Inspiration Monday- It’s all around

Tara Wagner of The Organic Sister  posted her Inspiration Monday blog carnival post today.  Being that we’re with them on the road right now, I found it only fitting to participate (now that I understand what a blog carnival is (insert, SNORT- “you’ve been blogging how long?!” here))….

We’ve been hanging with the Wagners on a picturesque mountainside outside of Albuquerque by complete happenstance (as if there were such a thing) for the last week.  What was meant to be a night… or two… has become a caravan adventure.  Our plans have changed… AGAIN.  This is big.  We’re planners.  We’ve always been planners.  And since the beginning of our life on the road about 7 weeks ago, the plan has changed at least 3 dramatic times.  And that was OK each time.  We made decisions and settled on a new plan.  But now there’s something new on the scene- FLOW.  We embarked on this adventure because it felt good to be free and yet we were tying ourselves to expectations- places to be, things to see, timeframes- all along the way.

So I have to say that today I’m inspired by FLOW- going with it, being in it, and enjoying it.  Rather than trying to beat feet to Santa Cruz for my mid-October conference, I’ve bought a plane ticket from Las Vegas.  Chris and the kiddos will stay around the city of sin for the weekend while I’m away and maybe by then we’ll have a new destination in mind.  There were places we had planned to stop on the way.  Time with friends and supporting each other’s journeys has taken precedence.  Between our two homes on wheels, the Wagners and we have seen our share of fixer-upper afternoons and it just feels great to have more heads and hands in those situations.

What else have I been inspired by this week?

 - The fourth issue of Rethinking Everything Magazine- the quarterly magazine I began co-publishing with Barb Lundgren this year.  It feels like a first date every time I send it out and this marks the last issue of our first year in publication!!!

- Shopping carts that fit adults so my kids can push me around the store- it’s slow but super fun!

 

 

 

 

- Tireless men who wrack their brains and dirty their hands until it’s fixed.

 

 

 

 

 

- Boys who play Barbies and Legos… together.

 

 

 

 

 

-150,000 year old art.

 

- People who remind us to think about what inspires us- thanks, Tara!

 

Wild Week of Wagners

This week has been a whirlwind.  Tara and Justin Wagner and their son, Zeb, have been in DFW for the week and we have just been soaking them up!  Instant friendships and deep connections were had by all.  The knowing smiles and wisdom had in their short time on the road in their RV has inspired and comforted us.  They even shared some of it on a Humans Being podcast for all to enjoy!  For those of you still unaware of the Clan of Parent’s not-so-secret plan to travel the country by RV, you may want to listen to this one first.

The kids all hit it off in a big way with swimming, Legos, ball playing, wiggle car-ing, hooping, and many other activities during our visits.  Chris and Justin broke off for some chatting of their own- both technical and philosophical- over a beer or two.  Dads are coming together to support one another in lives fueled on joy, passionate pursuits, creativity, and… veggie oil! 

Sara, Matt, Bella, and Lucy Janssen also made their way to DFW this week!  We all got together for a couple of potluck dinners (which I highly recommend for the ease and yummy variety!), some lively discussion, and hooping! 

 

Hallie Collett Garcia assists Elijah with taping his handmade hoop.

We made our own hoops and began learning to hoop dance.  This is a whole separate post which I will share soon so stay tuned!

Parting was, indeed, such sweet sorrow.  I wanted to hug too tightly and for too long.  Knowing that our paths in the RVs are undetermined and ever-flowing, I didn’t want to let go.  Is it so different when we bid farewell to those we know in ‘stick’ homes?  Because we know their specific location, does it make us miss them less?  Does it make it easier to let go?  It felt so.  And yet, I felt a thrill.  “Come see us this summer in Louisiana!” says Tara.  And we could…