IN: Redding, CA. Baby Lovin'.

It is no secret to anyone that I have baby fever. I have had this fever for as long as I can remember; and then beyond that. I have video footage proving that I had the disease when I was in diapers, dragging my naked baby doll around the house by her leg and forcing a fake bottle into her mouth (whether she was hungry or not. "You're on my schedule now, fake baby!"). At any rate, it should come as no surprise to any of you that I have "The Plague" and to answer your insipid question: no, I am not pregnant, nor do I plan on getting in that kerfuffle anytime soon. Moving on now...

my fever in action with a real baby (my sister)

Apparently some doctor somewhere said you are supposed to "starve a fever," but he clearly hadn't taken into account my case. I prefer to excessively feed my fever until I get a "cold" from overexposure. I'm talking baby clothes coming out of my ears and offering to change diapers for free. Just call me Dr. Laci because my method works like a charm. There was a time when I offered to watch a baby for free- I met them in a grocery store. I wonder why no one took me up on it? Well, those days have passed and I am getting paid to soak up some lovin' from a 8-week-old little lady.

posers

With me and Joel getting ready to travel again for a couple months and still more epic trips on the horizon, we aren't in a place where we feel its smart to have our own little loves. So, I give my stored up affections to someone else's kid. And one day (whether sooner or later) we will have our own "mini me's" and I will unravel and be crazy about them. And as fond as I am of scheduling, I will try not to jam a bottle (or boob) in their faces.

sleeping beauty

I nurture by nature because God is a mother. One of the hebrew names of God is "El Shaddai." Shaddai is derived from another word that actually means "breast." I have heard it translated, "the many-breasted One." Rad thought: a lot of nursing mothers actually lactate when they hear a baby cry, even if it is not their own child. It is built into us to nurture because it is built into God to nurture. His natural response to our need is to leak provision (including our need for growth and development). Well, this concludes your boob talk for the day, everyone.

my little bear

Anyway, in this current (short) season in Redding, I allow myself to indulge in baby time. It is so necessary for me to nest wherever I am in the world and this is one of those investments to keep my heart open and full. Doing this job was never really about the money for me- it was always about being here, now. When you travel like I do, it is important to pursue things that keep you in the present at all times; no matter where you are- its called "putting down roots." I am not afraid to invest myself fully at all times- and so I live a full life. This is one of my very best secrets- shh!

-L

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