Everyone always said this enphamous phrase to us when we were pregnant with our first, “say goodbye to your life as you know it.”

Honestly, that is the worst lie you could tell a new parent. Having babies did not end our life as we knew it, it just added some extra color to it!

One potty trained and one diapered little one, nap schedules as delicate as spiderwebs, and an RV packed so full….. May sound scary!

I remember standing in the doorway one morning, bags by the door, second-guessing everything.
Maybe we should just stay home, I thought.
It’s too hard. Too much. Too messy.

But somewhere deep in my heart, I felt God whisper:
“Come and see. Trust Me to show you wonders.”

And so, with more courage than confidence, we went.
Not because it would be perfect — but because we believed that the world God made was waiting for us, mess and all.

My babies are four and two years old and they have been to almost all 50 states (Including Alaska and Hawaii), Japan, and Canada. I wouldn’t change these experiences for anything!!

🌿 Set Expectations: Grace Over Perfection

Our very first road trip as a family of four taught us quickly: toddlers have a special gift for unpredictability. While you already know this… Traveling just brings out the unpredictability even more!

There were tantrums.
There were spilled juice boxes.
There were “Are we there yet?” questions… five minutes after we left the driveway.

And yet — there was also laughter.
Wide-eyed wonder at mountains taller than anything they’d ever seen.
Giggles echoing across beach shores.

We learned to set our expectations low and lift our hearts high.
Adventure with toddlers wasn’t about checking boxes or flawless plans.
It was about trusting that God had beauty waiting in every detour and delay.

We prayed for patience, opened our hands, and learned to treasure the moments — not the plans.

🎒 Toddler Packing Essentials: Little Hands, Big Adventures

Packing for toddlers is a bit like preparing for a three-day hike… even if you’re only driving across town.

Through a lot of trial (and error), we figured out what made travel smoother for everyone:

• Snacks that don’t melt, crumble, or cause fights (pretzels, apples, pouches)
• One comfort item each (Everleigh had her Cocomelon pillows; Zeke loved his blue blanket)
• Activities small enough for tiny hands (sticker books were golden!)
• Their own backpack — not because they’d carry it the whole time, but because it made them feel part of the adventure.

The truth is, half the fun for them was pulling out a crumpled coloring sheet or a mystery snack mid-ride, their faces lighting up like it was Christmas morning.

🎶 Travel-Friendly Devotions and Songs: Making the Journey Sacred

I used to think “quiet time with God” meant a cozy chair, a hot coffee, and an hour of silence.
Turns out, God meets us just as sweetly in the backseat sing-alongs and whispered prayers between snack times.

We started simple:

• A Bible story podcast playing softly as the sun rose over the highway.
• Singing “Jesus Loves Me” when little legs got restless.
• Pausing at a scenic overlook and reading a psalm aloud, thanking God for the view.

It wasn’t polished.
It wasn’t quiet.
But it was holy.

Travel days became little moving sanctuaries where we worshiped God with snack-stained hands and full hearts.

🕊️ Keep Routines Light: Rhythm Over Rigidity

At first, I tried to keep our home routines on the road.
Nap times at 1:00 PM sharp. Dinner by 4:30. Bedtime prayers at exactly 7:30.

It didn’t take long for my carefully built house of cards to tumble down in the back of a bumpy RV ride.

So we let go.
We found a rhythm instead of a rigid schedule.
Some days naps were late or short. Meals sometimes looked like picnic lunches under shady trees.
Bedtime routines were often whispered in dark hotel rooms or RV bunkbeds with tired giggles mixed in.

We learned that grace filled the spaces where plans broke.
And God showed us that real rest wasn’t just about perfect timing — it was about trusting Him to carry us through each messy, beautiful moment.

🌎 See God’s Wonders Together: Eyes Wide Open

One of my favorite moments from our first real trip was pulling over by a wildflower field.
Everleigh gasped so loudly I thought something was wrong.
But when I turned around, she was pointing with both hands, eyes wide:
“Mama, LOOK! Flowers!”

That’s when it clicked.

Traveling wasn’t just about “doing” — it was about “seeing.”
It was about pausing by streams, marveling at mountains, squealing over dolphins, whispering prayers of thanks at every glimpse of His handiwork.

It wasn’t about fancy vacations or crossing places off a list.
It was about opening our eyes — and our kids’ eyes — to the wonders all around us.

🌟 Closing: Traveling with Littles Is Sacred Ground

Traveling with toddlers is not easy.
It’s loud. It’s unpredictable. It stretches every ounce of patience you have.

But it’s also sacred.
It’s memory-making, heart-shaping, faith-building ground.

Because somewhere between the missed naps and the breathtaking sunsets, you realize:
These aren’t just trips.
They’re invitations.
To see God’s world.
To see God’s goodness.
To see God’s faithfulness — in the journey, in the laughter, in the mess.

So pack your bags, say your prayers, and go — even if it feels impossible.
God’s wonders are waiting, and He’ll be with you every step of the way.

The Macrane’s