an unexpected blissful reality

Life is……an unexpected blissful reality

The year is flying by. It's getting to the end of September and Christmas will be here before we know it. This month Nathan and I celebrated 8yrs together and 2yrs of marriage. I can’t believe that it has been 8yrs and that we have a little boy who is 8 ½ months old.  Sure I imagined that one day I would get married and that we would have kids, but never did I think I would live in a fifth wheel camper part of the year traveling around the country. Nor did I think I would have a house in Cody Wyoming that needs a lot of work.  Never did I think I would meet someone so completely perfect for me.  A man who would do anything for me, but loves me enough to say “No” sometimes (that might be a little confusing to some but it means a lot to me). I thank God every day that he has given me a life that only He could have planned, because the life I envisioned in my little human brain was good, but not this good. No, it is not perfect and it is difficult at times, but through each trial we grow and we always come out better than we were before. My daily reminder of how blessed I am wakes me up each morning with the biggest smile he can muster and the best little chubby hands on my face.

Harlan is so close to being able to crawl. It is so fun to watch him trying to move this way and that while attempting to get across the room the fastest.  His current method is to put his head on the floor to support himself, move his hands forward, and then inchworm his way on his belly to his goal. This, combined with rolling, usually gets him across the room pretty quick. At times he tries to raise up on his toes and bear crawl. I'm not sure if this is an attempt at crawling or if he would just as soon get up and walk.  Currently his “crawl to” goals consist of the dog’s toys or the dog’s water dish. We are learning the word “no” quite well. I am so thankful for these everyday moments that I get to see this precious boy learn and explore and grow. I love watching the expressions that come across his face as he studies a toy or object and learns to grab, turn or manipulate it. Harlan also loves to be around people. We get a lot of attention in any store as Harlan has to make sure and smile at everyone he sees, and he gets especially excited when he sees another kid or baby.  Harlan has a completely different level of excitement, however, for his Daddy. Just the sound of Nathan’s voice is enough to produce the happiest smile and sometimes even a squeal. At times Nathan has to leave the room or get out of the line of sight just so Harlan will eat or go to sleep. I love it. Most of the time it cracks me up. If you ask Nathan, he might say he has that effect on most people.   I am so glad that we are able to be here with Nathan as he is working. It may not be the ideal situation for living with a baby, but we are so much happier than we would be if we had to be apart, and the memories we will have are worth all of the sacrifice.

 

 

walking uphill

Life is…walking uphill

This past weekend we had the opportunity to do some exploring of the great outdoors in Gallup. Gallup has a surprisingly picturesque landscape and has even provided the backdrop to a few westerns (I am not sure which ones). The red rock formations coupled with jagged and rolling hills gives this high desert a beauty of it’s own. It is nothing like what we are used to in our backyard but it is awe inspiring just the same. Through our travels and driving through many different terrains, Nathan and I have often discussed how incredible it is that God could create such varying arrays of beauty. What a marvelous creator we serve, and such a blessing to be reminded of it daily as we gaze upon all that is around us. 

Red Rocks park sits on the North side of Interstate 40 and contains hiking trails, campground facilities and rodeo grounds. We chose to hike the pyramid rock trail. Yep, you guessed it, a rock that is shaped like a pyramid.  This formation is one that can be seen from many places in Gallup due to its massive height. We were unsure as to how far of a hike it was, but we were willing to give it a shot knowing we had the option to turn around at any point. The novelty to this hike was completing it with a baby in tow. I recently purchased a carrier designed like a backpack in which Harlan can be carried in front or back. I wore him in front on the hike up and Nathan wore him on his back on the way down.  About a third of the way up Harlan fell asleep and managed to sleep for most of the climb. 

The view at the top was amazing to say the least and we were fortunate in being able to get a picture of all of us as evidence of our journey.

