Last week, H11, S9, M6 and I traveled from our house to my parents home in Florida to visit with sisters and cousins. It was a mini-reunion and birthday celebration. The only downside to the trip was the fourteen hour drive each direction. Thankfully, my children are excellent car travelers and made the trip as painless as possible. We listened to books, they watched movies, did a little school work and stayed cheerful, even when I wasn't.
During the visit with family, I heard my children asked several times what they thought of their new house. Over and over again, I heard them, individually and collectively, talk about how much they loved where we live now and why they love it. It did my heart good to step into warm weather and relax a little. It also did my heart good to know that when we returned to real life we would be returning to a place my children wanted to go.
Admittedly, saying goodbye on the last day of our visit was difficult. Goodbyes are never easy. The drive home was long and boring. We felt every one of those fourteen hours. The trip was broken by a stay in a lovely Marriott Courtyard in Rock Hill, South Carolina with an indoor pool. We all enjoyed the swimming time. The best part of the trip was knowing that we were coming home and that all of us were happy to be returning to a place that, even after only a month, we'd truly missed.
Showing posts with label moving. Show all posts
Showing posts with label moving. Show all posts
Friday, March 4, 2011
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
This, Just This - January 21
Four beautiful children clothed in mismatched snow clothes, gloves and hats, an unruly dog escorting them across a perfect blanket of snow white under a smooth blue sky. My angels making snow angels where no one else had or would walk. That was my moment.
We may not have all of our things in place. We don’t have internet service, cable or an in-state driver’s license but at this moment I can say, "This, just this is why we made this choice and are in this place." I pray that there are many more moments that point to the rightness of our choice. I also pray for enough inner peace to recognize those moments when they come.
Reduce, Recycle, Reuse - January 15-18
This move was a lesson in reduction. While we knew that the house we were moving into was smaller than the house we left, we weren’t sure how that would work with the furniture and possessions that we had. It’s difficult to picture how the pieces would fit into the new place.
Before our move began, we gave away two beds, several pieces of furniture and a variety of miscellaneous items. Two pick up truck loads left our house; one filled with items to donate, the other filled with trash. We thought we’d gotten rid of much of our unnecessary baggage.
Upon arriving at our new home, we found that there was even more to reduce, reuse or recycle. The previous owners had left quite a bit of stuff behind when they vacated. They took all they could fit in their single Ryder truck beginning with the most desirable items and left the rest. We inherited a living room set, a fully, if poorly, outfitted kitchen and an attic stocked with air mattresses along with various outdoor furniture pieces a barn full of bits and pieces of garbage.
As we found homes for things, our and those we’d inherited, we filled boxes with more items for which we had no need. We gave the living room set to friends that were very happy to receive it. We discovered that most of our furniture made the transition and looked right at home in our new place. We found new uses for some items, a bookcase became a home for sweaters, shirts and shoes. The kitchen dinette we inherited found it’s way to the screen porch. I’m sure we’ll enjoy it when the weather is warmer.
All our possessions found a home. We were especially grateful for a large attic and several outbuildings even as we gave up our attached garage. The propane lines were located, the regulator moved and the tank filled on January 18. It was good to have heat through the entire house.
The house is beginning to be a home. All the boxes are unpacked, the furniture is arranged, pictures have even been hung. It’s not all done but it’s more than half way. We are starting to find a routine. We still get confused in the kitchen. The refrigerator is on the wrong side. Before long, it will be just where it should. As will everything else, including us.
Before our move began, we gave away two beds, several pieces of furniture and a variety of miscellaneous items. Two pick up truck loads left our house; one filled with items to donate, the other filled with trash. We thought we’d gotten rid of much of our unnecessary baggage.
Upon arriving at our new home, we found that there was even more to reduce, reuse or recycle. The previous owners had left quite a bit of stuff behind when they vacated. They took all they could fit in their single Ryder truck beginning with the most desirable items and left the rest. We inherited a living room set, a fully, if poorly, outfitted kitchen and an attic stocked with air mattresses along with various outdoor furniture pieces a barn full of bits and pieces of garbage.
As we found homes for things, our and those we’d inherited, we filled boxes with more items for which we had no need. We gave the living room set to friends that were very happy to receive it. We discovered that most of our furniture made the transition and looked right at home in our new place. We found new uses for some items, a bookcase became a home for sweaters, shirts and shoes. The kitchen dinette we inherited found it’s way to the screen porch. I’m sure we’ll enjoy it when the weather is warmer.
All our possessions found a home. We were especially grateful for a large attic and several outbuildings even as we gave up our attached garage. The propane lines were located, the regulator moved and the tank filled on January 18. It was good to have heat through the entire house.
The house is beginning to be a home. All the boxes are unpacked, the furniture is arranged, pictures have even been hung. It’s not all done but it’s more than half way. We are starting to find a routine. We still get confused in the kitchen. The refrigerator is on the wrong side. Before long, it will be just where it should. As will everything else, including us.
Moving Day - January 13 and 14
Our moving van was scheduled to arrive on Thursday morning between 8 and 9am. Unfortunately, the snow and the size of the truck conspired to make the move more difficult than anticipated. We expected that the big truck would be unable to make it down to the house. We let the moving company know that a shuttle truck would most likely be necessary to transfer our things from the big truck to our house. We didn’t expect the big truck to get stuck before arriving at a safe unloading location. After a two hour delay while we waited for the tow truck to get the big truck back on the road, our unloading went smoothly and quickly. By 7pm four hundred thirty-six yellow stickered items were placed in the house and outbuildings. Bed and tables were assembled and the moving crew was on their way.
