Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Saying Goodbye to our Little Old House



Last night we took our kids over to our old house for a goodbye party. It was empty, and chilly, and our voices echoed in the open space.  We sat in a circle on a blanket and shared our memories from living there. 

Among my kids favorites were:

Nerf gun wars in the front yard with their cousins.

Building forts in the backyard out of rubber floor mats.

Getting to walk downtown.

Pillow fights with Mom and Dad.

Playing Grocery store in the basement with the food storage - all together, with the whole basement set up into stations.

Marshmallow and bug and fairy themed birthday parties.

Having Mom and Dad line them up on the couch, instruct them to open their mouths, and compete with each other at pitching mini-marshmallows into their mouths.

The rope swing in the backyard.

Climbing the (only) tree.

Sitting on the front porch swing.

Cooking and baking wonderful things in the kitchen.


It occurred to me that their most precious memories of our home had very little do with the place where we lived.

The common thread that ran through them all was FAMILY.  All the times that we spent with our kids doing ordinary things, or the times that they spent playing together  have become their most treasured memories.

It was comforting, in a way, as we sang an early, "Happy Birthday to our House" that will soon be 100 years old.

To Know.

It doesn't matter where we live at all, what matters is the stuff that happens there.

The time that we spend with each other.

Here's one last look at our home........














Goodbye Little Old House. I know you are just a house.

But thank you for 8 years of wonderful memories.

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Inspired by Wild Salmon

 

Where the Wild Things Are




It's been a bit rough lately. Moving Mayhem, as to be expected.



Our neighbors had a bear in their yard.

We've already had raccoons get into the trash.

We found nests of dead mice in the basement walls, leading to a lot of de-construction.

My two-year-old set off the home security system.  My fourteen-year-old got quite a surprise from the Sheriff at the back door.

My husband wore his suit to church with his white tennis shoes.

And we've had the mess that you would expect.  Boxes everywhere, piles of things I don't know where to put, and children sometimes enjoying the adventure, and sometimes really sad.

My two year old started rubbing her eyes and crying the other day, "I wanna go home, I wanna go home."

I really haven't had time to knit a single stitch!!




But it's close to Thanksgiving Day.  And Thanksgiving is my FAVORITE holiday.  For me, it comes like a needed break from any stress that I'm going through, and puts my life back into proper perspective.  Gratitude is the cure for everything :)

Inspired By Salmon


Not all the critters have been unwelcome visitors.  We have seen some marvelous Blue Heron liftoff before our eyes.  We've seen some elegant deer. 



And we have been immersed into a world of Wild Salmon.



The lovely creek by our house has been full of beautiful bright red salmon.  There is a bench by the bank where you can sit and quietly observe them.  We watch as they struggle and swim against the current.  They search for and find a place to pass through the tree limbs that are blocking the way.  Sometimes they can't fight the current anymore, so they give up and float back for awhile - but in a few minutes you'll see the same fish coming back, fighting it's way upstream again.


Our whole family has been fascinated.  We found ourselves becoming a cheer squad for those fish, really wanting them to make it back to their home where they were born.  It really hit home with some of my kiddos especially.  We are finding strength from watching Salmon.  We can fight our way upstream too, even if we have to float backwards for awhile, or rest in a shallow pool until we have more strength. 



Then this morning I take the dog out and see the sun coming through the foggy trees and it takes my breath away!  YES, everything is going to be ok.





I am going to love living here.

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Packing up ...........


This week has been a mess.

I'm packing up all kinds of things.

The books I meant to read.

All the sheet music I still haven't perfected.

The instruments I wanted to learn.

The art supplies we haven't opened - yet?

The games we forgot to play.

The pictures we didn't know we had.

I'm finding the dried flowers my daughter turned into fairy dresses.

The art from France that had fallen behind the bookshelf - like a time capsule to be opened today.

Rocks and treasures my boys gave me as gifts.

The hand-painted drums from cub scout day camps.

I'm finding my husband's childhood journal and reading,
"For Christmas I got some fun glowing legos and space land legos, two new star wars figures, and two books (one on science and one on the space shuttle)"

Some things never change.  Some things SHOULD never change.

But that was a mild distraction, so it's back to packing up I go.


Empty Shelves