In the past several weeks, I have come back to this passage, as it has spoke to me greatly, so I wanted to share. Share in this parenting journey that we are all on and learning from constantly, share in the awakening happening right now worldwide as more and more conscious souls are connecting, and share in this amazing time of growth.

Mothering the New Generation

Do you know my child?
She is crystal clear to the core,
full of brilliant light without effort.

Her gaze may shock you,
leave you exposed and gaping,
wondering where this child came from.

Hope for our dark times and toxic ways,
and she comes with others,
a new wave of light beings.

They are here to usher in
a mothering of the planet,
a cleaning of consciousness,
an unarmed truth.

-excerpt, Kendra Ward 2010, from We'Moon 2012: Gaia Rhythms for Women - Chrysalis

What are you growing right now? Plants, children, spirit, community, yourself? It is all so very important. Sometimes I write to catch up on our blog, the when and where of our adventures, the how and why of our events. But, I also want to make sure to share what is going on for us in this time of awakening and growth. Writing is healing for me and sharing is powerful. So, I hope that you share, too, and join together in growth and awakening this spring. We can all be connected in community as we reach out and support one another in this time of healing and transforming. Mama Earth is counting on us ;)

Riding and climbing were fun, but we also ventured in and around Charleston and back and forth to Folly Beach a few times. Such a great vibe in that beach town, and the locals were so sweet. Our friends, Wendy and Matt and kids, from RV Puzzled toured us around and took us to all the great restaurants in town, including Taco Boy for some fine Mexican; Brixx for some yummy gluten-free pizza and balloon art; Black Bean Co. for some drive-thru organic goodness (wow, that exists) and the most delicious coconut sorbet ever; and Black Magic Cafe, our favorite, all natural sandwiches and organic teas within walking distance of the beach. We spent some sunny days at the ocean, soaking in the warm rays and relaxing as a family. And, we got to have fun with friends and some delicious dinners.

Another one of those 'it all happens for a reason' moments was when we pulled into the campground and into our site, and there was a VW bug parked next to us. We had casually been looking at them as a possible tow vehicle for the Eco Womb because they were light (only 1800 lbs), we could reuse an older vehicle, and because we could potentially convert one to run on diesel (and then, veggie) or change to electric. It just so happened that the owner of the bug had just started to think of selling it. They were heading back to Wisconsin after wintering in the south and thought it would be great to not tow it all the way back just to sell it. So, he offered it to us. Literally, he said we could take it for a spin right then and there, and he handed us the keys. With a smile on his face, knowing this couldn't have been better timing, my hubby took the keys and the whole family piled in. We thought about it as we would with any big or small purchase, and ultimately decided we should go for it! I mean, he was even willing to throw in the wooden peace sign in the back, now that is a sign! They were so very sweet, a retired couple, who volunteer in schools and bring books to needy children. So, so sweet! And, so trusting. They just handed us their keys, and said let's work it out. That kind of trust doesn't happen that often anymore when it comes to this sort of thing. But, when you feel trust in someone, even someone you just met, you feel it. We got a good vibe from them and them from us, and we trusted each other as good people with good intentions. And, it feels so good to trust, really makes life so much easier to go with the flow and feel safe in the world around you. And now, we have a purple bug, a 1974 original beetle, with all original components and a new rockin' stereo system :) Love it!

So, our stay in Charleston was sweet! Good times with friends, some fabulous food, fun at the beach and fun in the sun! And, we got veg, and we got a bug! Now onto the mountains and the farm and a Full Moon Feast with our village... can. not. wait. Life is good!

