Today I decided to step out of the tornado and sit outside to write. It’s been a while since I’ve aired out my head. I’m learning that it is not selfish for me to take out time for myself but rather NECESSARY in order to be who I need to be for my kids and my husband. Right now I am sitting outside watching red, orange, and gold rain down all around me. The evening light catches the leaves at a perfect angle and illuminates the tree like one grand, stain-glassed window in this outdoor Read More
Home
The night before Gracie was discharged from the hospital, Haley asked a very practical question. "Do I say 'Welcome Home' when Gracie comes to this house tomorrow? Or should I wait until we go back to the other house?" Hmmmm...For a moment it made me sad that our kids don't really know where they live, but it allowed Haley and I to have a good conversation. After the talk, I was reminded about a chapter in Tim Keller's book, Prodigal God (if you've not read this New York Times Read More
Adventures in Scandinavia, Part 1
In Iceland, people are serious about catching rays when the summer sun shines (since it's so rare). It’s almost as if people just collapse wherever they happen to be when the sun peeks out. One time, I looked out my window and saw a full-grown man lying prostrate on a piece of grass beside the bank parking lot. I love to see the Icelandic people enjoying the warmth of nature and not taking it for granted. Naturally, here in Finland I want to soak up every last bit of summer. Yesterday, I Read More
Priceless Lunch Pail
We are so close to having the house empty and ready for our renters tomorrow. I cannot believe how much work it is to move...and we only did a pseudo-move. Funny story: Okay, so apparently when you move you're supposed to ask your kids what things are special to them and let them decide what things to keep. However, when you ask Haley and Darcy what things they want to keep, they say EVERYTHING. Even if it is something they have not played with once. So, my system has been to watch what Read More
stress
I checked out a bunch of children's books from the library about moving to prepare the girls for the upcoming transition. If only it were as simple packing all of our stuff to go to a new house like all of the stories. Every item in the house requires a decision: will we NEED/want this in Iceland? Will we need this for the next two months in training? Is it worth it to keep this is storage for two years? Will we ever use it again? If I do get rid of it, will we just have to spend money to Read More
Five Reasons why the “Moving” part of Moving ain’t no Fun
5. When you are packing or putting stuff into storage, nothing is worth as much as it is when it is being used in your house. 4. Most of us have some sort of file full of things that seemed like they should be kept "just in case" (i.e. just in case I get audited by the IRS), but now must either be thrown out or take up precious space. 3. Most of the time, you are trying to MOVE your stuff while simultaneously USING it in the last week you are in your house. 2. For me there is this nagging sense Read More