weaving our way to Texas one connection at a time

Hello, Love :)

I apologize for my absence.

When I started this blog, I had intentions of posting every day. I look forward to when I do.

I shared recently that my mission and vision was too big to share from the small screen of an old iphone. Well, I am uber excited to announce that I finally have my laptop back!

So, now, I am going to send out rockets of desire for mobile wifi. Having to travel to a McDonalds, a Starbucks, or a library to connect online has been my next level of challenge that I am ready to alleviate :)

So, having said all of that...

We had a huge shift in our journey.

After 3 weeks of free roaming Oregon, connecting with people, places, and experiences, we got called to speak at Rethinking Everything (a huge alternative life conference) in Texas.

I am going to speak on living nomadically, the internal journey and the physical specifics.

I know that this is an incredible opportunity to connect with my people, to reach further. But, like BurntWoodsStock, I have no idea the depths and breadths this experience will reach.

I just know I need to get there.

So, this has taken my trust journey to a whole new level.

In retrospect, I am seeing how taking off for Oregon was kinda easy. We had the gas money. We just had to show up.

This has been a different experience altogether. We didn't have the gas. We had no idea the exact "hows" to this experience, just that we were going to continue to do hair ropes wherever we could to fund our gas and conference stay (hotel room share stay).

So, so far we have made it from Newport, Oregon back down the coast to San Diego. We left there yesterday and are currently in Arizona, with enough gas to get to the Texas border.

So many times, I have felt the panic start to rise. Once or twice, I even had to accept the fact that maybe getting to the conference might not be the end result.

And then the next thing unfolded before us, paving the way.

We are almost there, and I know we will make it. However it will happen, it will.

This has been a HUGE journey of expansion. I felt it when we entered Encinitas again, and I noticed how much I had grown in our journey.

I feel deeper connected than ever.

You know what else I have been really realizing recently?

I am my hero.

All those people I looked up to for living so deeply, so authentically, so connected, so sacred. The wise women, the shamans, the earth people.

I am one of them.

This is deeply fulfilling for me.

Everywhere I go, I am reminded of this.

Everywhere we go, I speak with people. I connect deeply with people. I find my people.

And that is incredible.

But a part of my journey recently has been really being aware of how much I love myself.

I have been flushing out some bits still. There is a Pink song where she talks about feeling

Mistreated, misplaced, misunderstood
Miss "no way, it's all good", It didn't slow me down
Mistaken, Always second guessing
Under estimated, Look, I'm still around

Pretty, pretty please
Don't you ever, ever feel
Like your less than, less than perfect.
Pretty, pretty please
If you ever, ever feel
Like your nothing
You are perfect to me.

Wow, it triggers me every time, even just sharing the lyrics with you here.

Underestimated is the gut kicker.

I never really believed in my self, in the deeper part of me that I longed to embody but was afraid to do so and fail.

Now, I am so deeply connected, and it allows me unfold so deeply and simply with the people I connect with in our journeys.

My people. They are everywhere.

Community builders. Authentic livers. Creatives. Sacreds. Soul sisters and soul brothers.

Be still my heart.

I feel so acutely aware of the web of us that I am a part of.

I am overjoyed to travel and connect personally with people, to have new connections in communities around the country.

I feel this global community unfolding one pocket at a time. I feel myself heading in a direction to impact the world.

I feel myself being capable of this huge epic calling in life. To gather people and create spaces that reach to heal and nourish the world.

I am not longer afraid. I am not afraid of the fire. I know that I am the embodiment of the phoenix. I am that which I was afraid of.

Now, I am not afraid.

And my whole life and world (my little family, my bigger family, my tribe) are all a reflection of this.

We are all stepping into our power, more deeply connected and loving, more an expression of abundance.


So, here I am. In Sedona, Arizona. A beautiful, incredible little artsy community (like none I have ever seen!) with massive red rock plateau backdrops, inviting the mysterious, opening up the space in my life to accept the abundance that is swirling all around and accessible if we can be open enough.

That is what this journey is all about for me. Opening up. Expanding. Trusting. Connecting to Source.

I want to invite you to step into this giant hug. I want to find new ways to connect with you. I am on Facebook, and I am here, and I have a few e-mails.

