We've been back at our "home base" campground, which is in the same town that we lived in before we became "full-timers", now for just over a month- and we are loving it! My hubby is working non-stop, but we get to stop by and say hi which is nice. I feel like I'm taking advantage of all that our area has to offer, even more than I did before. We are outside playing, I'd say 90% of the time. We have already made some incredible new friends, that we never would have met, had we not started this adventure.
It's true what they say, absence does make the heart grow fonder. We were only away for about a month, but I feel a renewed appreciation for what I have access to, outside my door. People travel from far and wide to vacation where we have lived for many years. There's something to be said for that.
I'm checking the events calendar in the paper, like it's my job. We are getting to every cool happening that we can handle. Last week I took Mae to hear some scientists speak about their research concerning shore birds. She was the youngest member of the audience, by about 70 years. She loved it. Living a camping life, life moves slower. It's really helped me to take that moment and truly see the joy and beauty in the "now." I feel such gratitude in my heart, that we are able to give Mae this childhood.
Spending so much time outside is fantastic, if not laundry producing. But honestly, you were going to put the clothes in the hamper at the end of the day anyways, so they may as well be REALLY dirty, right?
A shower each night is non-negotiable when your feet are black from dirt. I figure her fingernails will get clean the next time we are at the beach. Mae has spent hours playing with her wild "pets." There is not a caterpillar or inch worm in our campsite, that has not been loved, ooh and ahhed over and thoroughly inspected!
The other night, after a rainy, foggy, wet day where was Mae at 8:00? On the playground having a grand time with a gaggle of children. My heart did a little happy dance. That would not have been what she was doing, had we been living in a "regular" house. She would have been tucked in all nice and clean and quiet somewhere. Outside is really an extension of our house now, and I couldn't be happier.
The summer season has really started now, and for us that means there are lots of children for Mae to play with at the campground. The look of shock, awe and joy on her face, the first morning we went to the playground, and there were other children all over it was priceless. Little did I know, on that very first morning of sharing the playground with other children, that we would both make fantastic new friends within minutes. It was just one of those things, the girls clicked and the parents clicked too. It was so much fun to share information about cool, tucked away places to go and explore with them. We even got to explore with them one day.
Mae wanted to make pictures for her friends and give them gifts. She worked really hard on them, and was very thoughtful about which of her toys she would "gift" to them. I took her dictation of the letters she wanted to write to the girls. Then we got to secretly leave them on their cabin door while they were out. The girls took to writing notes and leaving gifts for each other during the week. I was so pleased to see Mae truly giving of herself. When she made a gift for her friends, she didn't first make one for herself, or even keep the coolest one. With no prompting she made thoughtful, loving gestures- I couldn't be prouder. She has already made plans to bake them chocolate chip cookies and mail them to their house after they leave.
I'd have to say that we are loving our new groove. Bedtime is a lot later, we are a lot dirtier, and now our house burps. I can't wait to see what other awesomness this summer will bring!
