You say goodbye and I say hello...HELLO HELLO! (From July 2013)

“Traveling is a brutality.  It forces you to trust strangers and to lose sight of all that familiar comfort of home and friends.  You are constantly off balance.  Nothing is yours except the essential things – air, sleep, dreams, the sea, the sky – all things tending towards the eternal or what we imagine of it.” –Cesare Pavese

Instant relate.  Traveling is brutal.  In the last week we have driven from Evansville, Indiana through Illinois, Missouri and into Arkansas where we have stayed for the last three days…I think it was three days.  We are now set up at Lake Thunderbird State Park in Oklahoma, about 30 minutes south of Oklahoma City.  Our days have been running together and other than the fact that I know tomorrow (technically today) is my birthday, so it’s July 17^th…yeah.  Let’s review through photos together, shall we?

First off, I would like to apologize for a lack of family photos in Evansville.  I know Andrew’s Aunt Kitsy took several photos of all of us and I will request those from her to add to a later post I will someday do that will be all the pictures that could have been added from before…but weren’t. 

Betty Matthews (Andrew's Grandmother) working on the sculpture that is now finished and up at the cabin.  The artistic streak that runs through this family is simply amazing. 

I made lasagna.  I must say that I was incredibly pleased with this end result AND I could eat it.  Gluten free noodles and the majority of the ingredients came from the health food shop Andrew's cousin works at.  Very nice little place.  Stocked up on my favorite Doc. Bronner's Coconut oil while we were there.  I don't know what we would do without that stuff.  So good for everything! 

Family picture at a very special place.  Andrew's parents had their wedding reception here and we enjoyed lunch there with Kitsy, Carol and Kitsy's delightful roommate Peggy.  It was quite a good lunch and I loved the stories that were brought up about Nora and Larry's wedding.  A special moment indeed. 

Sometimes I just like the way things look so I have to take pictures of them.  Andrew's vest over my pretty pink dress (borrowed pink dress :) ) made such a neat picture...or maybe it's me photographing our laundry...whatever. 

I enjoy what my travel pile looks like. 

Sunset in Missouri on our way to our campsite in Arkansas.

What the camper looks like after setting it up late at night and just being ready to SLEEP. Bit messy but there really is some sort of organization developing here, I swear. 

Rosie enjoying the camper and life in general. 

Not very clear through the screen on the camper but waking up in the morning this is what we were able to look out the window and see.  Trees and a lake.  Not a bad morning view at all.  One thing that I think we have given up is any level of boundaries between the outside world and us.  For this example I mean we will sleep in the camper with the windows wide open, more or less, so anyone can peek in and see our sleeping family.  Like a traveling exhibit or something...

Beaver Lake has a nostalgia quality for me that made this photo necessary.  

Photo as we are walking to the bathroom. This part of the country is beautiful but hot, hot, hot...Can't believe I used to live in this area and somehow had forgotten how beautiful it was. 

Trail mix for in the car keeps us filled with good energy sources.  This does not meant that I don't (frequently) give in to my urge for kettle cooked potato chips.  I am improving but they are just so good and my craving for salty things can be a bit out of control sometimes. 

So did we have to make a stop at the Henning Conservation area?  Ummm...yes, we did.  

Renamed the Traci, Rosie, Aydan, Crumpets Henning conservation area.  Hee hee :) 

Scenic overlook photos. 

Bridges are cool.  We had quite the discussion of the engineering marvel that bridges are while crossing this one. 

Our space in the camper is limited...super limited but somehow the way that it's all laid out leaves for a very cozy and yet somehow separate feeling when we need it to.  This was the night Andrew and Aydan played Risk and I curled up on the couch to work on thank you notes for the wedding before falling asleep.  Pulling the camper, putting up the camper and then playing hard on top of it is exhausting...but in a good way.  I know that I feel stronger, more capable, more in control and aware of certain aspects of my life...but that's still a thought in formation so I won't go too deeply into it.  What I can say is that living like this is a lesson in growing physically and mentally.  That was a hope of mine for all of us when we left and I am so pleased to see that development taking place in my son and husband too. 