 

May you be blessed by the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.  The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord’s; But the earth He has given to the children of men. Psalm 115:15-16 NKJV

 

 

on Route 66

 

Life is….. on Route 66

A longtime part of American History and one of the most well-known roads in America, Route 66 is our new home for the summer. No longer a main thoroughfare it is now referred to as Historic Hwy 66, but all the same it is pretty exciting to be living on a piece of history.   Ironically as I began to decorate Harlan’s room prior to his arrival in an antique car and truck theme I came across a couple of décor items that were Route 66 and loved the feel of them in his room. Now to be on Route 66 with so many items in stores and gift shops bearing the famous highway symbol his room may be acquiring some more memorabilia. I already have my eye on a couple great items in the campground gift store…

Now then, how did we end up in Gallup, NM? Let me give you the short story. Work was hit and miss in Wendover and because Nathan is such an awesome Husband and provider and his bosses seem to be quite fond of him as well he found the means in which to bring us here where the work would be more stable.  This particular job site needed someone to do the specialized “geo” work that he has been doing for the last couple years. It is a long term job that he has the potential of working a tech position as well as being onsite to do geo and data mapping when they need it.  

We are much farther from home but we are finding that the blessings of what Gallup has to offer are far greater than in Wendover. The campground alone has been an upgrade and access to stores and hospital has greatly increased which gives me a little more peace of mind.  If we need anything that Gallup does not offer or just need a day away, Albuquerque is about two hours away. 

As many of you know before we left Wendover we were on the verge of purchasing a fifth wheel from a family in North Carolina. I will not get into the mess that occurred with this but I will say that things happen for a reason and God obviously has something different in mind for us.  We are disappointed at the time and money lost in this endeavor but sometimes that is how life works and we have chosen to look at it as an opportunity for spiritual growth and many life lessons. We pray that a better fit is out there for us and that the path will be clear.  God has blessed us around every corner and every path he leads us down. We have faith that he only wants the best for us and although it breaks our hearts when things don’t go the way we hoped, we find peace in knowing he has bigger and better things planned for us.   

But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus- Philippians 4:19

a small space in a big world

Wendover...yes, this is just about all of it
The KOA is located behind the Red Garter Casino

Life is...  a small space in a big world.  Living in a fifth wheel is not for everyone but for some reason life with Nathan has led us to live in one more often than not. Needless to say, we have become proficient at living in a small space and all that goes with it. This time around has definitely presented some new challenges, but the overall routine is just the same.  Of course we could not make things easier on ourselves, so on top of living in a fifth wheel  with a dog and a baby we have added cloth diapers to the mix. This is a major factor in how we do things as far as our routine, but I am passionately in love with cloth diapers so I would not have it any other way.  So, in our 35 ft (approximately 300 sq. ft) trailer we have managed to fit a crib, changing table, dog crate, baby swing and other baby paraphernalia .  

This is what it looks like:

 

 We have learned to be very proficient in our small space and everything works quite well as long as you put things back where they go so you don't trip over them.  My current space for storing blankets is in the bottom of the crib because we use the bassinet at the moment. Harlan is growing like a weed though so I will soon be figuring out a different place to store blankets so we can lower the mattress.  

 

Harlan absolutely loves being in his stroller. If he is cranky I can put him in the stroller and he is instantly the most content baby you have ever seen. Often times while waiting for clothes/diapers to wash we walk the campground.  Mo often goes on these excursions with us and is learning to walk next to the stroller without getting run over, as well as to wait patiently outside the door of the laundry facility.  Notice the diapers drying and getting some sun! The sun is magic at removing stains, why did we ever think our time was so precious that we needed dryers instead of clothes lines. Ok, just kidding, I really don't want to dry EVERYTHING on the line.  

 

We managed to nab one of the spots with a few trees but the tree at the front of the camper prevents us from using the awning at the moment. All in all we have a nice little spot and are enjoying the campground. The trickiest part is dealing with the goathead stickers but I think we will survive that too!