I've been leaning into trust lately, a lot, a whole lot. Allowing myself to feel vulnerable, open, connecting on a level that I used to rarely experience. And it feels good, really, really good. Intuition is a funny thing. It can feel like a safety net or an open wound. As kids we trust our intuition. We cry when something does not feel right, whether it is a tag in a shirt or a stranger coming too close to comment on our curly locks. I did it as a kid, and my kids do it now. Like our little girl just the other day stopping before a gate that was open, intuitively knowing it was going to come down and close. I called to her to follow mama through the gate, but she just stood there, with her arms crossed... waiting. Sure enough, a few minutes later, the gate closed and then she just walked around it. Had she come when I called her it could have come down on her. Our kids know, they are innocent enough still to feel it, to sense things at a different frequency than most adults. And, along the way, either because we get caught up in the day to day and numbed by the system, or life as it is thrown at you can sometimes cause you to stuff your intuition or question it. And, especially as mamas, we tend to always want to give to others so much that we lose that intuitive feeling of when something is not right for us individually.

Lately, I have found a sense of safety that I am not sure I have ever felt. Connecting with other mamas and families that create a space for trust. Feeling vulnerable and sharing old wounds with friends you just met two months ago has done something to my intuition. It has allowed me to trust myself. I have been on this path of open consciousness for awhile now, with my husband, with our family. But now, we have seemed to create a community of like souls doing the same. When you feel safe to be who you are fully, you open up in ways that you never have. In the past two months I have belly danced around a fire, done yoga on the beach in my bikini, learned to make tamales, released childhood secrets, cried so hard I popped a blood vessel, laughed so loud I smiled for the whole day, and hugged so hard it filled my heart. I have also watched my husband grow in confidence in starting his own business, allow for play in the middle of a 'work' day, do yoga with other mamas and papas, play guitar in front of others, and lead a drum circle with tribal chants. This is who we are and who we have always been, it just took us awhile to fully feel alive in our own skins. And, our kids are flourishing, too. They are growing and running and playing and learning, and feeling safe in the comfort of friends turned family. A village on the road co-created by families seeking more connection and yet living with a whole lot less stuff. The way it used to be, villages sharing meals and skills and working together so that the burden was not on each family individually. It is a whole lot easier to compost and recycle and cook meals and do laundry and watch kids when you have several people pitching in to help. It also allows for more time to play and laugh and connect and just be. There is less about the daily grind when you are supported by others in community. And so, we have found that we can do more than just make it from paycheck to paycheck and from day to day... we can do more than just survive, we can actually thrive!

I am so thankful for being surrounded by community. I am so thankful for friends that have become family. I am so thankful for a neighborhood on wheels for my kids. And, I am so thankful for a tribe of mamas and papas that make it safe for us all to become who we have always been. And, oh my, the fun we have had! We have danced circles around a fire, had nights out on the town, shared meals and long conversations, danced barefoot in the dirt with fancy dresses on, and had late night walks on the beach. Together with our kids we have learned about shells and creatures at the ocean, foraged for firewood, practiced archery, played football on the beach, learned how to spin wool and knit, and we biked and hiked through the forest. Our little girl even learned how to swim on her own during this time. And, sharing meals several times a week has been so nurturing. One evening the kids prepared dinner from start to finish complete with menus and place settings and chefs and waiters, it was so awesome! This life learning, roadschooling, unschooling thing, whatever it is called, is just beautiful!

And, to think we had intended to already be heading out west by now! But, leaning into trust, and following our intuition, we were guided instead to continue connecting to those that fueled our hearts. Because if you are strong internally, your external work and passions become stronger. People often ask us how we do it on the road, how we sustain ourselves, how we support our family financially, how we keep from going crazy in a small space. Well, I tell them when you are open to the possibilities, more doors open for you. And, the past two months have been such a testament to that. We chose to be open to changing course, literally, hanging out in Florida way longer than we anticipated so that we could continue to connect with other on the road families. We are enjoying so much time outside that our small space feels just right when we do come in for downtime. And, when the hubby's 9-5 corporate job at Citrix offered a mutual separation, his desire to quit and pursue running his own business became exciting and he was secure enough in jumping because he leaned into that trust. Now, we can also focus on expanding Eco Womb to help sustain our family, creating our life's passions and purpose into our life's work. We have had a lot of adjustments in the Eco Womb family and business in the last two months, and we feel so grateful that our being open and trusting the flow has led us to where we are right now. We couldn't be happier! And, even allowing some quiet time here on the blog and on FB and Twitter, I have allowed myself to reflect and trust and prepare for the beautiful things to come!

