Have you ever had one of those “ah-ha” moments where you think to yourself “wow I wish I had thought of this sooner”? 

That’s how Nicholas and I feel about RV life. And, while we wished that it was something we had thought about early on in our marriage, I believe that we found Cella the Airstream in our life exactly when we were supposed to. 

Here’s the story of Cella the Airstream.  

In September of 2020, Nicholas and I went on a beach getaway for our anniversary. Our little boy was 5 months old and our little girl was 2.5. On the drive down, we spent a lot of time talking about our childhood. We reminisced about our childhood trips, if there was a place that was special to us, and the things we did with our siblings that we felt really bonded us. 

I’m really close to my siblings, we’ve traveled the world together. From cross-country roadtrips to backpacking Europe, I believe my relationship with my brother and sister are stronger because of our travels together.

It really had me thinking about how we can help to cultivate and foster our kids’ and little family’s relationships in the midst of a busy life. 

In 2020, air travel with toddlers felt unrealistic and if I’m being honest, I wasn’t sure what the future held in regards to travel. RV life was still not something that we had talked about or even thought about until we started passing RVs on that anniversary trip to the beach. 

We passed this Airstream on I-65 and it was our “ah-ha” moment that we both had at the same time. An RV! This felt right. A space that felt like home for our kids, but an outlet for us to adventure, explore, bond and travel around the U.S.A. One that felt budget-friendly and realistic for weekend travel. 

We knew immediately that we wanted an Airstream because of their vintage feel, sturdy build, and how they hold their value. 

So, the search began. From Southern Alabama to Middle Tennessee, we spent weeks researching & looking for the perfect Airstream for our family. We originally thought we wanted to find a 1970’s model to renovate. But, after looking at a few fixer uppers and with lots of research and discussion, we decided to go with an Airstream that had already been somewhat renovated and close to being ready to roll. We didn’t feel we had the time to devote to completely redoing one. After all, we did have full-time jobs and two kids two and under. 

Nicholas found for sale online a 31’ 1985, Excella Airstream in Birmingham. The owner had lived in the RV for the past year. Seven years prior, he had redone the floors, bought a new air conditioner, and taken great care of it.

We drove down with the kids to see it. We knew that when we found “the one” that was meant for us, we’d feel it.  As soon as we walked in to Cella, she felt like home.

We spent over two hours that day talking to the owner – getting to know Cella and listening to the adventures she’d been on. We promised ourselves a full night to think about it before we made an offer. On the drive home, we went over all the pros and cons. But, the pros definitely outweighed any cons. 

The day after Thanksgiving in November of 2020, Nicholas and one of his best friends drove down to Birmingham to bring Cella the Airstream home! We spent all of our free time over  the next 8 months making her our home away from home on wheels. 

Why did we name our Airstream Cella? Cella is Latin for Rock. When I think of a rock, I think of a firm and sturdy foundation. And, our goal for adventures with Cella is to build a bond with each other that is deep, firm, sturdy, and can’t easily be broken. Like most, our days are long, full of work and routines with little time left for quality time with each other. From sunup to way after sunset, there is always so much to do. And, we find it very difficult to relax at home because there is ALWAYS something to do. 

Cella is our space to disconnect from the hustle of everyday life and connect with each other. To explore the world around us. And, my hope is to encourage you to find the time in your everyday life to build stronger bonds with your own family.