Our prayers go out to those dealing with recent storms and the effects they are having on crops, belongings and the overall economy in your area. May God continue to bless each of you and bring us all together soon for a visit.

p.s. you will not be hearing from me for a couple of weeks! Nathan is headed to Virginia for a job and will be taking the computer. On a positive note he will be bringing back a new home for us that will have a second bedroom, a washer and dryer and a bigger fridge. YAY!

 

 

long trips and short naps

Life is...long trips and short naps.  Let me start by saying it was not my intention to start a  blog, write a few times  and then fall off the face of the earth.  That is just how crazy our life is. I do not have a computer as shortly before Harlan was born it decided after 6 years that it was done being revived and having every last breath squeezed out of it. This means that (I know you are not going to believe this) we only have one computer in our house. Nathan needs it for work more often than not and I am told that is way more important than needing it for Facebook and Pinterest. What does he know? Right?

 I mentioned in my last post that Nathan was summoned to go to Alabama. He was supposed to be there for two weeks but as life sometimes has a plan of its own, this turned into three weeks.  He flew home on Friday and we spent Sunday, mother's day, on the road to Wyoming.  Harlan and I stayed in Casper and Nathan continued on to Guernsey.  The last month has been typical crazy and Harlan is growing like a weed. The hardest part of Nathan being gone so much was him missing Harlan's daily changes.  He has been attempting to roll over but can't quite figure out how to get those arms out of the way. He is starting to tolerate tummy time a little more, especially if I put a mirror in front of him or prop him across my legs instead of the on the floor.  He loves going for walks in his stroller and watching the dog, Mo, whenever he is close by.   He hates sleeping during the day, especially if he thinks he is going to miss something but he does pretty good at night.  Nathan and I enjoy watching each day as Harlan changes and grows and learns.  It is hard to believe that he is already four and half months old.  Before I know it we will be celebrating his first birthday so I try to enjoy every moment while he is little, even the not so fun ones, and thank God each day that he has blessed me with the opportunity to be a stay at home mom. 

 

As I write this, Nathan is in N. Carolina looking at a fifth wheel that would give us more room and some better amenities.  I must say that I will miss our current fifth wheel as we have had it and lived in it for quite some time on and off with traveling and it is definitely our second home, but I look forward to more room and having a washer and dryer.  We have prayed about this decision a lot in the last couple of months and although it means a small step backwards toward our ultimate goal it will greatly improve the journey to that goal.  Not to mention make my husband more tolerable to live with because as many of you know he does not do well with clutter. 

...and so we continue on the path that God has for us whatever that may be and pray that each of you, our family and friends, are doing well and enjoying all the blessing of life.

Happy Memorial Day!

 

a very straight highway!

Life is... a highway(a very straight highway)!   I always thought the drive between Casper and Shoshoni was probably the most boring drive in the world. Yesterday morning we found a stretch of road that rivals that drive.  The upside to the drive to Wendover however,  is that it is interstate and the speed limit is 75mph (unless you are pulling a 35ft trailer and then you drive about 65-70).  We arrived at the Wendover KOA which is located on the Nevada side of town and quickly found a site that would be conducive to parking the truck and not feeling  like we are on top of our neighbors. All in all this will be a better environment for camper living however I could do without the 50 million goat head stickers and the mile walk to the laundry room. (I pray that the latter will be remedied by a new camper with washer and dryer).

 Our first excursion in Wendover was to get some much needed lunch. We had heard that there is a deli in one of the casinos that is amazing.  A quick tour of the town (this took all of 5 minutes) and we found the Rainbow casino which contains the '2nd street deli' and the source does not lie.  Not the cheapest place to eat but well worth it for an occasional splurge. Nathan had the Bronx  brisket sandwich with horseradish and I had the Brooklyn Reuben.  We both thoroughly enjoyed our sandwiches and I must say that it was the best Reuben I have ever had in my young life.  I can't wait to try some more of their sandwiches but at $8-9.00 for just the sandwich I won't get in too much of a hurry! 

