In Germany, parents can take up to 3 years of maternity/paternity leave…in the US, 3 to 6 months for the mom and 2 weeks to 2 months for the dad…if they’re lucky. Lucas was born March 1st. Covid 19 lock-down hit on the 14th. As weird as it sounds, the lock-down was a blessing in disguise. Sebastian got to “extend” his paternity leave and we got time, time to sit with one another, bond as a family and enjoy this new chapter of life as just us three. Some of the best moments of our lives!! Those moments were the things that drove us to be present, cherish every little smile, cuddle and giggle because we didn’t want to forget any of it. Lucas’ first year flew by…no surprise there…but we loved the fact that we got to experience Lucas’ milestones. We loved watching him develop new skills, seeing him think things through and problem solve right before our eyes and we didn’t want it to end.
Between Lucas and the pandemic, 2020 taught us that life is short. We aren’t guaranteed anything and there’s no perfect time to live out a dream. And because of that, we decided to take the leap of faith and buy a van in July of 2020. For the next year, Sebastian worked on the weekends to convert our little home on wheels. He left his job in March of 2021 while I left mine a few months later. All so we could travel around the US and down the Pan American Highway for the next year and a half…in our van as a family. To us, having nice things is always a plus but having time to create memories and bond as a family is priceless. At the start of our trip, Lucas was only 18 months old…so, our trip was mainly for Sebastian and I because…let’s be real…Lucas won’t remember much, but our hope was that this trip would shape him into a person that is accepting of all people and cultures, guide him to be open to new experiences, understand that life isn’t about the materials you own but the experiences you have and give him something to look back on and say…“I had a pretty cool childhood.”
Since we’ve been back in the states, it’s been fun to see what Lucas took away from our trip. He likes to watch videos of Howler monkeys because he’s seen them in the wild, he’s become independent and social because he was constantly exposed to new people and when he goes in our van/”the road” (that’s what he calls it) he says “Lucas sits here, mama there and papa there” pointing to each of our seats. Traveling will always be a thing for our family, but getting to spend that additional year and a half watching Lucas grow not only physically but also mentally was exactly why we wanted to do this trip in the first place.
If traveling in a van is a dream of yours…you can do it! We’re just like anyone else. This was something that we wanted to do, so we took small steps in order to make it a reality. Don’t wait for the perfect time to do something because…there’s never going to be a perfect time…take the leap and start working towards your dreams today!!! Happy dream conquering….Sebastian, Ashley and Lucas.