We have actually been very busy here at Eco Womb, dreaming up big plans, working on expanding our educational and community outreach programs, reaching out to get others involved, and planning to launch a big 2012 Tour very, very soon!!! Even writing all of this out I am leaning into trust and knowing that the doors will open as long as we remain open and stand with open arms to the conscious awakening that is transforming our world right now. We feel it and can't wait to see it unfold!

For the past year we have been connecting with people in the most amazing way. We have done events or been traveling when random (or not so random) people come up to us and start talking about the deeper things in life, what's going on in the world, how to reconnect to our roots and discover our purpose. This is what it is about for us, connecting with all of these beautiful souls. And, the more we have been open to that, the more our energies attract it fully. It is amazing! And so, in January, on the first full moon of the new year, I hosted a Gathering of Intentions for 2012. We shared a meal, we played, we talked around a campfire, we drummed, we connected. I was so full of love that everyone came, and that everyone cherished that time together as much as I did. It also fueled me to continue gathering like this on every full moon, as much as we could. And, so we have.

We went to the Families on the Road Rally with other families that live full-time on the road, playing, swimming, dancing the night away, enjoying meals and music around a campfire. We journeyed to Legoland, FL with these same families for a day of fun and rides. Then, we again all gathered at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park for a weekend long Kids Music Camp. They received personal musical instruction and shared in making music together at a concert for the parents. We had so much fun together that we stayed the rest of the week, just being together. And, sharing in the next Full Moon together, drumming, belly-dancing, fire-circling, and working through some powerful self-realizations on so many levels. Turning inward will always be powerful, but growth happens when the energies align for you to feel safe and strong enough to move through them. Imagine several families connecting at this level, creating a village where we do feel safe to be our true selves, our whole selves, who we were meant to be and have always been. Imagine families supporting each other in this process, and having fun at the same time. So grateful to surround our kids with this. The world is rocking, and so much despair is happening, yet if you tune into your conscious self and awaken to that energy, you will find it and it will fill you. You will be able to ride the waves, trust in a bad economy that you will float, see the positive, surround yourself with community that supports you, and be awake to the beautiful possibilities of the future. 2012 is not the end and things will not crash this year, it is a time of conscious transformation. We are beginning to see the world shifting in so many different ways, and that may seem rocky and unsteady, but it is also part of this amazing time of change. It is happening in all of us personally and it is happening in this great big world of ours... the live local, think global of our time.

So as we continue on this great journey to connect with others, we continue to be fueled by the energy created as we gather. Like nomadic tribes of old, we are getting back to our roots and trusting that we can weather any change as long as we have family by our side, good friends that have become family, a warm fire to gather around, and good food to nourish our souls. So surround yourselves with what fuels YOU, live with passion, and have fun!

So the holidays have come and gone, the New Year is here, and I still can't believe how time has just flown by. I last blogged about our Fall Tour in fast forward because we were still trying to catch our breath after a whirlwind of events and excitement during the American Autumn. Then, if you follow on Facebook, you must have read about our downturn when we broke down for a few weeks. I did write about it all, but didn't post at the time and have since taken a break from this space, not because I intended to, just because I was allowing things to unfold in the moments and slow down enough to enjoy those moments with my family. It can get pretty busy on the road moving from place to place, transitioning three littles constantly, juggling three jobs, and enjoying all the places we have been. So, after our breakdown in Northern Florida and Louisiana, we decided to enjoy, to slow down our pace a bit and actually take in our drive, and take a little downtime for the holidays :) We enjoyed Thanksgiving with family in Texas, a tour of Tennessee lit up for the holidays, and Christmas with the kids nestled in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina. We even got to play in a dusting of snow before we hit the road again. Hope you all enjoyed blissful time with your friends and families, too, during the holidays, and that you have welcomed the New Year in with love and intention.

