This is my new friend Warnetta, Nett for short. She flagged me down as I was pulling into the Kroger parking lot. The first words out of her mouth were “Honey, I don’t know if your a Christian but God just sent you to me as an affirmation.” She is turning 68 on Sunday and has been contemplating the idea of purchasing an RV to travel. After losing her husband in 2011 she doesn’t see the point in sitting around in the same place being bored. 

I invited her in the van, showed her all the renovations we had done and how it all worked. We talked about my journey, her life and what had brought her to where she is now. We exchanged cards and I finally was brave enough to ask her for a portrait. She said “Okay, just let me put some lipstick on.”

She already texted me inviting me to park at her and her boyfriend's condo. Told me that whenever I was back in Columbia, that I had a place to stay with her. To call her if I needed anything. I am completely blown away by the kindness of people and their willingness to help a stranger. I told her that it was never to late to chase her dreams, life is short. 

I have only been gone three days, and each day I have met an inspiring person. The first day it was the older couple living in their jeep parked next to me at the truck stop. They were on their way to where they could always be barefoot. Then last night is was Shirley, the young waitress at the juice bar with tattoos and green hair who was studying ministry. When I asked her what called her to become a pastor she told me (in the sweetest southern accent EVER) that from a very young age she knew all she wanted to do was love people. And then today it was Nett, MY affirmation that even when I am 68 I will still desire to see the world. 

My soul is happy and my heart is bursting. Life on the road.

So. I'm going to live in a van. Sometimes down by a river, sometimes not. This is my first year as a full time photographer, and instead of freezing my bottom off in Michigan during a slow winter, I decided to set out on a big long awesome adventure. 

I have actually been in the market for a camper van (vamper) for a few years with the goal always being a cross country road trip. However, I did not know that I would ever be able to take it to this level or length of time. At the beginning of the summer I was driving down the road on my way to shoot a wedding in Kalamazoo. The van was driving right next to me with a for sale sign stamped on the back. I sped up and slowed down enough to get the drivers attention and waved him to pull over. I picked it up the next day. 

Being that the vamper is 25 years old it was just a little bit….outdated. And covered in teal. EVERYTHING was teal. It needed to look and feel like me, like my home. Thankfully my parents are incredibly talented and supportive individuals and they helped me turn the vision into a reality. One of my favorite parts of this renovation project was having the excuse to hang out with them, despite how frustrated we may have been overcoming the challenges of gutting an old RV (water damage, rotted wood, dead batteries, flat tires, and fugging glue EVERYWHERE). 

Here is a look at all of our hard work, completed just in time for take off. I am so excited to call this 80sqft home for the next four months. I cannot wait to explore and photograph all of the most beautiful spots in America. Adventure awaits. 

PS. I will be available for bookings and am offering special rates while on the road. To schedule a session/elopement/wedding please head over to the contact page or shoot me an email at meghan@meliabelle.com. Schedule listed at the end of this post!