We are headed to Cali

    So we are leaving Yuma AZ. it is quite beautiful here! Never been to Yuma. Although the drive from Phoenix to Yuma was LONG!!!! To say the least. The kid's were excited to not be going through Death Valley because it gets so hot. Only to find that the drive from Phoenix to Yuma is just as hot, boring, and maybe even longer! So they made their own fun...
    I look back to check on the kid's and Robert, Ke'A, and Kristian are on the 2nd seat. Chewy, Eleora, Chaka, and hank are on the first seat and finally Elijah is sprawled in the backseat by himself. I ask the kid's why they don't sit with Elijah he's got the whole seat and they all seem squished. We have a 12 passenger, there should be room. their reply,."he has no pants on!" what? " Elijah! where are your pants?" he sits up and replies very casually ," I took them off" "why?" I ask. "Because its HOT!!!!" as he falls dramatically back on to the seat.
  I, at that point just turned back around in my seat and looked at Rob like, are you kidding me!

Floyd

He shrugs his shoulders and smiles and all I can think is I am married to Floyd from the Muppets! We are driving the Electric Mayhem bus!  Rob is in a white tank top his hair is down to his shoulders, its a little poofy from the wind, his full beard is down to his chest now, looking a bit like ZZ top but not quite as long as well as the aviator glasses he's wearing to complete the look. Actually looks alot like the 'Dude' from the Big Lebowski. W
e drive on. Pretty soon we have Chewy attempting to escape his carseat and make his way to the front seat and he did pretty well, made it as far as the cooler that sits between the driver and passenger seat. He took a note from his older brother and stripped down to his diaper and maneuvered his way towards the front was perched on the cooler before anyone noticed he had gotten out of his chair! Maybe we should rename him "Animal" ;)
  We came across an accident and were stuck on the side of the road for about an hour. As we passed the site of the accident the entire vehicle had been consumed by flames. There was only the skeleton of a van left if it was a van.?  Hope ambulance was already gone, hope they got out on time.

       The older kids have hijacked my tablet and were taking blackmail photos of themselves. Which I intend to share bwahhahaha, then you can also experience all our fun!
See you in San Diego :)
  P.S. Even now I am here typing this in the computer room at the holiday inn express in Yuma. I look up and there areRobert and Elijah with their faces pressed against the window. Robert doing a blowfish and Elijah making some sort of kissy face....wonder ifthey considered how many other faces have been pressed against that window before they chose to press their own face against it? Think I'll have to make a point to tease them about whatelse may have been pressed against the window, right where they put their lips! hahaha
I love being a mom!!

Hiccup over! We are under way!!

We have finally alleviated ourselves of our hiccup! Woo hoo!! On our way with our faces to the sun, our hearts centered in joy, and our faith in God! 

We are headed out! Easter morning we attempted to leave but only got as far as Provo, UT. Monday I got a call from workers comp to go see my Dr. so they could close my case. I was happy to go because I don't like to leave loose ends. When I got there the Dr. looked at my knee and rescheduled me for the following Monday. I was sick to my stomach! My kids were so eager to leave, they'd be crushed! Still we stayed and did as the Dr. ordered. Upside, we are on our way! Downside, no income.... Guess its in Gods hands now :) Leaning into faith, both hands on the wheel, and pedal to the metal!

Hiccup

   So as with any great adventure there is bound to be a few snags and hiccups. For us its my knee.  I injured my knee last Decdmber at work. Saw the specialist in late February, he sucked out fluid, gave me a cortison shot andcsent me on my way.
  I called my adjuster to see what to do next. Nothing he said. Well, just received a call on monday , they want me to go back to my Dr. and have him give me a definitive answer on the status of my knee.
  So, I saw the doc he prescribed a visit with the physical therapist, exercises and reevaluation on Monday. Tomorrow's Monday and I suppose we'll better know when we can , really begin our adventure... Without backtracking :/

Where to begin?

  So, I'm not going to pretend to have it all together cause, quite frankly I don't! But what I do have, 8 kid's, 2 dog's, a cat, and of course my life partner, Rob :). We've been together/married for almost 20 years.
Now, I say together/married because, unfortunately, I know a lot of married couples that aren't together. In fact often they couldn't tell you exactly where the other one is, and I don't mean where in the house. I mean they don't know where they are period. They are out with friends, with "their" family or just somewhere else... while they themselves are making plans to be somewhere other than with their spouse....sad truth I know :(   However it is what it is, it's just not my reality.
  So what is my reality? I am a mom of 8 awesome kid's, if I do say so myself ;) (and I do believe every mom should!) Happily married, again. (We had a rough patch and almost split) caretaker, exemplar, do what every other mom does kind of lady.  My twist? Rob and I have decided we are done living the life we've been living! We want to travel!! I have dreamt about it since before I had babies and still  dream about it now.
    So, Rob and I got serious about it. We figured 1 of 2 things could happen. We could either wait till the kids were grown, and hope we're not dead, to begin travelling. Or we could begin now and take them with us. Did I mention I have 8? Our oldest is 17 and our youngest 2. We have a child about every 2 years between. Yeah, considering travelling just the 2 of us requires great courage, but to take the whole gang?... I must be mad! in the voice of Dr. Frankenstein.  Actually, it may be a bit more of the latter! I am mad! Mad that I am afraid! I desire my kid's to live with courage but here I am being chicken.
  So, I'm letting it go and leaving. We are out of our house and spent the last 2 nights at my cousins house in Provo. Today we are leaving just now getting the kid's fed and wrapping it up and then heading it out...question is where? Guess I'll know when we get there!
Heres to love hope and faith :) See ya tomorrow or later today ;)

Serious Communication Break Down!