We only had heat in part of the house. We had boxes stacked from floor to ceiling and door to door. It was impossible to see how the house might look when all was put away or even how it would be humanly possible to put the things away. We’d traded a 4000 square foot house in a subdivision for a 3000 square foot house and 37 acre farm. Our joy at actually being in the house was tempered with the uncertainty of the future we could only imagine. As a family, we chose to focus on the joy and toasted our move with champagne and kiddie wine as we prepared our second meal in our home.
The following morning, the unpacking crew arrived and set to work unloading boxes. The thing about unpacking is that the unpackers only empty the boxes and set the contents on a flat surface. They don’t put anything away and if you can’t keep up with them, at least a little, you can end up with a really big mess. Thankfully, my friend Sharon came over and took charge of the family room bookcases while I manned the kitchen. I was hopeful that recovering from the unloading of boxes in the bedrooms, living room and dining room would be manageable. Other than the mistaken unloading of several Christmas boxes, it was. The unpackers left with about one hundred and fifty empty boxes and the accompanying mountain of paper. Since that was really the point, getting rid of the boxes and paper, the morning was a complete success.
By late afternoon, Sharon and I had things reasonably under control. Books were on shelves and kitchen cabinets were filled. It would all take some fine tuning but the boxes were no longer blocking the doors and piled to the ceiling. We could walk through the house and see how it might, someday, be our home.
We only had heat in part of the house. We had boxes stacked from floor to ceiling and door to door. It was impossible to see how the house might look when all was put away or even how it would be humanly possible to put the things away. We’d traded a 4000 square foot house in a subdivision for a 3000 square foot house and 37 acre farm. Our joy at actually being in the house was tempered with the uncertainty of the future we could only imagine. As a family, we chose to focus on the joy and toasted our move with champagne and kiddie wine as we prepared our second meal in our home.
The following morning, the unpacking crew arrived and set to work unloading boxes. The thing about unpacking is that the unpackers only empty the boxes and set the contents on a flat surface. They don’t put anything away and if you can’t keep up with them, at least a little, you can end up with a really big mess. Thankfully, my friend Sharon came over and took charge of the family room bookcases while I manned the kitchen. I was hopeful that recovering from the unloading of boxes in the bedrooms, living room and dining room would be manageable. Other than the mistaken unloading of several Christmas boxes, it was. The unpackers left with about one hundred and fifty empty boxes and the accompanying mountain of paper. Since that was really the point, getting rid of the boxes and paper, the morning was a complete success.
By late afternoon, Sharon and I had things reasonably under control. Books were on shelves and kitchen cabinets were filled. It would all take some fine tuning but the boxes were no longer blocking the doors and piled to the ceiling. We could walk through the house and see how it might, someday, be our home.
Anticipation - January 11 and 12
We had anticipated closing on our property and moving into our new house on December 30. It was not to be. Instead we spent ten nights in the local Comfort Inn and eleven days eating at restaurants. It was an unexpected detour and expense on the way to our new home. I really believed that we all made the best of a difficult situation.
We were so relieved on January 11 when we received the call that our mortgage had been approved and we could close at the end of the day. Filling out the paperwork and signing the forms seemed like almost a let down after the hours of waiting.
Since we’d never been in the house as a family, we decided to spend our last night in the hotel but to drive over to the house to visit it together. The snow started at about 3pm and by the time we reached the house, everything was coated in white. It looked like a perfectly set Christmas card picture.
We enjoyed time familiarizing ourselves with our new place and tried to picture our life there. The previous owners had left quite a bit of furniture and other supplies including pans, plates and utensils. We engaged in a rowdy Nerf gun battle. R carried me over the threshold while the children rolled their eyes and smiled with their whole faces.
By the time we left the house, the roads had gone from Christmas card lovely to borderline dangerous. R had his truck complete with four wheel drive and managed the climb out with no problem. My own front wheel drive van was a bit more challenged and I was thankful when R switched vehicles with me. His own snow driving experience enabled him to get the van out and had us on our way after a fearful breakdown on my part.
The next morning we said goodbye to our hotel friends, packed our van and made our round-about way to the house. Required stops on the way included grocery store, electric company and library. We arrived at the house to find a dear friend already at the house and our front walk and driveway cleared of snow and ice.
Settling in began almost immediately, at least as much as it could until our furniture arrived the next day. We were most thankful for the kitchen gear that the previous owner had left because it enabled us to eat dinner in our own home.
Whether the new house and the new life would live up to our expectations remained to be seen but the anticipation of ownership had certainly been fulfilled.
We were so relieved on January 11 when we received the call that our mortgage had been approved and we could close at the end of the day. Filling out the paperwork and signing the forms seemed like almost a let down after the hours of waiting.
Since we’d never been in the house as a family, we decided to spend our last night in the hotel but to drive over to the house to visit it together. The snow started at about 3pm and by the time we reached the house, everything was coated in white. It looked like a perfectly set Christmas card picture.
