attacked by a rogue pair of underwear and nearly strangled by a chain of long sleeved t-shirts that had unionized and were attempting to escape out the window.

And that is everything. Your tour of the RV: done. I feel like I'm forgetting something, but I'm pretty sure that's only because half of my children weren't in any pictures. I'm still not positive how that worked out, but it does give much more of an impression of spaciousness. Most likely, they were all outside harassing our neighbors or hacking each other to bits with light sabers or throwing apple cores into the bayou and hoping to hit an alligator. And most likely, I wasn't feeling guilty at all about kicking them out into the great outdoors. Vive la fresh air. And maintaining what's left of my sanity.

Fiction Detox

It's been a fun few weeks of fiction detox. I mentioned to my librarian that I was taking a few weeks off of novel reading, and she looked at me with a blankly confused expression and asked, "Why in the world would you do that?" I gave her one of many different possible answers, the short version of which is that it's good for me. It helps me to read more diversely. It gives my brain space to listen to other narratives. And sometimes I learn about things I never would've considered learning about.

I think this has been my most successful run with non-fiction, to be honest. I'm six weeks in this time, and I'm not even dying to read the novel I picked up at the library. I'm excited about it, but I'm also excited to finish my current non-fiction read (Cork Dork by Bianca Bosker, all about sommeliers and totally weird...I'm loving it) and excited for the rest of the non-fiction works I have waiting on my To Be Read list.

A few of my favorites from the last few weeks (not including ones I've already written about):

The Next Right Thing by Emily Freeman. It's been so gentle and thought provoking. It has been a safe place for me to think and dream. The Man actually beat me to reading this, but I've still been a fantastic wife and texted him quotations off and on all week. He loves me. If you are working through a hard decision or just want to be a better decision maker in general, pick this one up.

Driving Hungry: A Memoir by Layne Mosler. A fascinating look into tango, taxis, and travel with food woven skillfully all the way through. I now want to go to Argentina even more and Germany has bumped its way up the list a little farther. Also, I was hungry the whole time I read this book.

Love, Loss, and What We Ate by Padma Lakshmi. Speaking of books that made me want to travel (India--one day!) and eat my weight in food (preferably samosas), Lakshmi's book was an interesting read with beautiful writing. I didn't know anything about her as a celebrity and have never watched Top Chef, but it was fascinating reading about another Third Culture Kid.

The Truth About Style by Stacy London. Another celebrity read, although this time I do have a few memories of watching What Not To Wear in college. I blew threw London's book, enjoying her personal stories as well as those of the women she helped style. More than clothes and body image, she talks about how we as women view ourselves. I especially enjoyed showing my boys the pictures of the outfits she picked out and asking if they wished I dressed more like that. They responded with resounding "NO"s. I too am less than thrilled about animal prints.

Bread and Wine: Readings for Lent and Easter. This has been my devotional for the last six weeks. I'm a little past halfway, and it has been so good. I haven't agreed with everything that every writer has said, but each essay has made me think, and all of them have made me pray. I'm grateful to have been reading it these last few weeks and am excited to read more of it in the coming weeks.

Travels with Charley: In Search of America by John Steinbeck. This book starts with a hurricane before Steinbeck sets out in a low budget version of an RV. I loved it. Steinbeck made me laugh and think and learn. It was highly accessible and a fascinating read. Not all of it was easy subject matter, but all of it was worthwhile.

Travels with Charley is sitting on the tray.
Trigger has once again stolen my place.

I did have a couple books that I started and put down before finishing. In both cases, I just got tired of feeling like I was having someone else's ideals shoved down my throat. I like reading authors who can share their differing opinions and ideas, but I don't love when authors assume that their opinions and ideas are the only ones of value...and go out of their way to mock those who disagree with them. Ain't nobody got time for that.

I do also have a few children's books suggestions, if you want to hang in there with me a little longer. First the chapter books:

Geronimo Stilton is not one of my suggestions,
but Bruiser is so terrifying that I deign to read them to the twins
even though they make me want to pull out my eyelashes.
The Geronimo Stilton books, but also sometimes the twins.

The Melendy Quartet by Elizabeth Enright. The kids and I lucked upon an audiobook version of The Saturdays a few weeks ago. We were immediately hooked. We're now starting the last book of the series, and I'm kind of sad that the end is in sight and that it took me thirty two years to discover the Melendy family. Turn of the century New York City and four precocious kids on the loose. Endless entertainment.