How best do I connect with you, beloved reader?

How best do I enfold you in this massive, and yet deeply personal project and vision?

To what depths do you want to be involved?

I have been feeling drawn toward business. But it has not unfolded the way I was previously attempting. I think I am meant to find the ways to make this my life's work.

I know that finding ways to gather us together and stay connected feels like the best first step.

And I am craving dialogue from you. I have a lot to say, and I have replayed and refined my ideas for years. I want to hear you, often, constantly. I would love to create a space that makes symbiotic dialogue easy.

That is what I was hoping for with this blog space. I wanted people to be able to comment. I am worried that the comment-ability is not easy. I want to adjust that.

Also, I have a Facebook group that has been as neglected as this blog, unfortunately. But it is chocked full of soulful community deliciousness. It is called Being Tribe. Please feel free to come find it if you want to be a part of community dialogue.

In addition to sharing my big heart journey here and connecting with beloveds on Facebook, my other big internet experience has been requesting donations to fund our journeys.

It has been that the big heart donations people have gifted us have catapulted us into a much further trajectory than it seemed possible.

My wish list manifestation list is shared in the sidebar, and all donations go toward whatever is most salient at the time of receiving.

I have been spending some depth time wondering over requesting donations. I have been loving weaving hair ropes for people along our journey.

And I am feeling drawn toward wanting to offer my e-book "Whole Family Learning" to people who donate.

Once I get Microsoft Office Student again, I have a plethora of e-book and e-course ideas I would love to share.

Please, please, let me know what you are interested in hearing more about from me. I would love to share more about it. I would love to offer a fair energy exchange for donations - whatever you feel called toward, be it my most sincere gratitude, an e-book, some time to connect, some listening while you process, a personalized e-mail to you about some subject you want to know more about.

Please be in touch with me if you feel inclined to donate monetarily and have room for me to connect in your life.

All my love,
V

Following my heart

This whole journey has been about following my heart. 

It has been about listening to where I am being called, and following in trust and faith. 

And magic happens. 

When we showed up in Ashland, a beautiful family that we hadn't had the honor of meeting yet, invites us over, and we interconnected so well that they opened their campsite up to us, and we felt right at home, parking our little van home next to their violet love bug and Eco Tour bus <3

They were an incredible family to be with. I can't believe how much love and fun was had <3

And they gave us a homebase for the past week. 

And then we for called to the coast. And as soon as I visited my heart, I knew we were destined for Newport. 

One of my dearest soul sisters lives here, and I have been aching for 6 years (!!) to hug her and be with her in the flesh <3 

She was a part of my very first tribe <3 And she has always remained in that special space in my heart for my tribe <3

So, yesterday, we were at the park, and there was this funky folk couple performing with so much heart and fun. 

And every song they sang was a piece of my story. I cried with every song. It was so perfect. 

And when the crowd finally dissipated, I told them that their songs were moving me so much, that I was a single mama with 2 kids and I just left everything that wouldn't fit in my minivan and drove up here to Oregon to find a simple life and home for my family. 

They dedicated the next song to me, and it really made me cry. About trusting your heart and going when the wind blows. 

They were moved by my story, and they donated $20 to our journey. 

I get so full when I think about that. 

They were such a colorful and insightful piece to my journey, I had been wondering if I should give them some of the last of my money. 

I knew it would all work out. 

But I hadn't gone back to the van to do all that yet, and they beat me <3

And the other part that knocks me down with a feather is how they were a perfect piece on my journey, showing me that I am on the right path. 

So, I trusted my heart this morning, and I took that $20 + my last $10, and I put them in my gas tank. 

It was 256 miles to Newport, and we had 257 (according to our van's estimation). 

So, we left. Guided by our calling. Guided by our heart.  

We knew we needed the ocean and cooler temperatures. 

I picked a route that took us along the coast without backtracking. 

As soon as we got off the main freeway I-5, and we got on the 138 scenic bypass, we knew this was exactly what we had done this for. 

The route was gorgeous, green, cooler. It followed a river, and the panoramic views literally took my breath away. 

We found a gorgeous little spot to pull over, and found a pathway down to a river!!!! 

