Had a hard deeper sleep last night. Love that when it happens. And, we are happy to report that the rig's repair job will be completed today. Hooray! We are officially leaving Dead Horse and won't return until our next road trip.
And, hooray because today is laundry day!
At this moment, we have ten extra large commercial washers going at the laundromat in Cottonwood. We've been camping in a fair amount of sand and things definitely feel dusty. One lady here asked me how many kids I was washing for. Ha! Just two, and two dogs!
After cleaning out the fridge last night, I was on a mission to clean everything out and reorganize. Amazing how much better things are now. Here is what we've decided we can eliminate on the next adventure we take:
-clothes (we only need a few outfits per person)
-cooler (will leave the box at home and instead bring Costco bags since they fold flat)
-Sierra's carseat (she can use a booster)
Just leaving those things at home opens up a lot more space for us. No more moving the carseat and cooler around. Yay!
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Afternoon update:
We have officially hit the road again. Laundry done, generator repaired, gas tank full. We drove up 89-N towards Flagstaff and at this moment the kids and Steve are playing in the water at Slide Rock State Park. We arrived here around 4:30 pm and the park closes in a hour, and people are still pulling in to swim next to the red rocks and cascading water. Alex really wanted to come back today, so we decided to head this way again.
(Willow is such a lover. She is keeping her eye on a group who is having a picnic. She wants to join, but she's connected to me and the leash!)
A couple of hours ago, both kids were losing their minds (I was about to lose mine too). Both wanted to drive with me from the generator repair shop back to Enterprise to return the mini-van. Since Sierra rode solo with me yesterday, I told Alex it was his turn. No one was happy in the land of kids. In the end, Alex went with Steve and the dogs & Sierra rode with me. Hopefully, everyone will be in happy mode when they return from their little swim adventure here in Oak Creek Canyon.
There are so many times throughout the day when I find myself reflecting on life as we are traveling. My mind wanders to friendships, past loves and relationships, pre-children times... etc... so many memories. I wonder where people I've crossed paths with are now & wonder what life will bring today and in the future. I really do love this nomadic lifestyle. Things are simple. Steve and I keep saying we will watch a movie or something when the kids go to bed, but we have yet to do that. We have full and busy days and I am far from bored. There is so much to see in this country of ours. And one of the best parts of our trip has also been the people we meet along the way (yes, outgoing introvert Susan has enjoyed this!). We have met very kind people and it reminds me of the good that exists in this world. A really big benefit of camping has been that we are not as connected as we are back home.
Before this trip, I was constantly checking the news online to see what 'He Who Shall Not Be Named' was doing to the country each day. I wouldn't say I had hit a depression, but was feeling anxiety and sincere worry about what would happen in our world. Those feelings still continue, but they are way less. I don't check the news each day. Instead, I am focusing on my family and really trying to focus on being grateful. I am grateful for the gift of time & am so grateful that many people have worked in this country to protect the wilderness and all that goes with it.
Nature is the place I go to find peace, healing, and solitude. I am also grateful right now that I am alone with the dogs in this beautiful red rock country. Quiet space is renewing for me.
One of my goals of this trip was to start my path towards getting back in good shape. I wouldn't say I have really worked on that (and that is ok), but I have been doing inside work on myself. The type of work you cannot see & perhaps others may not even recognize. Steve has been, and is, very supportive of the paths I take. He's gifted me time to work on whatever I want to & encourages me to be the best I can be. And in my processes, which are always evolving and changing- sometimes from minute to minute- I can honestly be a real pain in the ass. We all have our moments for sure. I am also grateful for his friendship and unconditional love.
And, I am grateful for our amazing children. They are strong and soft. Kind and smart. Loving and passionate. And I hope to continue to encourage them to grow throughout their lives and to live life to the fullest. One of the questions I am not a fan of is, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Ugh. I still do not know what I want to be. I have done so many different things and I honestly don't think I will ever know. That is what is exciting. We do not have to be defined, nor should be defined, by what our job is. I tell Alex and Sierra that I want them to be HAPPY and KIND. I want them to be open to learning and live a life of passion- to not settle but to reach for what calls to their heart ♡
When I write that sentence, I find myself asking myself what calls to my heart these days. Being with family, being in nature, being connected with those people who fill my heart and soul with love and inspiration. And, what else calls to my heart is taking more of an active role in supporting organizations that stand for what I believe in. Helping the Earth, women, children, and giving back... as I've heard before, doing service is a way of paying rent for our limited time on Earth. Both kiddos will be in school full time in the fall and I definitely want to volunteer and work on the book I want to write. Life really is full of possibilities and it sure will be fun to see what happens as I continue to open up my heart and listen to what it says ♡
(Tonight we are back in Flagstaff.. dry camping in the same forest area we were at 25 days ago. That feels like a million years ago!)
Our home is where we park it,
and as long as we are together- we are home ♡
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