We are so excited for 2012! While there is a lot of turbulence and tension in the world right now, there is also a lot of love being uncovered in the hearts of so many different souls once all segregated by societal norms, and now connected by this conscious wave of awakening. We feel so inspired by the many faces of change we met during our Fall Tour and our holiday travels that we intend to make this New Year full of giving back, connecting and co-creating change. To everyone that marched with us from NY to DC to demand labeling for GMOs, we want to keep marching for you. To everyone who supported Eco Womb by buying online or at one of our events, we want to thank you and promise we will continue to provide independent, handmade, and eco-safe products for your families. To everyone who waved at us on the road or commented on our blog or followed us on Facebook or Twitter, we want to give a shout back and send out (((hugs))) to promise that we will continue connecting across the miles. To all of our Fuel Sponsors and University Biofuel Programs that helped keep us on the road this year, we want to say Thank You, you truly are creating change for the future. To everyone who engaged in conversation about alternative fuel, sustainable living, eco-safe products, natural health, GMOs, the evils of Monsanto, corporate control of our food system and economy, and all of those other taboo subjects, we love you. You are the reason we do this, to share the passion about co-creating change in this world, to turn the way it has always been upside down, to think outside of the box, to create a different norm, to engage and connect with you on these subjects that are not discussed readily enough in our media or government, but that are so vital to the future for our children and their children. Thank you. You made all the difference in 2011 and as we jump into 2012, you help fuel our passion to continue to engage, educate, connect, and co-create.

So, as I consider my intentions for 2012, how I intend to live consciously in every moment, I think of all of YOU that we have connected with in 2011. Our journey has only been made possible by these connections and I feel that our path has been led by the pull of connecting - connecting to each other, connecting to nature, connecting to the rhythms of the earth, moon and sun, connecting to the past, present and future, and connecting to the love that everyone holds within. I hold so much peace in knowing that this love can be felt within us all if we are open to it and open to each other. So, go ahead find someone to connect with, openly discuss a matter that is important to you, find common ground together, connect with nature and your family, love yourself and everyone around you.

My Intentions for 2012 for myself, for my family, for Eco Womb are... * to live peacefully within so that I may hold peace for our family and belief in peace for our world * to love and be loved and express love and find love in everything * to learn from every moment how to love unconditionally * to live connected... to myself, my body and mind and emotions... to my family, my kids and husband... to my tribe, my community of friends that also have a passion for life... to my broader community, everyone we meet that is open and awake and shares even one underlying value for love and conscious connection... to the world's people who are seeking to find connection... to Mama Earth who has been praying for this connection for a long time and who has nurtured all of the world's living creatures through it all... to our higher spiritual selves, our creator, that love that binds it all, to seek a way to help co-create a different world, a better world, a peaceful, connected, conscious world in which we all will thrive.

What are your intentions? What do you want for yourself? for your family? for this world? Everyone can do something, and collectively we can co-create what we seek. It is happening all over, that fabric of connection is being weaved from all corners of the planet, people are waking up to realize that they don't have to sit by and watch things collapse, that they have the power to co-create something different. We all want to love and be loved, we all want to sustain ourselves and our families, we all want to be healthy and happy and enjoy family and friends. We all want to be free from oppression, have food and clean water, a warm place to sleep at night, support when we are down, the right to thrive when we are up. So strip away the labels, step out of the ring and stop taking sides, look at what really matters. Live what really matters. Live intentionally. Live out loud. Live connected and at peace. Live to love and love how you live. Don't just live... thrive and love.

So much happening here at Eco Womb, we have been a bit busy behind the scenes. And, the energy is contagious! We have been busy, our kids are always busy, the world has been busy shifting and changing. And, there are so many connections going on. So stay tuned for some big news... soon!