It was the first time my kids had seen a river, and they couldn't wait to swim in it!! :))

They had so much fun!

And after a couple hours of soul-delicious spontaneous detour, we got back on that beautiful road and drove to some of our favorite songs and oohed and ahhhed and filled our cameras with hundreds of photos from our amazingly beautiful trip. 

Once we hit the coast, I was overflowing with excitement. Here we were. It was all meant to be. 

I had nourishing Oregon and my soul nourishing and beloved Pacific Ocean <3 She was the reason we moved to Oregon instead of Colorado. 

She was so important. So sacred. And I had missed her. 

The coast in Oregon is more gorgeous and perfect to me than I had even imagined. 

Wildflowers met driftwood met the waves. Rocks everywhere. Freshwater creeks spilling out into her. 

This beach was very different than the beach I grew up next to. 

This one felt more interesting, with all the waterways and driftwood and rocks and cooler temperatures and lack of crowds. 

It was so so amazing. Words cannot find or explain. 

It was just perfect. A deep - "this is SOOOOOO gorgeous" "this is why I was called here" "I really freakin did it!"  

Yes. I cried <3

This was it. 

This was what I was made for. 

No more feeling out of place. 

I was home. 

When we were leaving, Kass found a heart-shaped rock for me. 

Noble had found one for me at the lake in Ashland. 

I have a few from Encinitas. 

Hearts are kinda my favorite in life. I'm all about love. 

A friend of mine pointed out that these heart-shaped rocks are treasures from following my heart. 

Oh so true. 

Encinitas was my first heart-calling. Then Oregon (Ashland was our first official Oregon :)) And now the coast up here in Oregon. 

I am feeling pretty darn blessed. 

I know that when I follow my heart, it all aligns. 

We made it to Newport. 

The gas says 0, and we only have $3 to our name and a bag or 2 of food. 

But it's all going to work out now that we are home <3

We are where we are supposed to be, and I have never been more aligned with my internals, and I have learned to always trust. It always works out. I learned that in Encinitas 

It always flows. Especially when you are where you are supposed to be <3

En Route

I can't believe it's real. 

I can't believe we actually did it. 

Finally. 

We got out. 

We are free. 

Out, free from our fears of leaving, our fears of hurt over leaving our beloveds, our fears of safety and how we were going to make it outside our familiar comfort zone. 

We did it. 

It started to feel real on Tuesday, when I said goodbye at our favorite community dinner. 

I wish I had thought to take pics with our beloveds, but someone got this one of me with our beloved Denny :))

Wednesday we visited my step kids (my son's blood) - so much love there. I miss them already <3 

Thursday went by with a light show in the sky :))

We emptied the storage on Friday - a whole day of sorting and repacking and loading. It was exhausting. But everything we loved most fit. Such perfectness, peace, relief. 

We got to spend the night with one of our favorite families in the world. 

Saturday morning, we said the last of our goodbyes to our local beloved people and our beloved Encinitas.

At this point we realized we should be taking pics with our loved ones <3

Then we drove up to Oceanside and said goodbye to one of my kids' godmothers. 

And then it was time to say good bye to San Diego. 

We headed northeast to a big family gathering. 

And we spent the night with my beloved Uncle and his incredible wife, at their new playhome :)) It's HUGE and my uncle has so many ideas and the abilities to do it - I'm so excited for them!!!

We lightened our load (and significantly increased our gas mileage). 

No storage on top :) 

And then we drove through the desert for 7 hours in 109 degree heat. It pretty much looked like this the whole time:

The company was incredible though :) 

The kids and I had fun singing to music and talking about how we would rescue the cows we saw in the cow lots along the way, and how we would treat the cows in our care in the future. 

And laughing over fun names for our future furred friends of various 4 legged varieties :)) 

And more music. Always music. 

We don't even have to try. It's always a good time :)

That's our family's theme song :))

And then, after 7 hours, we started seeing trees (in Stockton), and the temperature dropped about 20 degrees!! 

After another 2 hours of driving, we connected with an incredible friend of mine in Sacramento, and are staying in their spare room again tonight. 

