It's been a rough week. Still dealing with tooth pain (can't be fixed until next week), surrounded by boxes, damage from the move (didn't realize hard back books could be broken in half), dead car battery, lots of rain, and to top it all of the kids and I came down with the flu! And yet things are slowly coming together and we are starting to re-create a home. I hate the chaos and mess that comes with moving. I hate the moments of panic when I realize we have once again brought way too much stuff. I hate the exhaustion. But here's the flip side. I like the challenge of making everything work. I like re-inventing spaces. Mixing things up because I have to be creative with the space. Daring to try new color combinations and liking it. While also keeping some of the same familiar things in the same familiar configuration. And I love unwrapping. Carefully peeling back that white paper to discover a handmade bowl that is one of my favorite wedding gifts. Unwrapping artwork from friends and family that can make me smile or tear up in an instant. Opening up the box of photo albums. The suprising discovery of a starfish that made it in one piece. The joy of lining our shelves with our favorite books. The pillow and quilt that my mom made for me so long ago. Treasures from our travels. Our bikes. It is so good to be surrounded by our favorite things. Because of our frequent moves and because we live so far from our families and our roots these belongings have even more meaning to me. They are bits and pieces of our past. Bits and pieces of our friends and families. Bit and pieces of us. So as much as I long at times to live even more simply. I also feel really lucky to have these bits and pieces. Just need to keep unwrapping and finding spots for them.Unwrapping Our Life
September 27, 2009
It's been a rough week. Still dealing with tooth pain (can't be fixed until next week), surrounded by boxes, damage from the move (didn't realize hard back books could be broken in half), dead car battery, lots of rain, and to top it all of the kids and I came down with the flu! And yet things are slowly coming together and we are starting to re-create a home. I hate the chaos and mess that comes with moving. I hate the moments of panic when I realize we have once again brought way too much stuff. I hate the exhaustion. But here's the flip side. I like the challenge of making everything work. I like re-inventing spaces. Mixing things up because I have to be creative with the space. Daring to try new color combinations and liking it. While also keeping some of the same familiar things in the same familiar configuration. And I love unwrapping. Carefully peeling back that white paper to discover a handmade bowl that is one of my favorite wedding gifts. Unwrapping artwork from friends and family that can make me smile or tear up in an instant. Opening up the box of photo albums. The suprising discovery of a starfish that made it in one piece. The joy of lining our shelves with our favorite books. The pillow and quilt that my mom made for me so long ago. Treasures from our travels. Our bikes. It is so good to be surrounded by our favorite things. Because of our frequent moves and because we live so far from our families and our roots these belongings have even more meaning to me. They are bits and pieces of our past. Bits and pieces of our friends and families. Bit and pieces of us. So as much as I long at times to live even more simply. I also feel really lucky to have these bits and pieces. Just need to keep unwrapping and finding spots for them.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I am so glad that last week is behind you! And glad you will be able to get the tooth taken care of this week. I agree about wanting a simple life but realizing how comforting it is to have "special things" around that bring wonderful memories when you touch and look at them.
I laughed when I saw the photo with the coffee cone. It is not that it really brings "special memories", but I sure like my morning cup of coffee!
Lucia, I totally agree with you! It is all we have when we are so far from family and friends. A word of advice..... do not keep anything stored in those moving boxes. Our house flooded last week and I lost some very dear photos and many of the kids' "firsts" art projects and school stuff. It was very sad. Now, everything is stored in rubbermaid containers. We love you and miss you!!
I'm so sorry about your rough week, and especially about your tooth pain. Hope the sun will soon shine in all categories, and the pieces of you home will reconfigure and nicely fit together.
PS your kitchen looks nice!
Sorry to hear about your week... hope those roughest times are behind you and you can get your tooth lined out and the house made into home! There is so much fun to be had in the unwrapping and recreating!
I guess my wish for you didn't come true. I am sorry you had such a hard week. Hopefully, it will only get better from this point on. Moving is just plain hard.
hoping, hoping that this week goes better for you lucia!! that old cliche and raining and pouring is coming to mind. ugh!
Sorry to hear you guys haven't been feeling well. Is there anything we can do?
In the meantime, good luck unpacking. It'll be a huge relief when you get all those boxes (and all that paper!) out of there and you can start to arrange your treasures.
Good Luck with the unpacking - I hate to move...
You have such a beautiful way of being able to acknowledge the challenges and general suckiness of the day-to-day, but always finding the things that elevate the positive and lend deeper meaning to your experiences. I'm in constant awe of your attitude and positivity.
And I hope your tooth pain is taken care of SOON!!
I totally agree with Morninglight Mama. I look forward to reading your posts as you look at life's challenges and its rewards! We are moving back into our home next week after it was rebuilt due to a house fire. They were able to retrieve our photos and I am totally grateful for that...all the other stuff is just that...stuff and can be replaced. Hope your tooth is better!
Betty
Oh man, that picture makes me ache. I've done too much of that lately.
but I just wanted to share in your joy of the unbroken starfish. I had the exact experience lately. :)
So funny, Lucia, i feel the same way every time we move. although...with 4 kids, i think i might really be ready to stay in one place. (or not :-)
i'm praying for you tooth pain and i hope the settling in goes quickly!
Post a Comment