Reflections ~ 50 Years of marriage

The Many Places we Called Home ~ Part V

In September 2009 we made a trip in our motorhome to Utah and Montana. Both trips were cut short due to an issue with the motorhome ~ the issue at times it just didn’t have the umph to get up hills. That was a problem that we dealt with for quite a few trips – finally found out it was something with the coil; not the fuel pump, not the water pump, not running out of gas but the COIL!!!

We lived in many places from Spring 2010 to April 2023. If you want to read more details about each of these places we called home please go to the archives and check our the blog posts in that time frame.

25. We began our full-time adventure by joining the carnival! We are sure many people thought we had lost our minds but we were ready for something new and with the economy tanking in Fall 2009 we decided we had to make some changes. One of the “jobs” we thought would be fun would be working and traveling with a carnival. March 15, 2010 we said good-bye to all we had known and joined Funtastic Shows. We traveled around Oregon and Washington state.

We started work by selling tickets and eventually making it up the ranks. Ron learned how to tear down and set up rides, run rides and was in control of the onsite ATM machine. Ron’s favorite ride was the little Ferris Wheel which was the first ride littles were allowed to ride. Ali sold tickets and then began to learn about Customer Service and working in the main trailer (office). One of my responsibilities that gave me the most anxiety was while we were in Wenatchee when I would walk from the “office” to collect monies from the Major Rides, Food Vendors, Minor Rides and then back to the office. My anxiety lessened once I figured I had the best bodyguards walking with me without letting on they were my guardians. We worked for the carnival for one whole season, asked to come back in 2011 and we said we would be back if we didn’t have another job by then.

26. November & December 2010 we ran a Christmas Tree lot for

which has many tree lots throughout the greater Seatle area. We were at the Safeway parking lot in Edmonds, WA. One thing we realized was that we had to touch every tree 5x or more! Christmas Eve 2010 after going to a local church service we went to the Denny’s across the street. One thing we realized was that even though we didn’t make a ton of money, Poppa God was forever faithful during that time. We had enough money to pay our bills, we had a safe place to park, we had electricity and water, we were blessed to have friends from Whatcom County come and see us and amazingly only one couple came in angry and upset but they didn’t even make it past the motorhome before they turned around.

Kodie Smith and Mr. Ron with her very own Charlie Brown Christmas tree.

27. Found us traveling via Eastern WA, Idaho, Western WA (Ron had been called for Jury duty! and then making our trip through Oregon, California, Arizona, New Mexico and landed in D’Hanis, TX at Lone Star Corral. We were onsite managers with Ron’s focus on maintenance and I was the office manager.

28. In April 2011 we made our way to Branson, MO where we became campground managers at Branson View Campground. When we first arrived, BVRV Park was being managed by a bank property management company. I started out as a [art—part-time assistant office manager. In June of that year, both of us were hired on as the Park Managers.

During our time at BVRV Park we made a trip back to Washington state for our son Jamie and the celebration of his marriage to Suzanne T. That was one of the longest and hardest trips we ever made ~ we drove for 27 hours straight before crashing for one night in Jerome ID and then making our way to Blaine. It was a day/night/day of wind, rain and snow including a couple of white outs. Definitely one of our most interesting trips ever.

29. Due to some issues with the bank property manager for BVRV park we made the decision to move on and Ron took a job at Amazon with their camper force team. We moved to Coffeyville, KS. While in Coffeyville we went through our first tornado ~ Ron at the Amazon Facility and me in our motor home a mile away. We enjoyed our time in Kansas and had planned to stay through the December 2013 Camper Force Season. But alas Poppa God had other plans for us.

30. In May 2013 we received a phone call that began with “you don’t know who I am but you were recommended to me to run Branson View RV Park which I am purchasing.” WHAT? One of the things enjoyed while in Kansas was Ron worked 4 days a week and we had a three-day weekend every week!!! So after a few phone calls with the new owners of BVRV Park we made a three-day trip to Allendale, MO to meet the new owners. After sharing a meal at a local restaurant and many more phone calls we were offered the manager position at BVCampround. Ron talked to his manager at Amazon and we returned to Branson, MO and re-opened BVC on July 3, 2013. Our first guest actually stayed the night before we officially opened!!

One of the things we enjoyed most in Branson was meeting so many people, seeing many of the different shows, went to Silver Dollar City multiple times and made some great friends. and connected with GUMI Camp USA which led us to move #

Before moving on to our next position and place we called home we spent time in West Plains, MO helping our friends Pam & Wayne Gillam ready a motel for occupancy and then we traveled to Oregon via Dallas, TX & Spokane, WA for our

33. Next place we called home. Our time in Dallas & Spokane was for training for our next new adventure ~ Onsite Assistant Community Managers at Astor House in Newberg, OR which was part of the Holiday Retirement Community. We loved the residents and our first supervisor, Katherine but when she left the new supervisor did not approve of Ron with his beard. In fact, she asked him did he have that when we interviewed for the job ~ Yes and matter of fact he was wearing a t-shirt & shorts and I had on a tank top & shorts. Needless to say we left Newberg, OR. Before our next job and place we called home we visited friends and family in Washington and Oregon.