We enjoyed time familiarizing ourselves with our new place and tried to picture our life there. The previous owners had left quite a bit of furniture and other supplies including pans, plates and utensils. We engaged in a rowdy Nerf gun battle. R carried me over the threshold while the children rolled their eyes and smiled with their whole faces.
By the time we left the house, the roads had gone from Christmas card lovely to borderline dangerous. R had his truck complete with four wheel drive and managed the climb out with no problem. My own front wheel drive van was a bit more challenged and I was thankful when R switched vehicles with me. His own snow driving experience enabled him to get the van out and had us on our way after a fearful breakdown on my part.
The next morning we said goodbye to our hotel friends, packed our van and made our round-about way to the house. Required stops on the way included grocery store, electric company and library. We arrived at the house to find a dear friend already at the house and our front walk and driveway cleared of snow and ice.
Settling in began almost immediately, at least as much as it could until our furniture arrived the next day. We were most thankful for the kitchen gear that the previous owner had left because it enabled us to eat dinner in our own home.
Whether the new house and the new life would live up to our expectations remained to be seen but the anticipation of ownership had certainly been fulfilled.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Settling In
There's something comforting about returning to some place with which you are familiar. It easy to find your way around. You know which stores are available and you have contacts already established in an area. In a way that makes things easier.
There's also something confusing about returning to some place with which you are familiar. While you were away, life continued. You've changed and the people in that place have changed. It's all different and all the same.
We've settled into our house. Our furniture is the same, some of it's been moved to different places. I feel like we are in a smilar situation. We are the same but we've been moved.
Last night we had friends over for the Super Bowl. Mostly, they were friends from our life before we moved away. Some of them were acquaintances during our previous life here. This time they may become friends. It's too soon to tell. I am thankful for these renewals of friendship. I'm excited to see the new friendships we develop.
Entertaining in our new house was fun. It's a good house for company. There's enough room to serve food and seat guests. The kitchen has great flow but it's not a place to stand and visit. To me that is perfect. Too often, in our last house, everyone would stand around in the kitchen and I'd never get them out and into comfortable seats. We didn't use the more formal living areas this time. I'm sure will in the future. And I can't wait for the summer time. We've got some beautiful desks and an amazing yard. It's going to be fun to share them with friends. Maybe we'll add a summer solstice party to our traditions.
The house is unpacked and we've begun doing the normal things of life here. Living each day as if we belong here and are planning to stay. We are settling in.
There's also something confusing about returning to some place with which you are familiar. While you were away, life continued. You've changed and the people in that place have changed. It's all different and all the same.
We've settled into our house. Our furniture is the same, some of it's been moved to different places. I feel like we are in a smilar situation. We are the same but we've been moved.
Last night we had friends over for the Super Bowl. Mostly, they were friends from our life before we moved away. Some of them were acquaintances during our previous life here. This time they may become friends. It's too soon to tell. I am thankful for these renewals of friendship. I'm excited to see the new friendships we develop.
Entertaining in our new house was fun. It's a good house for company. There's enough room to serve food and seat guests. The kitchen has great flow but it's not a place to stand and visit. To me that is perfect. Too often, in our last house, everyone would stand around in the kitchen and I'd never get them out and into comfortable seats. We didn't use the more formal living areas this time. I'm sure will in the future. And I can't wait for the summer time. We've got some beautiful desks and an amazing yard. It's going to be fun to share them with friends. Maybe we'll add a summer solstice party to our traditions.
The house is unpacked and we've begun doing the normal things of life here. Living each day as if we belong here and are planning to stay. We are settling in.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Preparing to Begin
It seems unreal that we've been "at home" for almost three weeks now. I can't decide whether it seems like just yesterday we were buried in boxes or it seems like a lifetime ago. Either way, we are truly getting settled here now. We've held school consistently for two weeks. In fact, we've been WAY more consistent than the public schools thanks to the normal conditions offered up by winter weather.
I've got a file of blog posts to add when I get my computer, an old wi-fi less desktop, to communicate with my new, super wonderful, wi-fi hotspot. Until then, I'll just muddle on as best I can. If you are a faithful reader, know that the gaps will be filled in as soon as I open the lines of electronic communication.
I went to the library today and checked out more books on farming. It's good to feel comfortable enough with the progress of the house to focus on something besides boxes. We had our first small farm college class last week. The night was an overview of things to come with an emphasis on goal setting, mission statements and writing a business plan. We have been working this week on writing a mission statement but the business plan has us stymied. We are really unsure about what we can do with the farm. The possibilities are almost overwhelming and we are looking to this course to help us find focus. At the very least, it will give us time alone together weekly for the next three months. That's definitely worth the price!
I suppose I just wanted to take a moment to acknowledge that all is going well and that I intend to keep blogging. It feels like I've been gone for way too long. It's wonderful to be at a place where things feel like they are beginning instead of being in limbo. It's good to be home.
I've got a file of blog posts to add when I get my computer, an old wi-fi less desktop, to communicate with my new, super wonderful, wi-fi hotspot. Until then, I'll just muddle on as best I can. If you are a faithful reader, know that the gaps will be filled in as soon as I open the lines of electronic communication.
