IN: Redding, CA. Home is wherever I go.

Attention! The Hills have been sited in Northern California.

It's true. We are back and trying desperately to settle down. The beginning sign of Laci nesting: an impressive area rug made of dirty clothes. It's funny how laundry can take over your life in a just a few days- before you know it, she's up before you in the morning and planning your entire afternoon. Well, I showed her. I swiftly moved on from laundry into brewing a new batch of kombucha- and if you have ever brewed before, you know what I mean when I say that this proves my rumored settling. Thankfully, scobys aren't coming out of my ears just yet. 

Joel and I have restored most of the good parts of our life that we had before we left on our epic seven-month trip around the world (and by most, I mean that we plan to defrost our gym membership tomorrow): we are eating healthy-ish (Five Guys just opened in town a couple weeks ago and I also have an unashamed passion for chips and salsa at midnight; unashamed), we have introduced organic and local everything to our house (even toilet paper; thanks to "Food, Inc.", I feel I have to "vote" for organic and green in every category by making intentional purchases like this), we are reconnecting with old friends (and living in community with them- Joel is gracefully sharing a house with five girls), and I successfully found a temporary job as a nanny for a two-month-old that satisfies the baby fever inside of me (that often makes it's escape into words late at night when I am in bed with Joel). Life is smoothly slowing down.

the dreamhouse- our home-sweet-home

I can creep on my neighbors from this chair

Think again. Life doesn't slow down for us. It just gets more exciting as we get older (and as we get crazier). I can usually blame the nomadic part of our life on Joel since he could travel everyday of his life and not think twice about it; but I have found myself to be just as uncontrollable. If you could see my iCal right now, you would faint at all the colorful events that have eaten the months of March-June. Surfing in Orange County, visiting the garbage dumps in Honduras and Nicaragua, more surfing in Orange County, India for a week, cross-country road-trip with one of our housemates, wedding in Virginia, and more surfing in Orange County. All of this basically ambushed us as we were "settling in." And by jove, God has every financial detail fully kink-proof (as in, he took care of it; as is his way).

So, how do I balance the tension of wanting and craving nesting with my addiction to traveling in revival all over the earth? I suck the life out of every moment, invest myself fully in every connection, and dream constantly. Home is wherever I go because home is inside of me. 

I mean, sure, the practical side of settling down is a huge dream of mine: painting my walls, having a garden, making room for a baby in this wildness. But having "roots" doesn't mean "being in one place without moving"- we are all learning to be rooted in something that moves and winds and rushes, because we are all learning to be a tree rooted in the River. And no one has quite pegged what kind of river He is yet. 

And so, without further ado, welcome to my blog. I'll either be "IN" town or "OUT" of town- don't worry, you are in the loop officially. I have only one ground-rule for this blog: let this page be a place in your life where you can learn to be totally unafraid. Because sometimes God just scares the-- well, I'm just fully invested in whatever He has for me. And its here for you too.

-L