We left our friends yesterday. It was such a beautiful month. It’s hard to start on something so beautifully eventful. I found a huge part of my tribe and the spot I’ve literally been dreaming about in so many ways. I’m so grateful!
A main part I want to talk about is Atreyu’s birthday! My oldest child is now seven! And he had the best party and birthday to date. I don’t mean to be taking away from his previous ones. From his first that was quietly celebrated with Crikett with a cupcake or his second when we got Bugus, or all subsequent where we had fun excursiions, but this one was filledd with so many varieties! We had a large group of people which included kids. I had help organizing from Turtle. So many people were excited. Thoughtful gifts werei supplied not only from people present. His pokemon birthday cake decided the theme and he was so stoked about it.
The party was hosted at the Delery playspot playground. It’s a wooden castle with a field next to it and the abandoned, graffitied factory we’ve been frequenting. Turtle brought her three littles, T-Jo, Juniper, and Jaspen; Jamaica stayed longer just to be present; Hannah, Kirby, and Smut came along; Rosa and Elijah brought Jezebel and Eli; Cat brought her two daughters (Penelope and I can’t remember the other ones but they’re so sweet!); Gabe and Jake made it too; last but not least Exodus came out too!
We had cake and presents and a pokemon pinata. It was super chaos at some points but everyone had a swimming time. I really enjoyed every moment. Fresh fruit was quickly devoured. Rosa brought delicious tofu. Cat brought those plastic bottle kid juices I call “kiddie crack” because they’re so loaded with sugar, pretzels and hazelnut dip. The two meat and cheese platters were great especially since there were alcoholic frozen drinks from Melba’s thursday special served by Turtle, Jamaica, and Jake. And the presents! From Beyblades, Pokemon cards and figurines, to a Hoverdrone and a nintendo 3DS, my kid was thoroughly spoiled. Jezebel supplied an impromptu bouquet of clovers and Penelope gave him his new favorite stuffed animal in shape of a snake. I can’t reiterate enough how amazing it was. How happy I am for my big child on “the day” his cells have renewed themselves so much in his life span that statistically speaking all the cells I helped him produce have been replaced by his own production. He is his own human. Of me, of course, but entering the age of reason.
We had made it back a couple days early to celebrate Jill’s birthday, too! I’d won the bet of having visited four playgrounds in our time away. At the last one, the negative terminal on one of my batteries loosened and I checked a lot of other things before giving it a clamp. Two kind guys on their Mission were kind and gave me some mental support and afford help. Before even having tried to leave we also had a lovely visit with two beautiful ladies. Once the bus was back on, we just headed pretty straight to Turtle.
I really enjoyed being with Turtle. I got to help out quite a bit. Having had two tots on my own, I distinctly remember the chaos, though hers is multiplied. Also, her kids really like dancing on her nose and I really tried to give her a hand in taming the dance a bit. Not the kid, mind you. My main focus was helping out with some of the house chores, though. There were plenty of hands to help make meals and keep the kitchen clean, too. It was really awesome working together with some truly kind people.
This was especially demonstrated on the day of Turtle’s birthday. After we all had some time to wake up and get kids fed, Turtle handed out some clean up chores, of which I received the kids room. The place looked amazing fairly quickly. Kirby, who’s a trained chef, made a dip for chips that was fantastic. Scott, Turtles new man who flew out just for the occasion funded a keg of strawberry ales and a ton of crawfish and sides. It was a grande event. Both my kids got educated on eating crawfish (me too, haha.) It was so much fun! At around nine my kids went to bed. There were so many amazing people. Everyone was such a great addition to the good vibe. I feel super grateful to have been part of it all.
I feel like I’m going on about parties which can be a drag? I don’t get to go party very often, especially with such amazing adults that are not only mindful of the children present but also interacted kindly and informatively while keeping them following their somewhat loosened guidelines.
Leaving our new clan was bitter sweet. It’s nice getting back into our routines and consistencies, but finding people who can truly deter you from leaving on a day to day basis for pretty much a month is beyond rare. I think I nudged some of the coolest residents into coming traveling. Turtle had already made mental plans of getting a bus again. Rosa put more consideration into restoring her van instead of selling it, Cat was swayed to purchase the bus Kayla is planning on selling. We’ll have a nice little trip doing the continental American roadtrip if it all comes together nicely in a couple years!
Anyway we drove to Slidell in the afternoon and then just drove into Mississippi this morning. We’re currently at a playground near St. Louis Bay. the Weather report prognostics say rain for the next two days. I was hoping to hit the beach. Especially now that I’m wondering if it won’t be too hot to go very far south in Florida. I’ve even considered heading a few hours north and back tracking a little to see my friend Soup and her new house. But first we really want to go have Beach TIME. And I’ve been saying ALL fall and winter that I’m trying to get to Florida and east coast. I feel a little obligated to get at least through some of Florida. Maybe I’ll be enticed to go further in. I never know what this life holds. But I’m super grateful to have this path. There’s so much love and kindness to be discovered.
I do have to end now and get to the Yoga stretching thing. I’ve been working on this in two stints and each time my kids have managed to get themselves onto one form or another of electronics. Gonna have to hide them all or make them less accessible. But I’m trying to be a bit more organized and efficient about life, modeling after Turtle. The use of Calenders and checklists are helpful.
I am beyond grateful for your reading my blog. Thank you for coming along on the silly ride of life I’m taking. Especially a big thanks to Crikett for the never ending reminder of unconditional love (and her funding a big birthday excursion for Atreyu I still have to decide on…)
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