I went to the library today and checked out more books on farming. It's good to feel comfortable enough with the progress of the house to focus on something besides boxes. We had our first small farm college class last week. The night was an overview of things to come with an emphasis on goal setting, mission statements and writing a business plan. We have been working this week on writing a mission statement but the business plan has us stymied. We are really unsure about what we can do with the farm. The possibilities are almost overwhelming and we are looking to this course to help us find focus. At the very least, it will give us time alone together weekly for the next three months. That's definitely worth the price!
I suppose I just wanted to take a moment to acknowledge that all is going well and that I intend to keep blogging. It feels like I've been gone for way too long. It's wonderful to be at a place where things feel like they are beginning instead of being in limbo. It's good to be home.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Bearing Witness to Blessing Part 6
We finally closed on our farm today. January 11, 2011. It was almost fun to sign and date all those forms with 1/11/11. It's the little things really. We completed all the paper work in less than an hour. It's funny that we've been waiting almost two weeks to complete what only took 45 minutes. I told the lawyer that after all the waiting and hounding, this event was kind of a let down. To celebrate the closing, we decided to visit the farm for the first time as a family. The kids and I had seen the house, R had seen the house but we'd never been there all together. It was fun to explore every nook and cranny knowing that it was ours and we'd have plenty more time to explore. We also had a wonderful Nerf battle. An empty house is perfect for Nerf war.
The joy of our new home was tempered with some really nasty weather. The snow began falling late this morning and has continued most of the day and evening. What was a slow trip at 6pm became an almost impossible return trip at 8pm. It was sobering to realize that I probably won't be doing much running around when the weather is poor. My front wheel drive van is extremely handicapped when it comes to climbing hills in the snow. Since we live in a valley, the first part of any journey involves climbing a hill.
Another interesting thing is that the seller of our home left quite a bit of stuff in the house. There are drawers and cabinets full of various items, glasses, plates, silverware, and cleaning products. An entire living room set was abandoned along with numerous air mattresses, a bean bag chair and recliner. I spent so much time before we moved getting rid of things so we wouldn't be moving unnecessary items. Now, I'll have the joy of getting rid of someone else's unnecessary items.
While the whole farm thing still seems surreal, I'm very excited about beginning the next step of this new challenge tomorrow. The wait has been long but I know it will all be worth the effort. We are so blessed to have this opportunity and to have found this home. God is good. All the time.
The joy of our new home was tempered with some really nasty weather. The snow began falling late this morning and has continued most of the day and evening. What was a slow trip at 6pm became an almost impossible return trip at 8pm. It was sobering to realize that I probably won't be doing much running around when the weather is poor. My front wheel drive van is extremely handicapped when it comes to climbing hills in the snow. Since we live in a valley, the first part of any journey involves climbing a hill.
Another interesting thing is that the seller of our home left quite a bit of stuff in the house. There are drawers and cabinets full of various items, glasses, plates, silverware, and cleaning products. An entire living room set was abandoned along with numerous air mattresses, a bean bag chair and recliner. I spent so much time before we moved getting rid of things so we wouldn't be moving unnecessary items. Now, I'll have the joy of getting rid of someone else's unnecessary items.
While the whole farm thing still seems surreal, I'm very excited about beginning the next step of this new challenge tomorrow. The wait has been long but I know it will all be worth the effort. We are so blessed to have this opportunity and to have found this home. God is good. All the time.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Preparing to Unpack
It's been two weeks since the movers came to our home and took all our things away. We've been living with the same five or six outfits and the same small bag of toys. We've been living in the same two rooms for the last ten days.
Other than buying bathing suits and some books, we haven't needed to purchase much. I found myself wondering today about that big truck full of stuff that left our house almost two weeks ago and about how much of that stuff we need or even want back. As we prepared to move, I found myself constantly cleaning things up and giving things away. I asked myself repeatedly, do we really need this? I asked the same thing of my children. We passed many toys and clothes along before we started moving. I think we've all realized that our idea of need has been adjusted once again.
While we've had the distraction of the pool and more than the usual amount of television, the majority of our entertainment has been provided by a few books and each other. It's made me wonder about the shelves full of toys, games and things now in boxes. All of the odds and ends that sit on tables and shelves. The drawers full of clothes. Closets full of towels and sheets. I tend toward simplicity and this time of enforced minimalism has helped me see that I haven't even scratched the surface of what I can live without.
I think my challenge will be balancing my desire to pare down with my family's desire to hold on. I don't want our new home to become a battle between want and need. Nor do I want us to be buried in things we don't need because we hold on too tight. Maybe this time apart from our stuff is just what we needed to loosen our grip on possessions. Maybe we'll be able to unpack more wisely as a result of the slower pace we've been forced to accept.
I'm hopeful that we'll be reaching a resolution to our situation this week. I'm even brave enough to hope that by the end of the week we'll be receiving a truck that's full of our stuff at our new home. I think that as we bring all those boxes into our new place we'll be looking at things with new eyes and a new perspective of what we think is important and worth finding a place for in our new life.
Other than buying bathing suits and some books, we haven't needed to purchase much. I found myself wondering today about that big truck full of stuff that left our house almost two weeks ago and about how much of that stuff we need or even want back. As we prepared to move, I found myself constantly cleaning things up and giving things away. I asked myself repeatedly, do we really need this? I asked the same thing of my children. We passed many toys and clothes along before we started moving. I think we've all realized that our idea of need has been adjusted once again.
