Cosmopolitan Housewife: Family Touring Day 4, 5 and 6

Traveling in a tour bus is kinda like camping in style.

It's a tour bus- it's cool, it's comfy, it's sleek, it's got leather couches, sinks, a toilet, electric plugs, flat screen TVs, a microwave, drink holders, lights and cabinets. It's expensive (just the daily cost to use a tour bus for example is, I don't know, A LOT!), it's a big hunk of metal and of course it looks cool pulling up to a venue ("whoever is in it must be a big deal").

It's like camping because-You are always around people. You eat together. Sleep in bunks by each other. Tell stories into the night. Group text to communicate your whereabouts. Help each other pack things in and out of the bus. Share food. Share the bathroom. Keep your stuff in small limited space compartments. etc.

Every morning you need to pack a little "get ready bag" with fresh clothes, toiletries etc (in my case 2 large tote bags, a diaper bag, a back pack of toys, snacks and a stroller for our family) and you get out of the bus to head over to the hotel that the bus has pulled up to overnight while you were sleeping. You head over to the hotel (sometimes a close walk, sometimes a farther one) in your pajamas and messy hair (if you're too busy to care what people think, like me). You get to use one of two hotel rooms shared by all of us on the two tour buses to take showers and get ready for the day.

So this touring life is a good amount of BUSY for us as parents of two little ones. Lots of pre-planning on my end every time we leave the bus. Do I have everything? Enough diapers? Distraction toys for Aria? Water? Snacks? (Cause I know half way into our short journey to the hotel Aria will desperately say "I'm thirsty" or "Mommy but please can I have a snack?")

All of this to say it has taught me to be flexible and just go with the flow. Traveling as a family just makes me totally appreciate how much of a team my husband and I are together as we parent both of our daughters' as they have needs sometimes all at once.

The Vujicic family and their team have been so easy to live amongst. They are all kind, helpful and thoughtful. Nick treats us like we are his guests visiting his traveling vacation home. He is very intentional. He constantly asks if we need anything, if he can help and he communicates lunch gatherings and other group plans to us and makes sure we are content. Nick also has several people who work for him and help Nick to help others the way Nick sees fit. (Tour managers, admin assistants, media guys, camera guys, a Compassion rep, a publicist and merch helpers. He has a handler who picks him up, helps move him and really his whole family (including us) whenever it is needed. It's been eye opening what an operation Life Without Limbs is and Nick truly is the well respected and loved chief of staff.

I knew of Nick, but I never realized until we joined them on tour what a big name he is. People recognize him all the time and sometimes even if they don't recognize him, they can't help but stare at the phenomenon of him. The first thing I witnessed that Nick does when he enters a place (and all eyes are on him), is say

"Hi I'm Nick, what's your name?"..."Give me a hug." He seems to have learned to break down the barriers of awkwardness and staring with his friendly and confident nature.

You can't help but not like Nick. You can't help but not be impressed by what a confident man of purpose he is. He lives a life many people with arms and legs could only dream of and be jealous of quite frankly. He lives a confident life of purpose. God has truly given Nick a platform like no other to encourage and uplift others with hope and faith in Jesus. He is the first to admit that he didn't always think he had purpose, but now he is walking in it and my can you see how it glows.