New products to roll out in the next couple of weeks, updates on where the Eco Womb Tour Bus is headed this fall, and a whole new business venture that connects it all. Can't wait to share it with you, and at times have been too anxious thinking it is all happening too slow. But, have come to realize that it is all happening when it is meant to be happening. That every moment is perfect the way it is. That any pauses or delays were intended so that we could reassess and at times change directions. Blessings in disguise, a pitstop on the path, a much needed pause in the midst of chaos.

So, now that the Summer of Love is over and we fast forward into Fall, watch out, we are rolling full steam ahead!

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Our plan for becoming a full-time family kinda just happened. I stumbled upon the Janssen family and Walk Slowly, Live Wildly from a link to a link sent by a local homeschool group we were in. I was immediately taken by that ability to chase a dream and live intentionally. That was me, that was what I had been longing for. So I began following some blogs of families on the road, including The Organic Sister and the Cage Free Family, was interested in simple and sustainable living, and was open to the possibilities. With my hubby on the same page, I started downsizing way before we decided to go full-time, and just ridding of extra stuff felt so cleansing. Then, when our work became all about paying the mortgage and the mounting bills, we realized that it would be best to let go of that, as well. So, we took it step by step, not really knowing where the path was taking us, but trusting that each hard decision made would lead us to opportunities to come. And, well it did.

We took a huge leap of faith and bought the RV, without the house sold, or any idea how we would provide income on the road. We then put the house on the market, continued to sell our things, and took steps to expand our business. We waited months, taking weekend trips and enjoying every moment we spent in the RV. We wrote a proposal to work remotely for the hubby's 9-5, had that accepted, launched our new website and the Eco Womb Tour, and sold the house all within a couple of months. It felt amazing! We accepted the energy and allowed it to flow within us, fueling our capacity to accept the changes as they came.

We trusted the path as it unfolded, trusted our ability to let go of the conventional, and trusted our confidence to guide our family on a new grand adventure, completely out of the box. And, it happened. We surrounded ourselves with like-minded souls that encouraged our dreams, friends wanting change as well, and online families that were living unconventionally. We seemed to attract like-minds just by being open-minded. And, with each tiny step, we grew leaps and bounds. We wanted our work to have purpose and our lives to be filled with valuable time together. For so long we just made it through the daily grind, unaware that anything else was possible. But, as soon as we were open to the possibilities, the doors started opening for us. Crazy ideas seemed possible. Knowledge of how other families did it was readily available online, and soon we were meeting some of those online friends in person! I devoured these resources night after night. Fueling my inner passion that we could do this, too. Really, just tapping into what was there all along, just finally opening up to living intentionally.

You see, I have always been the dreamer, the idealist, the 'yes, there can be world peace' kinda gal. Now I don't just feel that my visions have been for naught or that they could never come to fruition. I feel empowered by my own free will, by the acceptance of my own true self. And, really it was all of that inner work, opening up, becoming who we were meant to be and have always been that brought us to this point. All of the details sort of just worked themselves out, in the right time. For if we had rushed anything or tried to control the outcome, we wouldn't have been open to the way the path unfolded, and is still unfolding.

After living full-time in the Eco Womb Tour bus for 6 months now, we can honestly say that this has been the most freeing thing we have ever done. That it feels so right to finally live out what we have been dreaming up. And, that we are learning and growing everyday because we have freed up our minds and hearts to be open to the possibilities. So let go and live more fully!

We met Robert Roskind at the Mountain Sports Festival in Asheville, a few weeks prior to the One Love Festival. He had a booth there selling his books and handing out information on the Gathering of the Peacemakers. I was drawn to the energy of his tent and immediately picked up the book, "Memoirs of an Ex-Hippie: Seven Years in the Counterculture" with its peace and love vibe and bright blue bus on the cover, it kinda called to me ;). I was a child born in the seventies and have always felt a connection to those hippie days, as if my old soul lived those adventures. A lost hippie on a spiritual journey that never got to finish the great work of art called life. And, then I was born, awakened to the call to take over the quest and continue on this path.