  I kinda am starting to think, although I understand when others are speaking, I am not being understood. As a kid I was often told that I talked to much. So, I stopped talking, as much. More it seemed as though I stopped going into full explanation of what was going on with me because I didn't want to annoy anyone. I mean how could they want to know what was really going on if the people I loved the most weren't very interested? When other's spoke I learned to listen and "feel" the details they were omitting,  because that's what I wanted other's to do for me. I suppose it was a blessing in disguise because it made me strengthen my intuitive senses. Something we are all born with, the only diference is some exercise theirs while only use it only on occasion. But whether we are exercising it or not, it's still there.
   
 By definition Intuitive means; Using or based on what one feels to be true even without conscious reasoning; instinctive. 

 However, because I developed these gifts as a child I assumed everyone functioned the same way. So, I failed to take the time to explain what was going on with me. Especially since I was told I talked to much. As an intuitive you can sense what's going on with other's, sometimes even before if they can. Although if your senses are not tuned-up then one would really have to explain themselves.
 I am an Intuit and this being the case I rarely need to have details explained. Which makes relationships pretty easy for the my part.
 You know how you just assume that everyone thinks the same? That what comes easy to you is easy for everyone?  Well, it doesn't.
  With this kind of gift intact I assumed others could "feel" what was really going on with me. I believed they knew when I was only smiling on the outside. I assumed they could "feel" when I was pretending or if I wanted/needed them to dig a little deeper because I didn't know how to say it.  I felt a bit lonely at times. I also, realized I did it to myself. I had taken my gifts for granted and I've not been offering others the same courtesy of getting to know me. i hadn't taken the time to explain myself, I hadn't released the idea that i was annoying when I spoke and that their silence wasn't to be followed by a snore but rather that they were truly engaged in what I was saying. THAT WAS WEIRD! They wanted to hear me? WOW!
  So, it is time for me to clarify to myself as well as the world I suppose, or just my readers :) That our vacation/adventure is more than that.
Sometimes we are heading through life thinking we know where we are going only to be blindsided by the truth that what you "thought" was going to happen isn't! And the fact that the only thing you truly have control ove ris how you respond to it!
   Our current position is such, we were living in a HUGE 7 bedroom home that had an amazing backyard complete with a gazebo, detached garage that was heated, an orchard, a garden, a playground with a slide, and plenty of grass in the center to play games, and it was all outlined with a continuous sidewalk that my kids could circle the yard in for day's!!
  After things didn't work out like we hoped we deiced the only thing we could do was smile :) So, rather than trying to settle back into the house and stay in Utah. We chose to give away all our furniture. Then we got duffle bags for each person, filled them with our favorite clothes, the ones we actually wear, and gave the rest away. My 2nd son Elijah did sell his bed set and made some cash but the rest is just gone. We rented a 5x5 storage for items that we couldn't replace, like pictures and momentos form our kids child hood. The rest gone.
   We have no definite destination. Only the beckoning of our heart where "feeling" resides and the faith that God will prove Himself to us :)

Is this how it begins?

We finally are out of our home and into our new adventure. It's still a bit surreal! I had an interesting sleep last night the reality of our decision is still settling in. The only reassuring thing is that my family is still excited about our new adventure and chosen lifestyle. We did take our 2 dogs, Daisy a maltese and Jack a blonde labrador, as well as our cat Citrine. Wasn't sure she'd want to come, until yesterday. She realized that we are in fact leaving climbed in the van, which she has never done before, and began to claw at the floor. Basically marking her location. We were a little nervous letting them out last night. So we tied them to my cousins trampoline. The cat is not a fan of the dogs but she also is not a fan of being left behind...so she's adapting or shifting :)
This morning when my son let the animals out of their containers. Citrine our cat, ran away. He had tied her leash to her carrier and she wriggled out of her collar. So, when he checked on her she was gone. He, my son Hank, came into the house to tell me. I told him, well either she will come back or she has chosen to find a new path.
It's an interesting thing letting go of the need to control and really staying focused on the realization of the dream. You begin to realize everyone and thing has the right and desire to live their experience to their fullest.
So, Hank, went out to put the dogs back in the van because its raining and there was Citrine. He was so surprised. It was nice to know that she does want to be on this journey with us. Animals all have their own personalities and intelligence as we do. It's nice to know she "chooses" to go with us. :)
here's to you choosing your path :)
With LOVE!
Leilani