Traveling exhibit of CUTE!  Rosie loves the sunshine and curling up with her boy.  

Ho hum...another walk to the bathroom picture. 

We loved this campsite.  Loved it.  Trees to keep us somewhat shaded and the lake right there next to us.

Crumpets loves her life. 

Reminders of home.  Cheese stick wrapper on the floor and the rug that Maggie left with us that had been on the floor between the green room and the kitchen in our old house for what seems like ages. Little things like this help me to feel like we haven't given up everything and that there will always be reminders of places and people and things that we love as we move further and further away from them. Bittersweet is the best way I can think of to describe it. 

Good morning Aydan!  Organization in the camper is definitely going to take some work...

You can barely see him but there is a true stick bug hanging out in the corner of the building we were standing under.  These insects fascinate me and I've only ever seen them in the zoo before.  So cool to get to see one without barriers.  The guy working at the welcome booth may have thought we were slightly odd but that's ok :)  Bob, the guy that seemed to take care of the camp and the welcoming of guests to the campground, had been wonderful in making sure we had a campsite when we arrived and had the charm and tobacco stains on his gray and white beard that I (or my imagination fed by stereotypes) associate with older gentlemen living in the Ozark mountains.  

This is the official swimming area of Beaver Lake for the section where we were staying.  We had taken a walk the night before to find it but were unable to really see in the dark so there was a lot of guess work and giggling on top of the small concern (for me anyway) that we would get caught breaking the rule of "no swimming after 10 pm".  Visiting the same area in the daylight was completely different but so so fun.  Andrew thought the dogs might like to try out the lake but they thought no way.  It's hard to tell but Rosie is facing away from the lake, trying to pull Andrew in the direction she wants to go...back to the picnic table with shade and no lake.  

Dinner of yum.  Andrew marinated the chicken the night before and we tossed it on the grill when we got back from swimming.  I don't remember what all we had with it but I do remember how perfect that chicken was.  

Rosie felt this was her place setting. 

The boys and some after dinner whittling/knife safety lessons.  They both seem to enjoy carrying a knife and have definitely learned to respect the possible dangers that come along with carrying a sharp blade.   I would also like to point out the stack of dishes behind the boys.  This was our first site without water.  Andrew decided he was going to figure out how to do the dishes with our supply of water bottles filled from the pump that was across the road and a little up the hill from where we were. 

Andrew making breakfast.  I love this man so much. 

So...yeah...drove by this sign and it was like holy smokes...a closed down, decaying dinosaur park.  We were driving from our campsite to Eureka Springs and Andrew suddenly goes "hey, an elephant...and dinosaurs?" Aydan and I perk up and stare out the windows and sure enough we can see these huge creatures poking up above the trees and they are indeed dinosaurs.  We get up to the gate and this was the sign we saw.  It was HIGHLY tempting to go run around this intriguing place but it was also potentially dangerous and super hot so we decided to continue moving forward with our plans for the day and come back around dusk when we were heading back to the campsite.  Unfortunately, we got turned around on our route back and didn't make it...but, that's life, right? 

And of course we still had to take pictures of Aydan climbing on the giant spider outside the front gate. 

Oh Aydan, don't be mean to the spider...

be nice to the spider! 

A sign pulled us down a twisty turny path to Pivot Rock and the Rock Bridge (as seen in Ripley's believe it or not according to the sign we saw) and this is what we found.  Hmmmhh...not as exciting as expected but still lots of fun to climb on and around and of course, wonder about the way the earth works and moves to create such varied landscapes.  Andrew was completely in love with the rock formations we saw.  Aydan wanted to climb everything which was completely encouraged by both his parents :) Andrew was usually right there with him.  

Climbing down...

This structure is Pivot Rock...as Aydan pointed out it kind of looks like a toilet.  But how cool that the elements came together in such a way as to make a formation like this one?  