So, upon reading the book, I was immediately taken. I felt connected to this tribe, my elders. My mom has always said that she was a hippie at heart, just couldn't go off and explore the world like the rest as a single mama. So, my gypsy ways probably stem from this. And, I could relate so well to Robert's account of his soulful journey during this time. Traveling in a bus across country, making friends along the way, living simply and in community, searching for a path, all feel natural to me, too. And, after years of living conventionally in the suburbs, I have now taken my family into this nomadic state of mind. A bit different, living on the fringe with a family in tow, but still so real and purposeful. So, after reading Robert's book cover to cover, I knew we just had to go to his One Love Festival. Nestled in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Grandfather Mountain Campground is spectacular. Beautiful views of the mountains, a huge meadow to romp in and lay down to enjoy the stars, woods to hike through, a creek rushing over rocks with small waterfalls and paths to explore, as well as a river to meander, next to a stocked trout pond for fishing, oh my, we were taken. But, it was more than just the setting, it was the state of mind. Everyone that came to the One Love Festival was open to a loving experience. There were smiles and laughter, easy friendships formed, dreams shared, and a sense of community among otherwise strangers. We met lots of wonderful people, some alone on a quest to find peace, some with family trying to connect with other like-minded souls, other musicians and artisans creating and sharing in a safe space of open hearts. We enjoyed live Reggae music and tunes from several local bands. We also enjoyed learning about Earth Skills and took a few workshops on primitive wilderness skills, learning to make a fire with what you find in the woods, build a lean-to for shelter, and all about edible and medicinal plants. We even taught a workshop teaching people about going veggie, all about how to convert to run on wvo and simple and sustainable living. We especially enjoyed time with our vending neighbors, Green Mother Goods, talking about running a small family business. A mix of learning and relaxing, food and music, a bit of outdoor acupuncture, painting with the kids, hooping to some live bands, and meeting so many loving souls.

One of our favorite memories of the weekend had to be the drum circle. Late Saturday night, after the music ended, we hiked up the mountainside, through the forest, over broken bridges (no kidding), with kids and drum in tow, following the sounds of drums in the distance and fellow festival goers along the way. We made it just as the music was full beat and joined right in, Papa Bear on his drum, and me nursing our youngest to sleep. Funny, our kids can stay awake forever it seems, but our little girl felt so at home at that drum circle, and I am sure so exhausted from the day running across the meadow and dancing and hooping it up, that she nestled snug in my arms and let the drums lull her to sleep. The boys stayed awake and enjoyed the magic of it all. And after just a few minutes of holding my babe in my arms, I began drumming on my leg, on a rock, on anything I could find. I couldn't help it but to feel the music inside me. Then, after taking the last sip of my Buchi, and picking up a rock to rhythmically hit it against the bottle, I found my instrument. I played that Buchi bottle as if it were meant to be an instrument, and enjoyed every moment. Oftentimes completely in tune with the guy with the cowbell across the way, other times setting my own beat with the drums. We were all in sync, yet completely in tune with ourselves and our own connection to the music, it became us and we became one. We ended up staying for awhile and didn't make it back down the hill and to our RV site at the campground until about 12:30am. The kids all awake at this point and engaged by the pull of the midnight forest and the hum of drums. As soon as we got home, they all fell peacefully asleep.

Our time at the One Love Festival was nothing short of magical. And, we can't wait to connect with these souls again. But, what it taught us is that these loving souls are all around us if only we are open to it, and the open community spirit is there as long as we welcome it. I just finished reading Robert Roskind's "Rasta Heart: A Journey Into One Love" and have just started "2012: the Transformation from the Love of Power to the Power of Love" and feel even more connected to this global consciousness awakening. We are in a time of positive transition, from a dual society driven by power to a rising evolution toward universal love. And, while most predictions of this time are coated in fear, there really is a change going on from an oppressive rule of the few to that of community tribes sustainably living as one. So, go ahead, trust your intuition, live with intention, follow what guides your heart! The changes you have been seeking, the path you feel pulled toward, trust it, and know that together we can all be fueled by love and peace! And, even veggie grease, too ;)!