The Man, The Mountain and Those Two Dudes Under The Puppet

When we left for Harvest Fest last Wednesday, we were in that frenzy “getallthethingscrossedoffthelist” but we did. We got the car packed and all of the things in Tetris like fashion and off we went to meet Trish and her fam and then BOOM! We were on the road and the work phone was turned off and left at home and all things were possible and right!

Getting to Mulberry Mountain so early (We have never set up camp in daylight before at that place) meant that our campsite was SUPER close to the festival grounds and for one moment we were unsure about the noise and how that would work out but we rolled with it and proceeded to set up the three tents, one potty tent, two pop-ups which became our kitchen and living room, complete with hanging lanterns and floor heaters. We really don’t mess around.

I will tell you that camping is still one of the best things, in spite of the mattress with the slow leak that makes you feel like you’re sleeping on a sloshy waterbed by the morning, in spite of the cramped conditions and the hippy kids that you can hear talking from your tent at night, in spite of dude with the booming voice who clearly does not care about anyone else in the camp when he begins his stupid talking at the earliest possible hours of the morning.

I will tell you that the music was amazing. We saw the Jayhawks give a great show, The Oh Hello’s, Rose’s Pawn Shop, Trampled by Turtles all in one lineup on Thursday. We were all so exhausted that we were almost crying trying to stay up for TbT and when we stumbled back to camp and went to sleep and froze our bippies off on the coldest night ever, it really didn’t matter. We slept. We awoke. We had great camp coffee and breakfast and did it all over again!

Mark and I talked several times about being there two years ago and the magic of it all. About how things all started at that festival and about how this year is different but still awesome. We knew that it would be a different festival but we kept finding moments of magic and just laughing with each other about “remember last time…?”

I will tell you that the weather could not have been more perfect. Gorgeous temps, sunshine enough to need sunscreen during the day but breeze enough to keep things cool and enough shade to seek solace at times when we needed it. It was perfection.

Friday was a good day of music and I wish I could tell you who we listened to but I cannot. I know that we drank delicious beers, we napped, we listened to music, we ate amazing pulled pork sandwiches at camp and then suddenly it was the evening and Mark was just tweaky. Every time I would look up he would be gone somewhere. I couldn’t keep track of him.

The group had decided that we would just park our chairs at the main stage and sit and watch the lineup and have a chill night. The music was good, but no one made us lose our minds. The hula-hoop watching was pretty spectacular though. At one point, Mark reappeared and said come with me. We walked over to the giant octopus puppet–there are giant puppets that during the shows, people will either wear or take out into the madness of hippy stew that happens at the front of the stage and it’s pretty fun to watch–we danced under that puppet two years ago–the puppet wasn’t out in the madness yet so we walked over and under it and Mark turned to me and said:

“Will you marry me?”

I was shocked and crying and laughing and of course I said YES YES YES about a thousand times. We were both laughing and crying and kissing and hugging. And then at one point, he said, “Oh I’m supposed to be on my knees, right?” So he got down on his knees and asked me again and again I said YES YES YES and more laughing and more crying and more talking and hugging.

At one point I looked over and there were two dudes laying on the ground under the puppet clearly just tripping hard on something. They giggled at us, all glassy eyed and one turned to the other and said, “dude I am never going to forget this moment!” (at which point he likely forgot that moment completely)

And once again, our lives changed at that festival, on that mountain. Just like that. Forever.

We had no cell service on the mountain so it really was just us for another day, lots of laughing and hugging and well wishes. We decided that no internet broadcasting until our families were told and when we finally did the world just unleashed so much love and happiness our way that it felt like we got engaged all over again!

We are on the search for the perfect ring, we have just barely begun discussing what we want to do in terms of a wedding/ceremony/celebration/event. Life is trying it’s best to get back in front of us with work and the Depot and obligations and all things clogging up the calendar.

I will tell you though…that we are both so happy. We feel the love and the light from all around and can’t wait to see what’s next!

That mountain…it is magical.

Life is good.