Foxfire & Freeways: Life Lately

It feels like another festival weekend has come and gone in the blink of an eye.

First, I owe my readers a little apology for being so quiet lately.

Life has simply been busy.

Between trying to get the house organized, tackling projects, and preparing to be on the road again for nearly three months starting in August, social media and blogging have taken a back seat for a little while.

Sometimes you have to live the story before you can write it.

Even though it’s been quiet online, life around here hasn’t slowed down one bit.

Bug has been growing faster than I can keep up with. He has a third bottom tooth coming in, he’s almost walking on his own, has mastered high fives, waves goodbye like a little pro, and is doing his best to tell us stories in his own little language.

It’s amazing how much can change in just a few weeks.

Sunna is growing right alongside him. Training has slowed down a bit, but that’s part of having a puppy. She’s learning every day, gaining confidence, and becoming more and more a part of our little traveling family.

Thelma and Louise have gotten so much bigger too. We’re still waiting on their coop to arrive so they can move into their new home. Before long, we’ll hopefully be collecting fresh eggs from two chicks that were never supposed to become pets in the first place.

Funny how life works sometimes.

As for us parents…

We’re doing well.

Mostly just tired.

House projects have a way of making every evening feel productive and exhausting at the same time, but seeing each room slowly come together makes all the work worth it.

The Ohio Viking Festival was another wonderful weekend.

We met so many genuinely kind people, and one of the biggest surprises was discovering just how many of them actually live nearby. Ohio is already starting to feel a little smaller and a lot more like home.

One of the moments that meant the most to me personally was meeting several Deaf people at the festival.

For most of my life I’ve rarely had anyone to truly sign with. None of the people closest to me know sign language, and growing up I often felt like I was navigating that part of my world alone.

So spending time with people who understood that experience without needing an explanation meant more than I can really put into words.

Sometimes you don’t realize how much you’ve missed something until you find it again.

Bug made a new friend too.

He met another little boy who’s only two days younger than him, and since they live nearby we’re already talking about getting the boys together for playdates.

I have a feeling that’s the beginning of a pretty special friendship.

The weekend wasn’t without its challenges. The summer heat gave Bug a pretty good sunburn despite our best efforts—occupational hazard of being a fair-skinned little redhead. Thankfully the misting stations around the festival became his favorite place to cool off.

Now we’re counting down to another big milestone.

At the end of July our little Bug turns one year old.

I honestly don’t know where this past year went.

It feels like yesterday he was tiny enough to fit in one arm, and now he’s determined to walk everywhere on his own.

Next stop is Montana in August.

There are still boxes to unpack, projects to finish, and lists that somehow keep getting longer instead of shorter.

But that’s life right now.

Busy.

Beautiful.

Sometimes exhausting.

Always worth it.

And I’ve also been thinking…

Since I love cooking and baking, I might start sharing a few recipes and kitchen adventures here too.

After all, good food has been part of this journey from the very beginning.

We’ll see where that road leads.

Until the next mile, keep the fire lit and the road calling.
— Foxfire & Freeways