Old Friends & New

Blessings upon Blessings. 

This stop would bring a new adventure for my family. We stayed on a 60 acre farm with a couple on my YL team. The man of the house is a pastor, between churches. Funny how God works like that, huh? The woman of the house, is a pastor's wife.. ;) I bet you didn't see that one coming! For a week we stayed with them.. More on that in a bit.

We initially journeyed to the St. Louis area because the city and Young Living paired up to allow me the opportunity to meet more of my amazing team members. One of them was one of my crazy mommy board moms and on my team.. Crazy Direct Sales and Crazy Mommy Board people. They bless me. ANYWAY, it is always so much fun to hang out with these people and I am so thankful for each of them. We were able to join together and learn from YL. I then had the amazing opportunity to sit with a few of them to do one on one business meetings. If you haven't heard me say it, I. Love. My. Job. While, thanks to the internet, none of this traveling is necessary for the success of YL in our home, the joy that it brings to me to sit with sweet team members, seeing them excited and ready to pump this stuff out is just an overwhelming blessing! 

 

With the work portion of the trip practically over, we set out to enjoy St. Louis and the farm. We spent two full days at the St. Louis Science Center. We might or might not have seen FIVE omnimax movies while there and gone to the planetarium. The kids had a blast and Gary and I didn't have too shabby of a time ourselves. 

 

We also took full advantage of the St Louis zoo. It's huge. I was tired. It was hot. The animals were even sweating. Okay.. I can't actually confirm that they were sweating, but.. whew! 

 

As soon as we had seen it all and done it all, we headed to Connie's. Remember that crazy direct sales lady who is also a crazy mommy board friend? YES! HER! Let me tell you, she can make a MEAN lasagna. So, the kids got to take a dip in the pool, the girls had time with Reagan, and I got some good old fashioned mommy/friend time. She not only made lasagna, she made cake. Did I tell you that this all followed the zoo trip? It was heaven! 

 

Up to this point we had not stopped since being at the farm! We had literally gone every day and were worn out. Thankfully, we had a few days to relax. WHEW! Those few days had a big impact on my kiddos. They rode horses.. well, first they fell inlove with the horses and the donkey. The rode 4 wheelers, moving from being the riders to being the drivers. We roasted biscuits on a stick and rolled them in melted butter and then in cinnamon and sugar aka cinnamon bears. UMM>> HELLO! That was one pastor's wife causing another to sin. Just sayin. My mouth is watering now, just typing that out. They shot guns.. all of them. They went down a huge hill on a big water slide. 

 

 

 

They met Ninja the racoon.

 

 

 They made friends and they made memories .. on a farm.. in Illinois. Daddy finished his last class and was able to visit with another pastor and mommy hung out with dear old friends while making new ones. Because this leg of the journey was about healing. It was about being with like minded people, enjoying the simplicities of life, and running ourselves ragged for a few days and then enjoying fellowship, true fellowship for a few days. 

 

We initially planned to leave earlier in the week, instead our stop extended into the following week. What a blessing this journey is. We are so thankful for the poeple God has placed into our lives. 

When Your Hubby isn't Your High School Sweetheart

For those that marry their high school sweethearts life is known. You know your spouse's family, met his/her grandparents, possibly great grandparents. You know what he/she was like in high school and you have watched him/her grow and change.. You know where he/she grew up, went on vacations with his/her family, and remember graduation, college, etc.. 

For those of us that married later in life, there is a strange sense of wonder when it comes to your spouses childhood, high school years, and beyond until he/she met you. 

That is why we stopped. No camping reservations and the state park was a good ways from our destination. Boondocking it is. What is this 'boondocking' you ask? Well, it simply means you spend the night or nights in your RV without any hook ups. Most of us have potable water on board.. In a huge tank. Most of us have gray and black water tanks. Most of us.. Well, many of us have generators. So, where do you do this 'Boondocking'? It all depends. It depends on the state, the city, etc.. Most walmarts (outside of GA and the metroplex areas) will allow Boondocking. Most grocery stores, Home Depots, lowes, cracker barrels, Cabellas, rest stops will allow Boondocking, I believe. 

So, we stop in Cape Girardo. I have little idea what this means until after dinner. We take a drive. 

 

And there it is. I see this red building that I can mentally see in a picture that hangs in Gary's grandpa's office. The entire family, maybe 75? 100? More? Of them in front of this building. Gary slows.

His great grandparents house. He starts to speak of memories. Sweet memories in his childhood. For those of you that deeply know Gary, this .. This is precious. His grandpa was his world. Hearing of the times here, Hearing him say, "I wish I could call him and ask.." Instead, he calls his sweet aunt, who although is at a baseball game, takes the time to chat with him for just a few. 