While we've had the distraction of the pool and more than the usual amount of television, the majority of our entertainment has been provided by a few books and each other. It's made me wonder about the shelves full of toys, games and things now in boxes. All of the odds and ends that sit on tables and shelves. The drawers full of clothes. Closets full of towels and sheets. I tend toward simplicity and this time of enforced minimalism has helped me see that I haven't even scratched the surface of what I can live without.
I think my challenge will be balancing my desire to pare down with my family's desire to hold on. I don't want our new home to become a battle between want and need. Nor do I want us to be buried in things we don't need because we hold on too tight. Maybe this time apart from our stuff is just what we needed to loosen our grip on possessions. Maybe we'll be able to unpack more wisely as a result of the slower pace we've been forced to accept.
I'm hopeful that we'll be reaching a resolution to our situation this week. I'm even brave enough to hope that by the end of the week we'll be receiving a truck that's full of our stuff at our new home. I think that as we bring all those boxes into our new place we'll be looking at things with new eyes and a new perspective of what we think is important and worth finding a place for in our new life.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
It's the Little Things Really
Living in a hotel for the past week is teaching us all lessons of flexibility and compromise. We are learning to make the best of difficult situations. We are learning to pray and let go. We are learning to appreciate the little things.
One of the accidental blessings of this week is my shower caddy. It was overlooked in the initial packing and I put it in my van thinking that it might be nice to have while we were waiting for our furniture in our new house. It's the kind of metal caddy that hang over the shower head. It holds my liquid soap, shampoo, conditioner and razor. All those full size bottles. Having the caddy to hang in the hotel shower saves me from all those tiny little bottles of shampoo and all those tiny bars of soap. Having our regular things, even just soap and shampoo, makes life seem a bit more normal. Seeing the caddy in my hotel shower reminds me that there is normal life in my past and future. This time is temporary. Sometimes I need that reassurance.
Another blessing is the thoughtful gift of flowers. I am desiring my own space and dreaming of a home cooked meal, receiving an unexpected gift brings joy to my day. A beautiful basket of yellow and white flowers now graces our hotel space. A basket of daisies that carry sunshine and love in the midst of snow and uncertainty. In a normal situation, the flowers would have been appreciated. In this situation the flowers are a blessing. The flowers are another reminder that things will be normal again and that the important things, people that love me, are still right where they have always been.
One of the accidental blessings of this week is my shower caddy. It was overlooked in the initial packing and I put it in my van thinking that it might be nice to have while we were waiting for our furniture in our new house. It's the kind of metal caddy that hang over the shower head. It holds my liquid soap, shampoo, conditioner and razor. All those full size bottles. Having the caddy to hang in the hotel shower saves me from all those tiny little bottles of shampoo and all those tiny bars of soap. Having our regular things, even just soap and shampoo, makes life seem a bit more normal. Seeing the caddy in my hotel shower reminds me that there is normal life in my past and future. This time is temporary. Sometimes I need that reassurance.
Another blessing is the thoughtful gift of flowers. I am desiring my own space and dreaming of a home cooked meal, receiving an unexpected gift brings joy to my day. A beautiful basket of yellow and white flowers now graces our hotel space. A basket of daisies that carry sunshine and love in the midst of snow and uncertainty. In a normal situation, the flowers would have been appreciated. In this situation the flowers are a blessing. The flowers are another reminder that things will be normal again and that the important things, people that love me, are still right where they have always been.
Weekly Recap 1/3-1/7/11
This week has been so different than the week I envisioned before we started our Christmas break. We were suppose to spend this week getting back to school and settling into our new home. That's not how things have worked out.
All of our school books are in a storage unit in Cleveland. They were supposed to be delivered to our new house last Monday. Right now, I have no idea when we'll get them back. Maybe next week, maybe not.
This week we've spent a lot of time swimming in the hotel pool. We needed to clock in more hours of physical education so that works in our favor. Earlier in the week we spent some time at Border's. I found time and money flash cards and a floor puzzle of the states and capitals. I also bought several books that we've been wanting to read. We've finished The Little Prince and are working on The Adventures of Robin Hood.
Making the best of a difficult situation is a real life lesson that my children are learning this week. As with so many other homeschool lessons, I'm learning as much as they are as we go along.
All of our school books are in a storage unit in Cleveland. They were supposed to be delivered to our new house last Monday. Right now, I have no idea when we'll get them back. Maybe next week, maybe not.
This week we've spent a lot of time swimming in the hotel pool. We needed to clock in more hours of physical education so that works in our favor. Earlier in the week we spent some time at Border's. I found time and money flash cards and a floor puzzle of the states and capitals. I also bought several books that we've been wanting to read. We've finished The Little Prince and are working on The Adventures of Robin Hood.
Making the best of a difficult situation is a real life lesson that my children are learning this week. As with so many other homeschool lessons, I'm learning as much as they are as we go along.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Bearing Witness to Blessing Part 5 - Back to School Episode
The guidance counselor began the conversation by talking of "salvaging" the work K14 did during the first semester. A homeschooling mother, who has spent energy and time challenging and providing an excellent education for her daughter, does not appreciate words like "salvaging". The new school schedule includes four study halls, English, algebra, earth science and world history. Next semester she'll pick up health and physical education along with food science. I look at the study hall loaded schedule and wonder how anyone can call a semester of Latin, medieval history, grammar and Augustine salvage.
