From Full-Time RV Life to an Acre in Oklahoma: Our New Life Season

On the Road and Off

Leaving behind our beloved Alabama friends, Roger and I hit the road last fall for an ambitious RV loop around America. We dubbed it the "Great Loop" because our loosely-held itinerary took us from the Gulf Coast to the Pacific Northwest and across several northern states before eventually heading back down to Oklahoma. And this time we prioritized taking it slow, avoiding bad weather, and enjoying everything.

Not sure how long our journey would last, we picked our stops and stays out of love and adventure. Visiting California family plus time in Yosemite were non-negotiables. We also managed to shoehorn in a month in England with our daughter’s family (https://www.juliergreenwalt.com/post/grandkids-make-the-best-tour-guides), an Alaskan cruise, and meet ups with friends in Oregon and Washington.

Our previous experience with full-time RV life paid off for this trip in multiple ways (https://www.juliergreenwalt.com/post/take-two-hitting-the-road-with-more-wisdom-and-better-furniture). But what turned out differently was buying a sticks-and-bricks house in Oklahoma right in the middle of our nine months on the road.

Finding Our Someday

Ever since leaving California back in 2022 we’ve been scouting for a forever homestead. Shawnee, Oklahoma, may not rank as high as, say, Vermont or Washington in terms of natural beauty, but it was always on our radar. Why? Two things: Lots of family and great medical benefits through Roger’s Native American tribe. Both are increasingly important as we age, aren’t they?

Still, we had no idea our next sticks-and-bricks would happen the way it did.

What put us into house-buying mode was the sudden availability of a house in the same neighborhood where three different family members already own homes. The one-acre lot, bay windows, and forested cow pasture out back just sealed the deal. So sandwiched between returning from England and resuming our Great Loop trip, we signed the closing papers on a new home in Shawnee.

Changing Plans Doesn’t Always Mean Disappointment

Back on the road, it felt strange to drive away from our new house before even spending a single night there. We were halfway through painting the inside. Our “survivor” boxes were still packed (whatever survived downsizing from house to cabin to RV to house to RV again). For furniture, we only had a bed, a couch, and a couple of appliances. And leaving it all behind changed our travel plans.

Not that we didn’t love pulling our second home around, camping wherever we wanted. But owning a sticks-n-bricks house again got us thinking about shifting priorities. Did we really want to keep traveling or was it time to start nesting into a community again? Finding a church family? Getting into regular routines like doctor’s visits and haircuts? Watching nieces and nephews grow up?

The Joy of Putting Down Roots

So instead of completing the full Great Loop, we decided to cut it short after Montana. Our new season of life in Oklahoma began at the end of July (which in hindsight was maybe not such a great idea because the thermometer didn’t dip below 100 degrees until mid-September).

We spent most of those first weeks indoors, unpacking, setting up the house, and finishing the revising of my book, Turn Your Inner Bullies Into Allies So You Can Love Like Jesus. Today, we’re well into our new season, enjoying life in the center of America, discovering the best Chinese food, getting involved in our church small group, and anticipating the local high school basketball season (those boys have been state champs five years in a row!).

At first, it was weird spreading out in lots of living space again, but trust me, it doesn’t take long to get used to having more than two rooms. As an added bonus, I don’t have to freeze in place while Roger naps to avoid waking him up. It’s also nice to have an extensive kitchen again, plus more bathroom cabinets. Oh, and a walk-around closet. Not just a walk-in. This closet extends clear around the back of the shower, with two doors. Not gonna find that in any RV.

Setting up the house has been happily interrupted by family get-togethers, short excursions, and just plain lazing around enjoying the view out back or around the countryside.

Saying “Yes” to One Thing Sometimes Means Saying “No” to Another

If you read our hopes for the Great Loop trip (https://www.juliergreenwalt.com/post/deciding-where-to-go-in-2026), you know we really want to explore the only state we’ve never set foot in: Michigan. Well, turns out we’re saving that for next summer. Because in this new season of life our fifth wheel is up for sale. Not that we’re giving up exploring the world. If it sells, travel will just look different going forward and we’re excited about that, too.

For now, though, we’re content with family, our neighborhood community, the side of beef in our freezer, and the cows grazing out back.

Ever been in a season of shifting priorities and found yourself surprisingly excited? Let me know in the comments—I’d love to hear.