Aydan leaping between two rocks. Andrew was taking pictures of him doing this and I'm fairly certain there is a youtube video that was put together from those pictures...I'll have to check into that. 

Hee hee.  Aydan taking pictures of me...

taking a picture of him.  

Lunch was here.  Everything came from farms around the area.  Hooray!  I love it when places can do that.  The food was quite tasty.  Aydan tried a strawberry lavender soup, it was not cold and not hot so it was more like a soupy strawberry milkshake with hints of lavender.  Yum.  But a spoonful or two was certainly enough for me. 

Aydan with glasses over his goggles.  This kid makes me lol all the time. 

Pretty new hand fan! Made out of sandalwood so it smells wonderful every time it is used.

The mortar and pestle were bought at the little store at Pivot Rock.  They are made out of onyx and are gorgeous.  Andrew and I have been looking for one in the kitchen for ages and this seemed to be the ideal time and place to buy one.  Part of our day had been a tour of Cosmic Cave which had lots and lots of onyx so we were able to see its natural habitat, if you will.  I did not take pictures in the cave.  Too much to look at and I like to have my hands free when we are walking on slippery rock around delicate formations that have taken decades to grow a mere inch or so.  Andrew has pictures that I'm hoping he will share at some point too.  

A fairly homey set up. 

Oh my gosh.  The sadness my heart felt when this mug broke is just silly.  But I love this mug!  Maggie gave me this mug for my birthday last year and I brought it with me in the camper because it was one of my very favorites and I wanted it with me...and then this happened...

Ron Swanson, I am so sorry...

See ya, Arkansas.  Thank you for a lovely, lovely time. 

notes from the time this photo was taken: 

One last photo as we sit here, ready to go once the bladder emptying ritual is finished.  We are ready.  Our time in Arkansas has been highly enjoyable, frustrating, hot and romp-tastic.  There is dried clay on the bottom of my skirt from a cave we visited yesterday and an ache through my body from the exertion of putting down the camper in the heat with no shade and no wind but I am content.  My body is strong enough and capable enough to do those things with my family and have a wonderful time doing it.  We are learning about ourselves and each other and that was such a big part of this journey.  To hear my nearly 13 year old son say things like "we're an awesome family" makes this mother and wife so so so happy. - Written in the car July 16, 10:48 am

Things that I see that make me think of people back home...

Onyx coffee lab.  This place totally soothed my coffee lovin' soul.  I knew I couldn't be disappointed in coffee that comes from a place that roasts on site.  

Aydan happy to be chilling in a coffee shop with wi-fi even for a minute :) 

Another ode to Lush.  I am a girl that loves to take care of her skin and I LOVE that I can do that without water!  These three things and some exfoliating cotton rounds help me to keep my skin clean no matter where we are or what our water supply is.  Thank you thank you to my sweeties Megan and Bridgette Cooper for sharing Lush gifts with me before we left. 

The map said one minute...and that turned into nearly a half hour of trying to figure out where the camp really was because google maps was slightly off.  

Another in the camper shot...I just liked the angle...

Andrew looking happy and comfortable.  I love it. 

So that was our journey from Evansville Indiana to Oklahoma.  It's been nearly a month since all those things happened.  Doesn't seem like it.  I was trying to think of why I titled the piece the way I did but then through writing I found it.  We are saying good bye, to a familiar life, to our dearly loved friends and family, but we are also shouting hello to the new life we are ready to have.  I see no darkness in the life we are taking on.  I am sad but exhilarated by the newness and opportunities I can feel opening up for us.  Andrew and I are a magical, positive thinking couple (Aydan is a force of awesome all his own and adds to us in so many ways!) and we know how to deal with the lowest of lows that life has to offer us and how to work our way through it.  Life can do what it wants but we have plans and ideas that I feel are just on the tipping point of becoming reality.  While this trip has been adventurous I feel our greatest adventures are still waiting to unfold.  I'll keep y'all posted :)