The first two days of school are a success. One of fifty three students in the freshman class, K14 slid into place like the missing piece of a puzzle. A group of girls joined her at lunch. Day two let her know that the girls weren't plastic just a little nervous around the new girl. The course work is easy compared to the expectations that I've set. Four free periods make it even easier. Much of the material we've already covered either last year or this.
The biggest surprise is the level of trust and respect among classmates and their teachers. Backpacks are left unattended, lockers are seldom locked. Teachers loan students anything from cash to laptops knowing that the students are adequate to the responsibility. It could just be a honeymoon period for her because everything is new or it could be the way things really are. Either way, it's a new idea that adults, other than parents, have positive expectations of young adults and that living up to your potential can be a way of functioning in the world. That's a lesson that even the most exacting homeschooling mother, which I'm not, can get excited about.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Back to School
Today was supposed to be the first day of our second semester. Instead, we are waiting. Our books haven't been delivered. Nothing has been delivered. So we wait. Today we had hours of physical education swimming in the hotel pool. Tomorrow we are going to a bookstore and find some books to read aloud and some activities to do. Maybe on Wednesday we'll go look for some local field trip destinations. It's not what we expected for this first day back to school.
Today was the first day back to school for K14. We enrolled her full time at the local high school. She's a freshman in a class of fifty-three students. She won't be taking French or band. Right now she's got four study halls. Not exactly rigorous but she's thrilled to be back in school full time even if I'm not thrilled with the education, or lack, that she'll be experiencing. We are compromising, public schooling with after schooling. She gets the social time, I get to supplement with the things I think are valuable. She gets to prove her growing maturity by completing her school work in a timely and consistent way. I get to encourage her interests and help her slog through the work that doesn't interest her. I'm hoping the compromise works for both us.
Today was the first day back to school for K14. We enrolled her full time at the local high school. She's a freshman in a class of fifty-three students. She won't be taking French or band. Right now she's got four study halls. Not exactly rigorous but she's thrilled to be back in school full time even if I'm not thrilled with the education, or lack, that she'll be experiencing. We are compromising, public schooling with after schooling. She gets the social time, I get to supplement with the things I think are valuable. She gets to prove her growing maturity by completing her school work in a timely and consistent way. I get to encourage her interests and help her slog through the work that doesn't interest her. I'm hoping the compromise works for both us.
Friday, December 31, 2010
Bearing Witness to Blessing Part 4
Predictably, things haven't gone quite as we'd planned. It's probably a very good thing that we aren't in charge of the Master plan and that we don't have all the details presented to us in advance. We'd be too tempted to tinker with the parts we don't like and mess up any hope for a worthwhile resolution.
The first part of our move went beautifully. We managed the movers and got out of the house with only a few minor glitches. Namely, a lot of dog poop, a lost great dane and tons of cleaning. Those glitches did cause some tears and set backs but we pulled it together and were even on the road by 4pm on Wednesday, as scheduled.
The most heart breaking moment, other than locking the door for the last time, was watching K14 and her two best friends, standing in the mud and rain, holding each other and sobbing. The pain of my children can break my most resolute heart. We set out for our new home with a van full of odds and ends and five bruised hearts. As I told H11, "Sad is okay. We can all be sad together. Turning sad into mad isn't okay. Even if it makes you feel stronger." I think we'll all need to be reminded of sad versus mad over the next weeks.
On our way out of town, we stopped to pick up cash and the family dog. The ATM receipt showed that we had a higher balance in our checking account than we ever, ever had before. A sign that the old house had closed and that we were officially homeless. The rest of the trip to our new home was long and, at times, tearful, but uneventful. I said a prayer of thanksgiving that is was over and went straight to bed.
Thursday morning brought fresh disappointment. The new house didn't close. The mortgage company was unable to give us a new closing date. They have processes, you know. The day stretched before us with nothing to do. No home to move into. No plan.
We went shopping. Kohl's was having a sale. I had pre-Christmas Kohl's dollars. Everyone got to buy something they wanted but didn't need. Three pairs of jeans, four shirts, three pairs of leggings and two Star Wars action figures cost us $28. We love Kohl's.
We only wish the grocery shopping had been as cheap! We are staying with friends until Saturday so we felt the need to provide the New Year's Eve party food. We let M6 and S8 push the tiny kids carts. We filled them to the top with party food, shrimp, sodas, champagne and strawberry cream cheese. Not our normal shopping routine by any means. Three pizzas from Little Caesar's gave us another positive moment in our unexpected day.
After getting the kids to bed last night, R and I sat down and discussed our options. What looked bleak at the beginning of the conversation turned into blessing after blessing and prayers of thanksgiving by the end. God is so good and taking a moment to recognize the goodness, especially when the circumstances are unexpected, is an exercise worth doing.
We have exactly what we need, it may not be what we wanted or what we thought we needed, but we have EXACTLY what we NEED, and then some. And then quite a bit more. Our things are taken care of. We have food, shelter and clothing. We will be spending next week in a hotel, with a pool. We were even able to find a store that had bathing suits for sale! The hotel allows animals. It serves breakfast. It has connecting rooms. It has weekly rates. Our plan B is God's plan A and we are blessed.
