Finding Our Home in Florida

At the end of October 2022, we pulled into Apalachicola, Florida, so Will could begin a maintenance host volunteer position with the Orman House, a state historic house, and the Chapman Botanical Gardens. We had enjoyed a month of downtime in the Black Hills of South Dakota following the summer at Crawford State Park in Colorado and then made our way to Florida over approximately 2 weeks. When we pulled into our site at the Orman House, we already felt in our hearts that our time on the road was coming to a close.

When we left South Dakota, we had a detailed timeline of the events over the next 6 months that would take us to our two hosting positions in Florida and then bring us back to South Dakota to ultimately settle down. What we could not have imagined was that within a few weeks, we would feel so drawn to the Florida Panhandle that we would spend the next 8 months exchanging our South Dakota dreams for the Florida sand and sunshine.

However, as the saying goes, we make plans and God laughs. As one attempt to settle down after another fell through, we watched our so-called dreams start to fade and heard God’s initial giggles morph into big belly laughs that could not be ignored. We had ideas of where we wanted to be, but God ensured we followed His plan.

Throughout the 3 years we spent on the road, Will found his calling in the State Parks system. From being immersed in nature to being able to share that knowledge and love with the public, there was no doubt that he was meant for a career outside of the corporate office setting he had known for 10 years. The problem was cracking that seemingly impenetrable nut.

The more certain we felt we were meant to settle down along the Forgotten Coast of Florida, the more evident it became that that was not where God was leading us. Will’s job prospects continued to be elusive, and as the midpoint of 2023 passed, we started questioning everything. While we were open to going wherever the job opportunities arose, we were slowly closing in on our deadline: Bird was set to start Pre-K.

Heading into August, we had multiple contingency plans in place, including having Bird enrolled in two preschools and scouting potential campgrounds where we could regroup if all possible leads fell through. However, as we made lists of pros and cons and the areas where finding employment would be more realistic, we decided we would settle, for the time being, near Panama City. After living for months with every aspect of our future up in the air, it was validating and so refreshing to finally start making some concrete plans.

For much of the summer, we felt as though we had no idea where God had us going, but once we set our dreams of living along the Forgotten Coast aside, all of the pieces God had been hinting at fell beautifully and seamlessly into place. We were so focused on what we wanted and where we thought we were supposed to be that we completely overlooked the life God was planning for us along the Emerald Coast.

Once we “gave in” to what felt like the most realistic option, Will was offered a State Park position that also included a place for us to park the fifth wheel. While this park was not necessarily on our radar when he began his job search, it quickly became evident that this was exactly where we were meant to be.

After spending 3 years on the road where we were able to call some of the most beautiful places in the country “home” for a night or 2, it made total sense that our adventure would end beyond the gates of a state park.

We have been “settled” now for a few months, and while it is comforting to fall into the daily routines of work and school, it has definitely taken some getting used to. We no longer have to think about where we will be in 2, 4, or 6 months, we do not have to relearn a new grocery store every week, and, thankfully, we have not had to completely put our adventures to rest. We have beaches, trails, and wildlife right outside our front door, so while we may not be exploring new places every week, we are learning the nuances and deep beauty of this new place we get to call home.