Our 34th place we called home was in Waco, TX at the Methodist Children’s Home Boys Ranch. We began there August 2016 as house parents where we made some good friends and who we are still in contact with: Jen & Lee, Donna & Jack, Amy & Gary, Kathy & Randy, Chris J and Stacey R. We truly believed that Poppa God had led us there to serve and parent children from difficult places. We loved our co-workers but had some major issues with the administration ~ let’s just say when a supervisor tells you one thing and does another as well as believe angry teenage boys (we had 16 go through our home while there for 14 months) who were angry and said outright “we will make your life hell here so you leave” and they did. But even in the difficult times we felt that Poppa God was in control and kept us from emotional and physical harm during some serious situations. Our time there showed us what to look for as we moved on to three other house parent positions.

35. We moved for a short time to Utah at Hi-Road Campground which was located just outside of the East Gate of Zion National Park. The area was beautiful but caused some health concerns for Ron. When we first moved there I had some breathing issues and Ron was fine. Within two months at living at 5000′ elevation Ron began struggling with breathing issues. We began praying for an answer to the issue: either Ron to get climatized or open the door for a different position.

36 place we called home was in Pecos, TX where we were Gate-Guards for 14 months. While in Pecos we had the best ever cantaloupe! and learned that even in the unknown we could trust Poppa God in ALL situations. In June 2018 Ron found a lump on his left breast and was diagnosed with Male Breast Cancer. YES, men too get breast cancer! Our position as gate guards meant one of us was on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week which did cause concern as things moved rapidly with Ron finding the lump on 6/26/18, had a mastectomy on 7/18/18 and we only missed three days of work during that time. Our boss stepped up, a couple of the drivers we had become friends with helped out while Ron & I were in Midland TX for his surgery. Ron was discharged on 7/19/18 and was told as long as he was off the pain medication he could go back to work. On 7/21 Ron checked in his first driver & truck and never looked back. Over and over Poppa God kept showing us that HE was in control…we were able to use the services of stores doing the shopping and us just picking up our groceries or getting deliveries from Amazon. After working and being onsite for 15 months with only the three days we had off for Ron’s surgery the Lord began to open a new door for us to go & be house parents once again.

Our 37th move was to Yoakum, TX where we joined the staff at Blue Bonnet Youth Ranch, becoming one of three home parent couples. During our time we were able to become part of a new church and build a new church family community.
1, When we were first asked by our friends, Jack & Donna to think about coming to BBYR Ron was adamant we would not. Donna and I began praying that IF Poppa God wanted us there HE would make a way. Just as Gideon in Judges 6:36-40 Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised— look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said.” And that is what happened. Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew—a bowlful of water. Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece, but this time make the fleece dry and let the ground be covered with dew.” That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew.
And Ron did his own Gideon question: He said, “If Poppa God wanted us to go to BBYR as home parents then we would be offered a job w/full benefits by 4/14/19 which was the last day of our employment as Gate Guards. On that day in 2019, Stephen, the director of BBYR called and offered us a job with a good salary and benefits ~ as Ron and I sat dumbfounded in our Little Home on Wheels we both kept saying “Poppa God says move to Yoakum, TX” and that’s what we did.
2. We have many happy memories there, saw God’s protection over us and the children living there during a difficult time ~ Covid 2020 ~ we were not alone, all three sets of home parents lived on site with our “kids”, the director & his wife along with their two children lived onsite and daily when we were “quarantined” ~ we could get together, help each other and continue to build relationships.
One adult from each home could go grocery shopping ~ in our home I was the designated shopper. BUT we had a plan…we would load the three children who were living with us during that time into the truck and all go to HEB. While I was busy shopping the kids and Ron would hang out in the truck. The reward for good behavior was that we would go through the drive thru at Dairy Queen which became known by our kids as “the place that could not be named.”
3. The hard part of being home parents at BBYR was when we had to say goodbye to the kids we had cared for for almost a year was watching them move onto an adoptive family. We had very conflicting issues about the placement but the director and case worker didn’t want to hear those concerns. Sadly after we left BBYR we heard that those children were placed back in care due to ongoing issues in the adoptive home. We continue to pray for J, A & G that they are safe and blossoming wherever they are.
4. Changes at BBYR led us to move on for our 38th move which happened to be on our 45th Wedding Anniversary!