Life at the Lake

Who would have thought we would get a lakeside retreat in the middle of losing our home?

When we first decided to get the RV, we debated about where to park it. Initially, it seemed best to put it on the property so we could be right there to take care of the animals. We quickly realized that there were a myriad of reasons, both logistical and emotional, to reconsider that idea. First of all, we did not have pre-existing hookups. Installing the necessary sewer and power hookups was a daunting prospect amid the other remediation issues we were still trying to figure out. Also, being at the property had become a very emotionally triggering problem, especially for the kids. Understandably so, since they could not even enter the house at this time. If we parked there, we would be camped out in the driveway, literally staring at our losses all day long. Not a good plan.

Instead, we moved to a local recreation lake that was, fortunately, only about 2 miles away. This was close enough to be able to return to the property as often as we needed to, but also allowed us to separate ourselves a little from the stress of what was happening on the property. Even better, this lake was a familiar and happy place for us. We had often used it as a little nature retreat, and we even had a favorite tree that we liked to do school work under. Since it also offered full hookups and a reasonable monthly rate, it was a great solution for our immediate housing needs.

When people have asked me about living in the camper at the lake, I've told them it certainly wasn't the hard part of the whole ordeal! We were blessed with a great spot, giving us a view of the lake every time we stepped out the door. We even had a little deck out front. Adjusting to living in a camper had it's moments (probably enough that I will leave that topic for another post), but it kept our living needs simple. Summer was winding down, though still quite hot, and it felt like our own little refuge in the storm.

I think being forced to be out in nature so much was therapeutic for us. One son wanted to spend all his time fishing, and rejoiced that a boy in the camper one spot over was about the same age. The younger girls loved playing with some of the other little girls on the deck of our campsite. The older kids did small crafts, rode bikes, spent hours on the swings. We soaked in sunshine and sunsets, resting in the peace that the God who could create such beauty could bring order out of the chaos we were navigating.