At some point, we decided something had to change. For the last few years, Tristan was working physically hard long hours at work, and Katie was busy at home with 3 little ones under 3. It was rare the kids would see their daddy during the week and our marriage was having some hard times. We were both simply trying to get through each day, trying to physically, emotionally, and spiritually survive. But we wanted to thrive, not simply survive! For the sake of our family and our marriage, something had to change.

First, the change happened inward, in our hearts. We learned to stop looking at the ‘if only’s’ and focus on all the blessings we did have. We learned to take hold of the small, simple moments to connect as a family. We learned that contentment has more to do with the state of our hearts, not the circumstances around us.

And then, we looked at what we could change outward, in our circumstances. So in Spring 2015 we bought a 1998 yellow school bus from the local school division and began working on converting it into a camper. The thought was, if we had to live like this to simply live, lets re-evaluate what we need to live. We wanted to pay off our debt and live more simply.

We worked on the bus whenever we could squeeze some time in. We tore off the old walls in the heat of the summer. We installed windows in a blizzard. We built beds, cabinets, and a shower. Literally our sweat, blood and tears were poured into the bus.

All the while, we were being taught patience. Finally, in the spring of 2017, just over 2 years after buying the bus, and 2 weeks after our 4th daughter was born, we moved into the bus. We paid off all our debts, simplified what we had, and then we took off. We started travelling to the east coast of Canada, with no real plan but being open to opportunity.

We travelled around for a few months, volunteering at places, doing any projects that they could use help with. We met so many wonderful people and have seen so many beautiful places. We sometimes went to markets and sold products we made, we biked across Florida for a couple months, we camped and hiked and skied. Right now we have settled in PEI, Canada, Tristan working full time as a bike mechanic, and Katie homeschooling our 5 little girls. We are trying to live more simply, taking one day at a time, enjoying what is around us.

We hope to inspire other families, perhaps some in the same type of situation our family was in, to thrive together again. We want to encourage families to take the time to enjoy each other, the nature around them, and do things that they would never dream were possible.