We'll be spending tonight celebrating the New Year with friends who feel like family. We'll be missing the friends that we've celebrated with over the past years and pray that we are able to celebrate together in the future. We will be praying for all our friends and family tonight. Our prayer will be that God will reign down blessing on all and give eyes to truly see those blessings as they appear.
The first part of our move went beautifully. We managed the movers and got out of the house with only a few minor glitches. Namely, a lot of dog poop, a lost great dane and tons of cleaning. Those glitches did cause some tears and set backs but we pulled it together and were even on the road by 4pm on Wednesday, as scheduled.
The most heart breaking moment, other than locking the door for the last time, was watching K14 and her two best friends, standing in the mud and rain, holding each other and sobbing. The pain of my children can break my most resolute heart. We set out for our new home with a van full of odds and ends and five bruised hearts. As I told H11, "Sad is okay. We can all be sad together. Turning sad into mad isn't okay. Even if it makes you feel stronger." I think we'll all need to be reminded of sad versus mad over the next weeks.
On our way out of town, we stopped to pick up cash and the family dog. The ATM receipt showed that we had a higher balance in our checking account than we ever, ever had before. A sign that the old house had closed and that we were officially homeless. The rest of the trip to our new home was long and, at times, tearful, but uneventful. I said a prayer of thanksgiving that is was over and went straight to bed.
Thursday morning brought fresh disappointment. The new house didn't close. The mortgage company was unable to give us a new closing date. They have processes, you know. The day stretched before us with nothing to do. No home to move into. No plan.
We went shopping. Kohl's was having a sale. I had pre-Christmas Kohl's dollars. Everyone got to buy something they wanted but didn't need. Three pairs of jeans, four shirts, three pairs of leggings and two Star Wars action figures cost us $28. We love Kohl's.
We only wish the grocery shopping had been as cheap! We are staying with friends until Saturday so we felt the need to provide the New Year's Eve party food. We let M6 and S8 push the tiny kids carts. We filled them to the top with party food, shrimp, sodas, champagne and strawberry cream cheese. Not our normal shopping routine by any means. Three pizzas from Little Caesar's gave us another positive moment in our unexpected day.
After getting the kids to bed last night, R and I sat down and discussed our options. What looked bleak at the beginning of the conversation turned into blessing after blessing and prayers of thanksgiving by the end. God is so good and taking a moment to recognize the goodness, especially when the circumstances are unexpected, is an exercise worth doing.
We have exactly what we need, it may not be what we wanted or what we thought we needed, but we have EXACTLY what we NEED, and then some. And then quite a bit more. Our things are taken care of. We have food, shelter and clothing. We will be spending next week in a hotel, with a pool. We were even able to find a store that had bathing suits for sale! The hotel allows animals. It serves breakfast. It has connecting rooms. It has weekly rates. Our plan B is God's plan A and we are blessed.
We'll be spending tonight celebrating the New Year with friends who feel like family. We'll be missing the friends that we've celebrated with over the past years and pray that we are able to celebrate together in the future. We will be praying for all our friends and family tonight. Our prayer will be that God will reign down blessing on all and give eyes to truly see those blessings as they appear.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Pulling the Plug
Yesterday, in the middle of a conversation with my mother, I ran out of words. The bone weariness of change and coping met the limits of my mind and body and I sagged in my chair unable to think or speak. Thankfully, inhaling deeply and sitting up straight solved the problem. This is day three of our move, the official day three. I feel as if we've been moving for months and months now but others recognize the arrival of the moving truck as the official starting place.
Whenever this move began, today we take it to a new level. Today is the day that we pull the plug. The computer is being boxed today. Everything will be moved out of the house and loaded on the truck and the truck will drive away. There's no going back now.
We will still be here tomorrow, cleaning, running final errands and saying goodbye. We'll probably head out around 4pm for our new home. Closing there is Thursday morning. Furniture and things to be delivered on January 3. Out with the old, in with the new. In a bigger way than ever before.
Moving
forward,
unplugged,
this is the promise that I carry:
Whenever this move began, today we take it to a new level. Today is the day that we pull the plug. The computer is being boxed today. Everything will be moved out of the house and loaded on the truck and the truck will drive away. There's no going back now.
We will still be here tomorrow, cleaning, running final errands and saying goodbye. We'll probably head out around 4pm for our new home. Closing there is Thursday morning. Furniture and things to be delivered on January 3. Out with the old, in with the new. In a bigger way than ever before.
Moving
forward,
unplugged,
this is the promise that I carry:
For this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
(Nehemiah 8:10)
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Moving Day #1
The day after Christmas is not the day I would have picked to begin our move but, like it or not, this is the day. I am so thankful that I have this assurance from Psalms 118:24:
This is the day which the LORD has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
The blessings continue to unfold. Our neighbors across the street needed a dog sitter from today until Thursday and we needed a place to stay while the move is happening. Two needs taken care. Our dog sitter is more than happy to keep our dog while the movers are here. One less worry. We'll see him on Thursday morning. We've seen a steady stream of friends picking up things we don't need to move for the benefit of those that they know in need.
