Hello from the middle of the desert

It's actually been over 2 years since I can say we have boondocked... but here we are. Frank is working a job with rv armor out here in Quartzsite AZ and we are out here on the BLM land for the week with friends. It's been really fun hanging out with treasured friends and meeting new people again! Tonight we are going to bake bread on the campfire to go with our pasta and make some campfire popcorn. It's reminded us of so many of the reasons we fell in love with doing this. That may sound crazy since we are boondocked. And no. We have no hookups BUT our camper holds plenty of water and a generator so we are not without amenities but have to use them in careful reserves.  The boys have pulled out their chessboard and are entertaining themselves. And yes. We are actually having an amazing week despite the lack of hook ups!

2 years on the road

This week we celebrated 2 years on the road. It's quite the journey,  this nomadic life, and it's not for everyone but we love it.

I wish I could tell you it's always like the picture portrays, but this week really was as good as it looked on facebook! 

www.facebook.com/narrowroadschoolers 

We found a great little state park this week in New Salem Illinois. Walking where a young Abe Lincoln walked. Stopping by capital buildings and seeing the Lincoln 's massive gravesite & the home the he lived before he became President.  Walking through history. Learning and pondering what it was like here in the 1830's.

At New Salem State park they have recreated the village Lincoln lived in. A modest settlement with some great hands on learning.

It's been quite the fascinating week!
And everything we got to do ( other than the campsite) was FREE!

Life in snapshots

I see life in pictures. Raw unposed and fun. The pictures are too many for any media, mostly a collection for me. I cant even delete the bad ones, as they are part of the memory. Sometimes they are simply a journal of where we have been, memories we have made.
I sometimes wish I could post all of them. Every. Single. Blurry. Fuzzy. Out of focus because we were laughing photo.

Sometimes though pictures are not taken. At least not on anything tangible.
those moments that are imprinted on our hearts.
A trust gained, a smile, a moment to cherish. 
Lost would be the significance if each time we opened the lens.
Some things are simply meant to be held within our hearts.

Changing Direction

That's legit. I wrote an entire post about changing direction earlier today and I went to post it and the entire thing except the title disappeared.  Clearly God wants us to change direction in our posts but rather than tell you about it ( like I had thoughtfully thought through) perhaps we are just supposed to do it so ...here goes.

As I was driving back from the laundromat today I realized living in and out of campgrounds is a lot like living on base.

Well, not really. But there is a guardshack at the front with a gateguard. Sometimes.
And community pools.
And a community center...we call it the lodge. Or clubhouse
Everyone is supposed to obey the speed limit but most don't.
Occasionally there is a community event
You may have a grumpy neighbor or 2

But overall its a good community where people connect and care about each other.

And today that is enough.

Celebrate!

The birthday bashes are in full swing... at the top of the month our 3rd born son officially entered his teen years,  our littlest princess turned 8, my mom had a birthday on the road ( and we were able to take her to a full fledged pow wow.....her iriquois roots were delighted) and today my sweet Aaron-man turned 5. I remeber wondering is I would ever even meet him as I passed out after my c-section that day

I don't think... after looking through the blog posts that I even talked about that day.

For the 1st 8 hours of his little life I never even met him.

I hemmoraged in the c-section table after the c-section.

But oh. the darling sweetness that he is ....I rarely let go of him once he was born...

And he IS growing up way too fast.

5. I can hardly believe it.