When we told people about our dream, we would  get the same response but in two different forms. There was the excited/supportive/enthusiastic- “Man that sounds awesome! Why are you guys doing that?!” and then there’s the less than excited/sarcastic/patronizing “Man…okay, that sounds awesome? So, why are you guys doing that??”

It seems that when the wanderlust bug bites, you know it, but you’re not entirely sure why. We were looking for a name for this site. Something better than “Retzloff RV Jamboree” or “Our Family Adventure.” This experience for us has been about so much more than just a road trip.

Why are we so hopped up on the idea of selling everything we own, flipping our life upside down, and hitting the road?

For us, it’s about seeing, tasting, feeling, experiencing the best parts of the human experience. It’s about living. It’s about fully enjoying God’s creation as the art form that it is. It’s about life as an art form.  It’s about connecting as deep as we can in the most important relationships in our lives.

In the book of Exodus, the Jews leave Egypt. They were slaves there. The conditions were terrible. Moses leads them across a sea, across a desert, and they wander around in the wilderness all while hanging onto the promise that there’s this land flowing with milk and honey. This promised land is the one unifying thing that keeps them wandering.

Not to get preachy or spiritual, but the imagery there is pretty profound. We relate to it. A 9-5 job in a cubicle farm is not where I see myself. The same day to day with barely enough rest on the weekend only to start all over again on Monday. Mondays! And what are we working toward? Retirement? A day when we can finally catch up with our kids? A day when we can finally rest and do all the things we want to do? A day when we can travel? And what if we never make it? What if the bottom falls out on our life somewhere along the way?

I believe there is a promised land for all of us. I believe there is a way to work hard AND play hard. I believe we can “catch up” with our kids NOW. We can connect now.

To us, this is The Sweetland.

This is the land flowing with milk and honey. It’s the land of full experiences and deep relationships and great stories. Its a place for all of us and it’s not limited by geography. It’s not limited to full-time traveling RV families! It’s about living in the wonderment of right. now.

That’s our Sweetland, what’s yours?