As I sit in the midst of boxes, I'm trying to keep the rejoice part of my assurance in mind. I have loved my life here in this house. I'm taking the essential things with me. I'm also leaving some important things and people that I love behind. I have confidence that this move will provide a wealth of new experiences and new people. Taking time to rejoice about what we've known and what we can only imagine is a happy-sad exercise. Above all, I know that this is the day that the Lord has made for me and this is the path that we follow in our effort to glorify God. I stand confident that the joy will be given in abundance.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Turn Off the Faucet
Twice in almost as many days I've become a fountain. The first occasion occurred when my friend J dropped off her son for the boys' last sleepover before our move. I was managing my emotions (stuffing them as deep down as possible) until P disappeared as quickly as he got into the house and Jill tried to get him to come back saying, "But I wanted to be sure I got a picture of you guys." Cue water works.
Today, it was our last Sunday at church. I pray that those there understood that I was overwhelmed not rude. Okay, maybe overwhelmed but rude. I had to leave for a bit or sob uncontrollably.
I can hardly wait to see what the rest of this week brings. As we move closer to our farm and tears seem to spring forth unbidden and unwelcome, I hope this verse becomes true in my life:
Those who sow in tears shall reap with joyful shouting.
He who goes to and fro weeping, carrying his bag of seed,
Shall indeed come again with a shout of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.
-Psalm 126:5-6
Today, it was our last Sunday at church. I pray that those there understood that I was overwhelmed not rude. Okay, maybe overwhelmed but rude. I had to leave for a bit or sob uncontrollably.
I can hardly wait to see what the rest of this week brings. As we move closer to our farm and tears seem to spring forth unbidden and unwelcome, I hope this verse becomes true in my life:
Those who sow in tears shall reap with joyful shouting.
He who goes to and fro weeping, carrying his bag of seed,
Shall indeed come again with a shout of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.
-Psalm 126:5-6
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Saying Goodbye
We've begun the process of lasts and of saying goodbye. Last week was our last session at Community Bible Study. Tonight was the last time I'll play bunco with my long running bunco group. Tomorrow will be the last sleepover for my son with his two best friends. A list of lasts and goodbyes stretches out before us. The last trip to the orthodontist, the last trip to Graeter's for ice cream, the last time we go to our church. Some lasts have already passed us by and we didn't even realize it. We didn't know we needed to say goodbye to the dentist or the doctor during our last visit. We didn't celebrate our last trip to the lake or to the ski slopes.
My children aren't as aware of the goodbyes as I am. They enjoy each moment and don't spend a lot of time thinking about lasts. That's a gift and I'm hesitant to mark the lasts for them. I want them to savor each moment without the sadness. Enjoying the present without feeling the loss is a great thing.
I spent a few hours in my neighbor's home earlier today wrapping the Christmas gifts that she let me stash in her spare room. I was there alone and the house was quiet. It was such a blessing to have that time, to wrap and think about my children and the blessings we've had in this place. After my neighbor arrived home, we enjoyed a glass of wine and some quiet conversation. Even as I soaked up her home and her company, I felt the sense of loss. She felt it too.
This is my least favorite part of moving. Each goodbye reminds me of slowly peeling away a band-aid. It would be so much easier to just give it a good yank and be done with it. I know the next two weeks are going to be even harder. Some goodbyes are going to hurt way more than ripping a band-aid. There are neighbors and best friends that will remain in our hearts if not in our lives. Those goodbyes are going to leave a mark. And they should. The people that matter to us should leave their mark in our lives. We hope we will leave a mark in theirs.
My children aren't as aware of the goodbyes as I am. They enjoy each moment and don't spend a lot of time thinking about lasts. That's a gift and I'm hesitant to mark the lasts for them. I want them to savor each moment without the sadness. Enjoying the present without feeling the loss is a great thing.
I spent a few hours in my neighbor's home earlier today wrapping the Christmas gifts that she let me stash in her spare room. I was there alone and the house was quiet. It was such a blessing to have that time, to wrap and think about my children and the blessings we've had in this place. After my neighbor arrived home, we enjoyed a glass of wine and some quiet conversation. Even as I soaked up her home and her company, I felt the sense of loss. She felt it too.
This is my least favorite part of moving. Each goodbye reminds me of slowly peeling away a band-aid. It would be so much easier to just give it a good yank and be done with it. I know the next two weeks are going to be even harder. Some goodbyes are going to hurt way more than ripping a band-aid. There are neighbors and best friends that will remain in our hearts if not in our lives. Those goodbyes are going to leave a mark. And they should. The people that matter to us should leave their mark in our lives. We hope we will leave a mark in theirs.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Bearing Witness to Blessing Part 3
We are here again. Waiting still. An offer has been made on our house and we've accepted it verbally. The relocation company has received their paper work. We've called the movers. It's all feeling VERY familiar.
If things move forward as scheduled, such an infinitely big IF, then we'll be leaving our home between Christmas and New Year's. As of this moment, we don't have any certain knowledge of exactly where we'll be going.
This is what I do know....all my needs are, and will continued to be, supplied. My part in all this is just to bear witness to the blessings that are ever present and wait to see what will happen next. No matter what happens, it's going to be good.
If things move forward as scheduled, such an infinitely big IF, then we'll be leaving our home between Christmas and New Year's. As of this moment, we don't have any certain knowledge of exactly where we'll be going.
This is what I do know....all my needs are, and will continued to be, supplied. My part in all this is just to bear witness to the blessings that are ever present and wait to see what will happen next. No matter what happens, it's going to be good.
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