He proceeds to drive. 

 

 

 

 

The waters are higher than he ever remembers, but there are deep memories here. And he has now introduced his children to the place that he remembers as precious, to the place he loves because he spent them with grandpa, his grandmother, with aunts and uncles, and his great grandparents.

 

 

So, our stop along the way.. Our Boondocking.. Gary's trip down memory lane.. Our family's new memories.. That is what this trip is about.. At least for the moment. 

Crazy Direct Sales People & Crazy Mommy Board Friends

Driving away from Alabama made embarking upon our new journe seem far more real. We were moving farther and farther away from what had been our home over the past year and a half. Starting to get more settled, getting a bit more use to the RV lifestyle, doing laundry at 11pm while the children slept and no one else was in the laundry room...
We drive to Marion, Arkansas. Tom Sawyer RV park was recommended and we found it to be very nice. We had a great view of the Mississippi River. For those of you that dont know, with the Mighty Mississip comes some Mighty Mosquitos! SERIOUS BAD BOYS!

 Okay, So this is where tell you a secret. People who do direct sales are CRAZY! They are those people who believe that they can make big money fast selling the next craze. They bug you for classes and hold parties that you have to go to and buy stuff.. stuff that you don't really need.
Unless, of course, They aren't really crazy and they aren't really out to make big money fast, and they don't bug you, and they tell you to leave your wallet at home when you come to a class.
Many people in direct sales know for a fact that it takes work. Lots of Work. It isnt quick money and there is an investment, not only monetarily, but in time, energy, and tons of education. Can I encourage you for just a moment? If you arent in direct sales, support those friends that are. Those friends who are working and selling a product that you need or want, support them. You are truly supporting them. You are helping their kid go to dance. You are helping them get out of debt. You are saying, "Hey, what's important to you is important to me and I want to help you." I don't mean you have to spend exuberant amounts of money. BUT if you want some cute nail ideas, Jamberry will do it. If you need some cute leggings LulaRoe is your company. Want some awesome Christmas stocking stuffers, hit up your Avon friend. Need a pizza stone? My Pampered Chef one is 11 years old. Support them! Now, if you want to get involved in Direct Sales to help support your family, DO YOUR RESEARCH! Know the compensation plans, research the products, the company. As your self questions regarding: integrity, pricing, success of friends, is it a consumable product, will it retain its value if the market crashes, what is the longevity of the company? Now, back to the trip..
One of the reasons we decided to take this trip was for Young Living. This company has done more for my family than anything we have tried regarding overall wellness. This company has done more for my family financially that I ever dreamed possible. This company has strengthened relationships and brought in new relationships that I am so very thankful for! It is for those reasons that I want to continue to build this business and will always use their products. I want to build up my team. I want to meet these people who encourage and work and have fun with me via the internet! So, we will do Oily classes, we will have business meetings, we will laugh, we will learn, and we will promote a product that has changed our lives and the company that has changed our finances!
Here is another secret. People who meet people from the internet as INSANE! Aside from the fact that Gary and I met via the internet initially, of course. Ten years ago, I got pregnant with my first born child. I had a ton of questions and a TON of exciting news that I wanted to share with anyone that would listen. I joined a mommy board for women who were expecting babies in July of 2007. Today, there are 60 of us that are STILL connected. We still talk about everything from our sex lives to what we are preparing for dinner to what is going on with these 9 year old children! Many of us have met, but there are so many that are scattered across the US and Canada. It is my goal to meet as many of them as I can along this journey. Thankfully, many of those women who are in this amazing mommy group are also in Young Living with me!
That means Marion, Arkansas was a must on my list. Nina was the first of many! Meeting her was such a blessing!

Sitting with her friends and family chatting it up about oils was amazing. This... this .. building relationships, talking oils, loving people. This is what I LOVE! This is part of the journey I truly enjoy! The saddest part is that sometimes I don't get to stay as long as I would like!
We are off.. off to St. Louis, Missouri and small towns in Illinois! Off to a week of relationship building, fun having, and oil biz sharing! So long, AR. So long, Tom Sawyer. Til we meet again.. which I hope is sooner than later!

 

As Our Journey Began, So Go Our Days!

Have you met the Hopkins Clan? I mean, in person? I have so many sweet online friends and so many oily loves, that many of you know me, but KNOWING us is quite different! 

There are 7 of us. Yeah yeah. Five are between the ages of 9 and 2. For those of you in these shoes, you know. For my dearest church members, our closest friends, and those crazy enough to do life with us.. There are a few secrets that only you know. 

