Three years ago, the DeYoung family decided to travel, and didn’t stop.
The family of six — two adults, two boys and two girls — eats and sleeps in a bus-sized RV, awake constantly in a new place, work and study from the motorhome, meet people on the way and help them out.
This past two weeks they volunteered with Highlands County Habitat for Humanity in Sebring under Habitat’s Caravanner program.
“This is our very first build,” said Jessica DeYoung, who along with her software engineer husband, Jeremy, decided to sell their house, homeschool their children (she was doing that already) and set out to see all 48 contiguous states, stopping to learn local history and culture.
Through Habitat, the DeYoungs have learned every step of home construction and how the nonprofit helps people put down roots.
“I didn’t realize how many muscles I had,” DeYoung said about the construction work. “It’s so good to get to do something different each day.”
Her family is helping build three houses in Mason’s Ridge, at 1358, 1362 and 1412 Inspiration Drive, Sebring. Construction Manager Frank Nelson said the family has worked on the footers for 1412 Inspiration Drive, a house still awaiting its concrete slab.
“They’re inquisitive about every aspect of construction,” Nelson said.
He said the DeYoungs have also painted walls and ceilings, framed walls and placed furring strips to attach drywall to the SIPS (structurally-insulated panels).
“Frank (Nelson) is a great teacher. He shows the ‘whys,’ the ‘ins and outs,’” DeYoung said. “We will continue to caravan up the coast.”
Development Manager Linda Andrews said Nelson’s combination of trade skills and people skills gives volunteers a good experience.
DeYoung said their children have learned to find ways to help, beyond food pantries and nonprofits. They help RV park neighbors to rake leaves, set up or fold up chairs and even run a yard sale.
Their 9-year-old made $300 on her own selling handmade bracelets, she said. Their 13-year old makes “RoBucks” helping fellow Roblox players build their characters.
Screen time has strict limits, though, DeYoung said, mostly to get kids outside to use their imaginations.
They’ve also learned to cull belongings to the essentials. With just 300 square feet of space to share with three other kids, parents and a 5-month-old GoldenDoodle, they declutter at least once a month, and can’t buy or get anything new without divesting of something.
“When we lived in our bricks and sticks, we lived in excess. It was too much,” DeYoung said. “We were in the daily grind.”
Full calendars and daily exhaustion caught up with them. In 2022, they remodeled their home, sold it and bought the RV. Along the way, they’ve visited sites like Gettysburg, Colonial Williamsburg and some of the old forts to get a real feel for history and inquisitiveness.
At Williamsburg’s farm, they spent two and a half hours hoeing vegetables for caring for horses. On a Mayflower replica, they bumped heads on the low-ceiling cargo hold where the travelers stayed. The replica’s ceiling wasn’t even as low as the original boat, DeYoung said.
Noah, 15, found it intense to visit the D-Day training grounds in the Panhandle between Apalachicola and Carrabelle, knowing World War II veterans had been there. His Mom remarked how battleships had small bulkhead doors and seats, showing how much thinner sailors were back then.
“I love to see where their brains go,” DeYoung said. “If you don’t ask questions, you won’t know.”
How long will they travel?
“Until God says, ‘Don’t,’” DeYoung said.
It took them a year to get their “travel legs,” she said, and another to learn to travel well. So far, they’ve seen 40 states and parts of Canada.
It’s all intentional, DeYoung said. They titled their social media “Adventures on Purpose,” which they did at first, following an itinerary and tight schedule. Today, they build room into each day, letting their metaphorical boat drift with the wind instead of driving like a train to the next station.
Adventure on Purpose has also helped them remember takeaway lessons, to change how they plan or react, improving the experience for the next time.
It’s all about gaining a better perspective, DeYoung said.
