home

May 16th.  That was a long time ago.

September 22nd.  This is now.

(and in between...there was so much)  

You will have to believe me when I say we had many grand adventures.  I didn't keep you posted.  You'll have to trust me when I say we had a blast.  I didn't even think to stop and report it here.  You know it's true when I say I almost went crazy at the end....

but, now we are home.  here.  this place.  finally home.

It's better than I dreamed.  Yes, better.  And I did a lot of dreaming. 

Our house is cozy, it's open, it's bright, it feels good and smells right.  It's perfect for our family of four and perfect too when visitors come.  It's not too crowded or too spacious, too small, or too big.  It's just right.

But there is something even better than the new sweet house where we now live.  Better is the community surrounding us.  Better is creating a shared space.  Better is watching the dream become reality.   Better is living it.

deep breath.  enjoying today.  this moment.  this feeling.  being home. 

"your doing WHAT?"

That's the response I often get when I tell people we are moving all our stuff into storage and living out of our van for 8 weeks.  Yes, the kids are coming with us.  Yup, we all fit just fine.  Ummm...actually, I don't need to shower everyday.  And nope, I don't get tired of sleeping on a bunk.  Uh huh, the kids love it.  Yup, we cook - we have a propane stove, a small fridge, and a sink...we also bring along our mini grill.  Yes, there are two double beds - one up and one down.  No...no A/C at all and no heat unless we are moving.  It's a 1987...but the engine is a 2009...that's a good thing.

Well, it might not seem like all that fits in there but it does.  And it fits just fine.  I do sometimes feel like one of those clown cars - you know, the ones where a ridiculous amount of clowns somehow emerge from a teeny tiny car.  Once we start taking things out, I am completely amazed that all those items actually fit all nice and snug back into the van.

We still have quite a few details to work out in these next few weeks - like where we are actually going to put our stuff while we are away, where we are going to go on this trip (guess that can be a spur of the moment type thing but we should still have some semblance of a plan), and how on earth we are going to get all the work (packing, planning, and "real" work) done in the next 3 weeks.  Oh - and throw a few visitors in there for good measure.  Phew...just thinking about it makes me tired.

must. start. packing. boxes.

transitions

It has begun.  Another transition.  Once again, we are putting our things into boxes.  Sorting, selling, donating, packing.  Purging and cleaning.  Organizing and labeling.  It feels good to know this is the last time I will do this for a long, long time.  My packing goal: everything I put into a box will have a place in our new home...each object will either be useful or will make our home beautiful or perhaps will do both.  But, for the next couple of months, all of these useful and beautiful objects will be stored while we head out on an adventure.

The van will be packed with only our essentials.  Nothing more.  Climbing shoes, camp chairs, festival tickets, rain jackets, bathing suits, sunscreen, food, and the four of us.  Summer vacation will take us to California for a family reunion.  Following that, we have no real plan.  We have at least 8 weeks to wander.  No school, no work, no appointments.  No place we need to be and nothing we have to do.  I can't wait! 

Ahhhh...summer.  It's almost here.

home

The house.  I suppose you could say we are in the finishing phase of construction.  The concrete floors have been finished, the cabinets have been delivered, the tile is in boxes stacked in one of the upstairs bedrooms.  There is a large pile of finished trim waiting patiently.  It actually feels like a home inside.  I can't say that it feels like my home.

I have often wondered, when does a newly built house truly feel like home?  When you move into an older home (which is all I have ever lived in), it comes with a life of it's own.  There is an energy there that is created from time past.  People have walked down the hall on the wood floors, they have done their dishes at the kitchen sink, they have open the front door every day.  They have lived, loved, fought, laughed, cried...had good days, bad days, and all the days in between.  They have come home to that house every day and have really lived...and so, the house has a life too.  It has something subtle to give to the next person who lives there...it gets passed on.  But, in a house where everything is new, where does the life come from?  I guess it comes from us...we will be the start.

We did put some old things into our new space - like a reclaimed beam and reclaimed wood floors  Our cabinetry is made from wood sourced from an old fir nurse log that lived for many years, fell in the forest, and grew new life.  I hope these things give the house a sense of something past.  For now, we will be waiting patiently and wondering what it will be like when we live there...and we won't be waiting that much longer.

DST

It's been a long dark winter.  I always say that skiing helps get me through these dark rainy days.  I just close my eyes think about how much snow they are getting at Mt. Baker as it dumps rain on us here in Bellingham.  But on days like today - sideways wind, dark skies, and sick children - dreaming of powder turns doesn't even get me there.

Daylight Savings Time.  That does get me there.  Knowing that next week it will be light out until 6:30 and that spring is just shy of 2 weeks away.  Yes.  These are the things that I like.

I have always really loved the changing of the seasons.  I love the smell of autumn and look forward to that first snowfall of the year.  But, spring...the anticipation of summer...that's my favorite.  (Important sidenote: In the pacific northwest, summer is elusive and often doesn't start until July so that particular change of season is a bit more frustrating than exciting).  Spring...it's similar to Thursday.  I love Thursday because it is not Friday (so unproductive!) but most of the week is over and you have the weekend to look forward to.  You can breathe and relax and know that the days of rest are heading your way.  Since I have been staying at home instead of heading to the office, I feel a bit differently.  I no longer get excited about my relaxing Thursday - instead, I find those relaxing moments at odd times during my days.  Like when Charlie is sleeping and Rowan is busy with a project.  Or when we are all at the beach exploring together - listening to the slap of the waves on the rocky shore.  Or perhaps when I am alone in the kitchen washing dishes yet I can hear Eric, Rowan and Charlie laughing in the living room.  Yup - those are the moments I live for...the Thursdays of life.  And now I am happily looking forward to moving those clocks ahead - even if it means one less hour in my night.