Secret #1: We run late. I have to admit, it makes me INSANE! I am an early or at least punctual person. Marriage changed that for me. 3 kids in 27 months REALLY changed that for me. I have come to accept it. I try not to get stressed out about it. What's the point? We make grand appearances whether on time or late due to our sheer size, so it is what it is. This RV life, began much like most of our life experiences.. Late. I had helpers! People helping me pack. People cleaning. People bringing us donuts and Burger King Breakfast! But alas, we left a day late. Guess what? This afforded me the opportunity to sit with sweet friends one last time, to allow my little one to sob as she clung to her BFF, it allowed me to get a little more settled before taking off, and it allowed my husband to bid some of our most beloved friends a farewell.. And the wife stopped by to shed a few tears with me. It allowed my babies to hug the college student that they LOVE so dearly one last time. It allowed me to stop by the hospital to make one last visit. I have learned, my friends, that our late is often God's provision, protection, and utter blessing. I still strive to be on time, but if late we are.. Well, then late we are. 

Secret #2: we like to fly by the seat of our pants! Now this has gotten us in trouble more than once! Thankfully, I have one sweet friend who knows this about me and has the exact opposite issue. She over plans. We balance each other out in so many ways, but this one is always a blessing to me! 

So, off we went on our RV voyage around the US with no reservations made! We took a short trip to storage to drop off a few last minute items and then stayed over night at the FDR State Park. Just drove on in! Well that was easy! The next day we pulled out and headed to a quaint little RV park that is part of Desoto's Caverns Family Park. Just drove right in! Whew! So far, so good! 

 

Such a great little place! Ahh the attractions!!! They were old school! There was a HUGE maze, a water gun maze, paddle boats, putt putt, a little slash pad, and more. 

 

 

 

 

The Caverns were beautiful and at the end there was a laser light show that quoted the Scriptural Creation Account. What a blessing! 

 

 

What a BLESSING and we were only in to the trip two days and maybe 240 miles? 

God is our provider and He has proven this to our family so many times! Let me assure you that if your Spiritual gift isn't Faith, taking that step when Christ calls you onto the waters.. It is a step that will forever change the way you view your Father. He will become your Abba. You will fall into His arms more frequently and you will rest so much easier at night. Trust Him, Dear One! He already has your journey planned! 

Every Square Inch

Let's be real, shall we? A family of 7 moving into a 32 foot motorhome? WHO DOES THAT? and an even better question is: HOW DO THEY DO THAT? Well, today that is what I am going to show you!

First, let me say that I had some major contributors to the process. No way could I have done this myself. I spent the month prior to our move in scouraging pinterest, blogs, amazon, and every other resource you could imagine. I started following other crazy full-timers.
Let me just insert here, God has been FULLY amazing in that for many of the MAJOR moves to which he has called us over the past 3 years, he has also called my best friend of 28 years. I called to tell her we were moving to GA, she said, "NO WAY! So are we!"  I called to tell her we were leaving GA, She said, "Seriously? We are leaving, too." I guess they technically decided to move into their RV before we did, but her house went on the market at the same time that we learned this is what God was calling us to. All that to say that when God calls you to something CRAZY, it is a TRUE blessing when he has someone to do the CRAZY along side you!

First, the elimination. We donated at least 15 bags of clothes.. FIFTEEN BAGS! Insanity. See the previous post to visualize this process.

Next, the aquisition. Wire shelving, skinny hangers, plastic storage bins, shoe storage hangers, Nuwave cook top, Instant Pot.. we were told, and reading confirmed, that these were the necessities.

Finally, the move in. Simple, right? Nope. Two weeks in and we are still re arranging. But here is what it looks like:

 

 

Instant pot rides in the shower. Clothes are crammed into wire made cubbies. Drawers are filled, cabinets are packed, and things are often shifted from place to place. God is working on my OCD self.

I wonder if the Holy Spirit feels that way when He moves into our lives? Do we have STUFF in every nook and cranny? Or do we allow him to come into our lives removing the old baggage, healing our hurts, mending our scares, and literally occupying every closet, cabinet, and chamber? Do we abandon that which he has called us to abandon? Or do we cling to it, thinking we can take just this one old ... habit, hurt, pain, emotion.. with me? The awesome thing is that you dont have to do the Elimiatation or Acquisition before Christ can move in and start working in your life! All you have to do is say yes to his love, his grace, and his abundant blessings.