The rest of our weekend thus far has consisted of laundry and just hanging out. Harlan and I will be taking Nathan to the airport in Salt Lake extremely early tomorrow so that he can go to a job in Alabama for 2 weeks and then we will leave on Tuesday for a visit to Casper. 

Getting ready to leave Oquirrh inn

Harlan Chillin' in the truck

 

The salt flats

indecisiveness!

Life is....indecisiveness!  Staying in Wendover. No, Tooele. No, Wendover. Make up your minds! ...and they say women are indecisive. Apparently men can be just as bad. We were told we could stay in Tooele through the entire job  and now we are told that if we do, Nathan will have to drive his own vehicle to work, which after this first month will be an hour and a half to two hour drive. Many of you have seen what we pull the camper with (Dodge 5500 essentially) and it doesn't exactly scream 'great fuel mileage'!  That being said we will be moving to the campground at Wendover on Friday. This is not necessarily a bad thing. There are in fact many positives to this; an actual campground, bigger hopefully better laundry facility, a pool, and more room around the camper for parking and sitting outside. The biggest negative is not having as much for stores and food at our disposal. Guess that means we should save more money right? Let's hope that is the case.  Part two of the indecisiveness is that Nathan was told he would be working five, 10 hour days and now he is working four, 10 hour days. Once again this has some positives as far as I am concerned. Three day weekends with my hubby sounds great to me. On the other hand a bigger paycheck sounds good to both of us, as this is the reason for being on the road.  Oh well, such is the life of working on the road. 

Now to update our 'lift off and re-entry procedures'  checklist. This is the list that we consult and go through like airline pilots before we pull slides in and drive down the road. This list ensures that we do the least amount of damage possible to our belongings and the trailer itself.  The list came about after the first few times things happened like forgetting to lock the pocket doors and they came unseated, and not putting the dishwasher scrubber in the sink and it falling between the outside of the slide and wall and making a large dent/crack.  Now we get to add the rearrangement of baby items to the list as well as delete a few that are no longer applicable.  I think this will be a good trial run to say the least. 

Let's get to the topic you all want to hear about; HARLAN!!! Harlan is 3 months old as of this last Friday and we still can't believe how much he grows right before our very eyes.  Whenever he is in a semi reclined position he tries very hard to sit up. He pulls his head forward as far as he can and holds himself there. He also spends lots of time looking at his hands and once in awhile he catches a glimpse of his feet.  He loves to lay in his crib and talk and talk and talk (especially when he is supposed to be sleeping).  He is overall a very happy child so if he is crying or fussing it is a sure sign he needs fed or changed. He also lets you know if he is bored and wants to talk to you or play. He is a busy little boy already so I think we are in for it when he learns to get around. 

 

 

what you make it!

Life is....what you make it! This week has old and new written all over it! Have we traveled with work before? Yes.  Have we lived in a fifth wheel before? Yes. Have we left all of our family wondering how crazy we are? Yes. Have we done all of this with a baby in tow? No.  

Living in a fifth wheel is not appealing to all, but once you get a handle on the out of the ordinary (emptying black and gray tanks, pushing a pedal with your foot to flush and learning to grocery shop in small increments) life continues as usual and you are none the wiser. This go around has added another element for us and once again we are adapting to make it part of our 'normal'.  Space is a luxury when traveling with the smallest of human beings and you learn to use it wisely.  Our 35 feet of living seemed so big so long ago and we are quickly finding that just a few or five more feet would be wonderful! There currently is a system of move that to get to that and then move it back again. Not as fun as tetris but a challenge just the same.  Our days are pretty much the same as back home for the most part. Nathan gets up and leaves for work by 6:30. Harlan and I are up about the same time or shortly after and the day begins....laundry, cleaning, feedings, naps, grocery shopping etc.   Our week started out with much more excitement including rain that tried to turn to snow,  a power outage for half the night and a gray tank that has a crack in it.  All in all though we are settling in nicely and Nathan continues to search the internet every night for a larger but not too large home on wheels and we continue to have faith in God and trust that we are right where we are supposed to be.