A few years ago we made the decision that we would live in a Tiny House.
Looking back I realize, I have never even considered the possibility that living in a Tiny House could be challenging. (207 sqft? Psssshaw, no problem. …Haha!) 🙂 I think that’s why our transition has been so easy! We’ve celebrated every change as a family and treated the entire experience as an adventure and a gift. The kids share our energy and attitude and have embraced the Tiny House completely.
As Sully and Story’s Momma I am proud! Proud to provide this exciting lifestyle for them, proud to have set up a foundation that opens up new opportunities for them in the future, proud to show them that sometimes it’s okay to not know exactly what-the-heck you’re doing but to trust God, say Yes! and do your best, proud that they have been happy, engaged participants in the dramatic changes we’ve made over the past year.
…I’m going to overuse the word PROUD! I am proud of Ryan. I admire his determination and dedicated hard work to provide for and lead our family! He is a special education teacher and has been going to grad-school full time for the past seven years, maintaining a 4.0 GPA! (I think that warrants at least a high-five!). I am proud to be his wife. I love that, as Ryan’s work will soon get more challenging, we have already simplified; upgrading instead on our experiences and adventures! I want the weight of nonsensical (that silly mortgage!) excess responsibilities and bills to be minimized, eliminated(!) so he can excel and we can be free to do awesome things together.
Paying off a mortgage plus student loans (that total much more than the mortgage) would have been a life of financial lock-down. But we didn’t want to just live within our means, we want to live within our means.
I’m writing and researching at my little desk, kids sleeping soundly above me, Ryan fell asleep praying with them, everything is nice and toasty from the fire, we have exactly what we want and need, and we’re looking forward to an adventurous future of freedoms and options.
Not any part of this is sacrifice.
We’re savoring God’s goodness.
And anticipating whatever it is He reveals to us next.
6 Comments
I love the way that you are embracing this opportunity and really relying on God. Children really feed off of the attitudes of the adults they are around and that’s no doubt why Sully and Story are engaged in this new lifestyle that you have. Kudos to you and Ryan for taking control of your life and not being afraid of making drastic changes to ensure that you really LIVE. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for the Kasl family in 2015.
Thank you So Much Nicole, for you really kind message!
We can’t wait either! 🙂
<3
Hi Kim, I love reading your posts!!! Your paving the way for many families! Can you talk about your composting toilet? What model is it? What is involved in regards to usage and dumping it? Most importantly, how did the kids adjust to it and are they able to use it as they should or do you “follow up” ;-). Thanks Kim!
Thank you Char! I really hope to encourage the families that want to live tiny but are facing down discouragement from others. I say, watch your biggest doubters transform into your strongest supporters! 🙂 Thank you so much for your questions about the toilet! I’ll have to focus a post on that very soon. We’re actually STILL learning some things! Crazy. But there’s a lot of trial and error going on here! So I’ll answer all those really soon. For now, I’ll say that the kids actually adjusted totally fine. Everyday use is super normal, it just feels weird to walk away without flushing. 🙂 (Well, it did at first. Now it feels weird to use a public toilet and flush! Bizarre.)
Thanks so much Char! 🙂
Thanks muchly Kim! I’m excited, for one day, to read your potty post ;-).
Hi Kim. I tried to post earlier today but forgot to sign in and it deleted it. Oh well. Basically, 01-2014 I was given a 5th wheel camper in DESPARATE need of work. So for now it is a 38′ junk collector/work shop/disaster. LOL. I am in Central Florida so you and I have the same issues only in reverse. I have high heat and you have high cold. I am going to salvage a lot of things from this unit: propane stove/oven, windows, trailer, etc, etc,etc. Its going to be 13′ tall, 8′ wide and 38′ long. The only thing I am 100% undecided on is insulation. You said you used foam but probably would have used recycled denim. Do you think the denim would have given you the same R value and warmth as the foam ? I like the thought of the closed cell foam for the cooler like seal but the cons concern me in a small space. And I am not sure about the R value in the denim but like the positives in it. What are your thoughts ???
You have a beautiful home and family.
God Bless.
Scott