Heart’s Desire

We serve a Holy and Righteous God! He is also our Loving & Gracious Father. There are times in our journey that we don’t understand the path He has us on and then there are times when we jump in with both feet!

For the past year and a half, our family has served in Georgia. We know beyond a shadow of a doubt that we were called here. Through God’s leading and grace, Gary has been able to do some amazing things at this church. The debt was paid down and restructured, taking it to almost 1/3 of what it was previously.  The restructure allowed for the hiring of part-time staff. The fellowship hall was completely remodeled, expanding the kitchen, and knocking out walls. Rooms with 6+ years full of ‘stuff’ were cleaned out, painted, and formed into welcoming Bible Study rooms.  The stage was modernized with all new updated sound equipment. A mother’s room was added so that mammas with sweet babies who needed to nurse or play could still see and enjoy the service. TVs were put into every children’s ministry room so that the little ones could enjoy worship on their level during class time. A new playground was purchased for the children. The church grew in numbers and in diversity. Most importantly, twenty-nine people were baptized! What a huge blessing! We serve an amazing God and I am married to an amazing man who isn’t afraid to compromise truth to fulfill the desire of itching ears nor is he afraid to jump in and get dirty cleaning and working. “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” Colossians 3:23-24

This past year and a half has also brought great heartache for our family. We know that when God is at work, Satan is not happy. In June of 2015, I became pregnant. At 17 weeks, we learned that our precious baby had gone straight from the comfort of the womb to our Father’s arms. I carried his lifeless body for another two weeks, when I delivered and held him. Longest two weeks ever. Let me assure you that God is good. I saw something that very few people, who truly understand it, get to see. I saw God’s creation in the very middle of the process. In complete awe, I held our precious baby boy and cringed at how anyone would think it is okay to abort a baby at that stage or any other. ”For you have formed my inward parts: you have covered me in my mother’s womb.” Psalm 139:13 He was perfect. 10 tiny toes, the tiniest little hands.. it was all there. The end of the year had brought great loss. great heartache, and one of any woman’s greatest fears. The beginning of the year was to be no different. My mother lost her battle with primary biliary cirrhosis of the Liver. Living much longer than they ever anticipated, her time had come. She was ready and that helped us to be ready. Then, came spring and another pregnancy. This sweet baby only made it seven weeks. We grieved, yet again. As we grieved the loss of our second baby in less than a year, the Lord was beginning to show us that our time here in Georgia was coming to an end. Gary’s work was done. ”.. weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” Psalm 30:5

If you do not know how absolutely incredible God is, let me just share something with you. In March, we went to the rv store to look at pop up trailers. In April, we bought a 32  foot motorhome. Sigh, yes.. yes.. we did. Around that time, I told our Sunday School class that I knew the Lord’s return was imminent and that I was conflicted inside because I wanted so badly to pour into my children. I wanted to travel with them and show them God’s creation throughout the United States. Yet, I knew that God had us in GA. I knew my husband had a ministry and I knew we were to be there. Let me assure you that just as I KNEW all of that, I have a Heavenly Father that KNOWS the desires of my heart.He had already started, years before, preparing us for this journey. He had already provided an unimaginable income from Young Living. HE built that business through me and my UH MAZING team. He provided the motorhome, when I initially just wanted a pop up trailer. He prepared our hearts for the resignation of ministry that would follow. He had it all planned out and prepared, truly before I even had the desire in my heart!

 YALLLLLL!!! GOD IS SO GOOD! Can I get an AMEN?!?!?! SERIOUSLY!! AMEN!!!  “Delight yourself also in the LORD; and he shall give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4

Today, we prepare to move our family of SEVEN with a big dog, into a 32 ft motorhome and travel the United States!! What?!? Yes! Let me show you a bit of what that process looks like. umm.. for those of you that don’t know, I have slight OCD tendencies regarding a clean house.. Not the time for that.. just NOT. THE. TIME!

IT’S INSANE! I. CAN. NOT. WAIT!!! I am going to  share with you this crazy journey that the Lord is blessing us with! I hope you are ready! Because I AM SOOOOO READY! Niagra Falls? The beach? Young Living Farms? Washington State? National Parks? Caverns? We have 3.. count them.. one, two, three!! Three short weeks before our journey begins. God has blessed me with women who are forcing errr umm.. helping.. yes.. helping me to pack. He is has also blessed my by sending me on a mommy retreat, completely paid for by Young Living, the week before we leave. SERIOUSLY?!? I told you He had this ALL planned out before I coud even imagine it! '"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares theLord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”' Jeremiah 29:11-13

Oh my gosh!!! I serve an AWESOME AND HOLY GOD!!!