Igraine the Brave by Cornelia Funke. The Bigs took a break from Star Wars and Redwall this week to do some actual book report reading for school. I know, I know, I'm totally rocking this homeschool mom thing. Also, their book "reports" were terribly entertaining, as my version of book reports is more about engaging with the story and less about regurgitating the plot line. Littles read Igraine the Brave for his own pleasure reading a couple weeks ago and managed to talk Tiny into broadening his horizons and trying it out. Though Tiny was initially less than enthused, he couldn't stop giggling as he was writing his book report. I'd call that a win. I'm now hoping to con them into trying my favorite Funke novel, Inkheart.

Detectives in Togas by Henry Winterfield. I read this book when I was about Littles' age and got such a kick out of it. Little Roman boys running around in togas, solving crime and making mischief. What's not to love? Littles loved it too. I'm hoping to track down more of the series for him.

And then the picture books:

Just Like Rube Goldberg by Sarah Aronson. I'm always hoping to track down nonfiction picture books for the kids, and they really enjoyed reading about the man who helped inspire Mouse Trap. I was glad for the kids to see that rarely do we end up where we start out (Goldberg had a degree in engineering before he started drawing comics), but that our time is never wasted (his engineering degree helped inspire many of his silly inventions).

Where is Bear? by Jonathan Bentley. This one is a repeat library selection because it's just so darn cute. Also, there's a twist at the end that makes you feel all fuzzy inside. Kind of like an inside out teddy bear. I can't decide if that simile is creepy or not.

Too Tall Houses by Gianna Marino. Fan.Tas.Tic. Artwork. The facial expressions on the owl and rabbit are too much for me. Mostly because I can imagine what I would look like as an owl. Or a rabbit. Also, when Rabbit loses his mind and yells, "I want to be the tallest!" I had flashbacks to my childhood growing up with a middle sister who didn't love getting passed by her gigantic baby sister. (Sorry, Amanda, but I'm in desperate need of blog comments, and I thought if I called you out in public, you'd take a break from newlywed bliss and leave me a note).

Stars by Mary Lyn Ray and Marla Frazee. I loved this one because it was beautiful and hopeful and multicultural, and all those things make me happy. Also, it's about stars. In case the title didn't clue you in. Also, this face:

The Boy from the Dragon Palace by Margaret Read MacDonald, illustrations by Sachiko Yoshikawa. A hilarious take on being grateful, this book reminds us that our blessings don't always come from the most convenient (or hygienic) places. We all had a good laugh reading this book, but I went away with a little smile hiding in the corner of my mouth, remembering the many good gifts God has given...and many of them thanks to snot-nosed little kids.

Honorable mentions to Eric Carle's Animals Animals and Blue by Laura Vaccaro Seeger

So, what books are on your nightstand? Or being lugged home in library bags? Or being left all over your home by your many children?

Not the Same

Last week, I drove by what used to be a car wash and saw a man calmly vacuuming out his pristine black sedan in the half of the car wash that's still standing.

Today, I drove to a UPS store that hasn't reopened since the hurricane. I missed the memo that it wasn't anywhere close to reopening. Six months later.

Last week, I heard a kid say that his favorite thing to do in the world was to ride his bike in his driveway. Then he asked his mom when he is going to get to go home.

A week before that, I heard a different kid say that the one place she wants to go in the world is back to her own bedroom. She hasn't spent the night in her room since the first week of October.

Every week I pass the crumbled building that used to house the Hurricane Preparedness team for Panama City. Out front they have a large sign which still reads, "Are you ready for hurricane season?" The irony is not lost on me. They were not ready for hurricane season.

None of us were.

Already we are gearing up for another season of hurricanes, but we still have not recovered from the last one. There are so many things that I could write in response to this, about how we can go from one crisis to the next, trying to catch our breath between them. About how it is hard to keep our heads above the water, when salt-heavy waves continue to pound us below the surf, filling our mouths and our lungs. About how some days we begin to remember the rhythms of normal life, but are worried we're being lulled into a false sense of security. About how we work to rebuild our routines and try hard to start dreaming again (instead of just surviving).

But for tonight, if you are one of those who are waiting to go home or waiting for normal or waiting just to be able to return to the place you left something once and hoping to find it still there...I want to tell you this: sometimes, really beautiful things happen in that gap time.

Sometimes you learn to cross the monkey bars on a broken down playground.

Sometimes in between swallowing sea water, we realize that we're doing more than just treading water. Sometimes while rebuilding our routines, we discover that we don't quite fit back in the old places because we've grown. Sometimes in between the dreaming and the worry, we discover that our worries are not the same and neither are our dreams (because we are not the same), and we are far closer to achieving some of those dreams than we ever imagined.