We have been nourishing our hearts and bodies with her and her beautiful family: so far we have met awesome boyfriend, soul sweet daughter in law, magic delicious 2 month old grandson, 2 sweet and loving doggies, 2 snakes, fish, 2 lizards, 2 cages of birds, and (I heard talk of) a tortoise <3

*deep peace inhale*

And then it's Oregon tomorrow. 

Officially. 

Wow. 

The plan is:

Tuesday - drive + get a storage and unload the van. 

Wednesday - find a community resource center to start networking for resources with + DMV to get the van Oregon-legit :))

Thursday - locate the local library & homeschool (ideally unschool) groups, and start networking for temporary housing and feel out the vibes for kindred spirits for the long-term home + tribe :))

That's all I have for now. 

That's a mighty long update, huh? 

Well, I got an app for my blog, so I can post more frequently now :))

Also, if you want to see more pics/videos and updates, you can add me on Instagram (wildsacredsoul), Facebook (wild-soul zen), or search the Instagram hashtags #oregonbound, #roadtripblip, and #worldwidetribe. 

Alright, darlings, until next time, all my love, excitement, and enthusiasm,

V

Counting down the days...

Tuesday.

Today is Tuesday.

That leaves 3 more days in this town.

This town we fell in love at first sight (and feel) with. This town we have grown to deeply feel "home" with. This town that will continue to be home for many of our beloveds.

And we will wish it a sacred and wet farewell, as we will begin our trek northward.

So many people to see and love before we go.

Community beloveds, family members, friends.

I know us moving to Oregon is right, and I ground myself in that when I start to feel so sad about leaving the incredible people here that we love with all our hearts.

It hurts. And that hurt has stopped me from going for many years now.

But Oregon keeps calling. A soft whisper. A knowing reminder. Soft and loving.

It's where we are meant to be.

Green, rain, Pacific Ocean, affordable housing, land, hippies. Perfect.

I have been dreaming big wild dreams of a tribe on land, and I am ready to manifest that. And I am excited about the journey to get there.

I envision spending time in communes, intentional communities, and eco-villages.

I envision festivals and fairs and farmers markets.

I envision landscapes that will take our breath away.

I imagine connecting with people who will warm my heart and nourish this little Tribe idea seed that is gaining momentum deep in the earth, preparing to burst through the soil and bask in the sunlight.

I look forward to manifesting space for my family's needs to be met, and for our wildest dreams to come into fruition.

My oldest wants to be a large animal vet. She has always had a kinship with animals. They bring her peace. And after 2 years of not having her own room, she very much looks forward to decorating and caring for her own space. And getting some furried bedmates again :)

My son just wants room to spread out his playspace and endulge in combat + adventure + action figure social skills for deep long periods of time. And Netflix. Our own wifi is a must :)

And the baby. She wants to gather her dollies and care for them. And follow her sister around caring for goats and horses and chickens and all other 2- and 4-legged friends that come to join us in our homesteading adventure.

And me? Well, I want to take root deeply and grow. I want to grow a home. I want to grow a business. I want to grow a tribe, a lively community-family who lean toward sacred sustainability and wild fun, who dream together, play together, live together, love together, grow together. I want drum circles and dancing and bonfires and a red tent and kid wonderland and hammocks in faery eutopia and treehouses and gardens opportunities to share my all through workshops and services, and, and, and.

Oh, I have been dreaming of this for years. This list is oh-so long, and it keeps growing.

I look forward to showing it to you, like a story that unfolds through our upcoming journey.

I look forward to chronicling, not only our trip up to Oregon and around Oregon while we find the right place to call home, but also the sprouting and budding of a tribe come true, the depths, the details.

I hope that someday, I will be able to create a model of the tribe that has been my clear vision and purpose, so that I can share that model with ones who aspire to create tribes of their own.

I don't know all the words yet. The language. I just have a big clear vision and feeling, that I have been refining for about 6 years, through creating an online tribe, studying about tribal communities, hanging with unschoolers and faire folks, experiencing shamanic dreams and visions, and doing a bit of research on fellow intentional communities.

There is just so much room for growth, and I am excited to already be gathering beautiful souls into my life who want to grow this with me.

Until next time, all my love,
V