Yes, we are not home. And yes, we may not be ready for what's coming next. But we are also stronger and wiser (or possibly leaner and meaner) than we were before, and that's okay too. There is nothing for it but to keep taking small steps towards rebuilding and small steps towards preparing for what's next and small steps towards actually living real life, and trust God that's he's got the rest in hand. No matter what.

Oh, and celebrate the victories, no matter how small. Because we may not be ready for another round of hurricanes, but we also aren't the same people we were last time around. And that's nothing to spit at.

Some Nights and Days

There are some nights when you need to get the kids in bed early and curl up with a gigantic mug of tea and a bar of chocolate (and maybe some marshmallows--if I'm being honest) to watch Great British Baking Show and listen to the wind roar past the RV and your next door neighbor's awesome new wind chimes tolling faintly like far away church bells. You need the kids in bed early because they've been total hooligans and the two year old has learned how to hum Darth Vader's theme song which adds a certain level of doom to the entire day.

One of my hooligans

Then there are other nights when you let your sons stay up late to watch the TN basketball game, and then are surprised by a phone call from your husband (who was out of town) only to find out that he's calling not to talk to you...but to your nine year old. So that they can commiserate over their inability to breathe and the ulcers that are rapidly developing in their stressed out stomach linings. It's hard to be a TN Vols fan.

This was not the kid getting ulcers.

Then there are other nights where you work hard until 930 and reward yourself with a hard earned (and very large) cup of tea only to promptly spill the steaming tea all over yourself and three layers of bedding. You prepare yourself for a very long day of laundry the next day.

Cat snuggles make everything better...
even school work.

Then there are nights when you're positive you keep hearing a kid call your name. You're even pretty sure you know which kid it is (Bruiser--it's always Bruiser). But it turns out, it's only a weird squeak in the washing machine. Then you go to make your tea and are positive (absolutely positive) that you put the tea bag in but end up with only a cup of hot water. It's also on those nights that the no-see-'ems make it into the RV by the horde. And where you find yourself startled by the shadow of a tiger creeping around a corner only to remember the motion activated footlights at strategic intervals around the RV that make your house cats look like jungle beasts.

***

There are some days when the rain comes down in sheets, sounding like a snare drum on the roof of the RV. You build a blanket fort and snuggle with books and try to keep the two year old from drawing on everything with marker. You have the time to do your hair in a fishtail braid, but wreck said braid the fifth time you fix the twins' fort. The dog collapses into a shuddering heap of terror and you spend most of your morning trying to get him to stop shaking in between fixing the tent and re-braiding your hair.

Reading that great literary classic, Dog-Man.

Then there are days you pile the kids in the car and drive to the beach to go walk the dog and get a change of scenery. You bring your book with you (because it's due the next day), and you underestimate how many times you are going to have to keep your five year old from breaking his neck and your two year old from soaking herself through.

Twinkle likes to share her hermit crabs.

There are other days when you make a double batch of cookies, baking them painstakingly, one cookie sheet at a time in your tiny oven while putting the napless two year old back in bed twelve times and letting the nine year old finish school with the other kids. In your defense, you're just preparing him for his future as a teacher. Although his teaching tactics (Tiny! Smack yourself in the face! You're not paying attention!) may not fly in the real world. Your afternoon is spent delivering cookies, bopping around various libraries, and meeting someone, who asks what your long term plan for housing is. Because most people assume you'd have to be crazy or desperate to keep five kids, a dog and two cats in an RV for any extended amount of time. You may be both, but it seems to be working.

RV wall art...because many things are over reactions,
and there's rarely time for That Kind of Nonsense.

There are days when you run out of coffee and end up falling asleep at 930 in the middle of the twins' reading lesson. You acknowledge that you have a problem, and buy yourself a coffee on the way to the commissary to buy more coffee...as you're pretty sure you can't survive the commissary with five kids on no coffee.

***

There are good days, and there are bad. There are quiet nights, and ones with more excitement. There is grace, and there is growth, and there is beauty (if we are willing to look for it), and there are definitely hard spots but also ones that make us laugh. You will discover new things about yourself and your children and your husband. You might also discover new things about God. This latter one will be the part that matters most.

Not beach walk reading, but the best book I've read in a while.
Also, the best long suffering beast there.

This time is so short. A year here, and then a year there. The kids grow up so quickly. The dog gets a few more white whiskers around his snout. The wrinkles on my forehead get a little deeper from continually making faces at the Man. My long term plan has nothing to do with an RV. My long term plan is eternity. But I don't mind living in an RV for a little while along the way.