Begin Again
It's not as if I don't have things to write about. It's not as if I don't have a burning desire to put all the thoughts that feel trapped in my head onto a screen. I fear I will have a gap...a lapse of time that I can't account for as if nothing happened the entire months of August or September. Not so...much did happen, and I'm still caught in the bustle of transition. Oh, to think that in the midst of this chaos we could be anticipating bringing home another new person. It is October, and if 6 months ago, life would have unfolded differently, we would indeed be welcoming Baby. But it didn't. What if it had? Would we made the leap to our new little home? If not, most definitely our summer would have been different. Our fall would be different. Our lives would be different, and while so many things could be so different, I'm so comfortable at this very moment in time. I haven't questioned but I haven't healed completely. Yesterday was our due date, but it came and went uneventfully. I've grown and learned, but I can't quite say "everything happens for a reason" and feel consoled by that. I often feel guilty because I don't feel like I've grieved or recognized the baby lost in March like the one in November. It hurts my brain to think about the what-ifs, so instead I'll concentrate on the here-ares. This may be a long post!
I may have mentioned before how moving slowly didn't turn out to be the best choice we could have made. Who knew?? Three and a half months later, we're still not 100% moved out of our old house. Each time we get settled and find a place for everything, we bring another load of STUFF in. It's mostly stuff that we don't know where to put. I know that sounds crazy, I mean, we've already gotten rid of 75% of our other STUFF. It still feels good to have purged so much. We live in this house that even people whom we don't know ask us, "Are all of you sleeping there? In that little house?" "Yes...yes, we really are, and it works." It really is working. It doesn't feel ultra tiny. Eight weeks in, and we are still recreating walking space in the garage, trying to find things packed, letting go of the anxiety of where to run and play, hang jackets and store boots, and hoping that our new neighbors can tolerate all that comes with us! I'm eager to take a few before and after pictures...to blog about how we're utlizing every square inch of space and remind myself that life is just fine without a gas stove, a kitchen island, cable TV, or a bedroom closet, because the reality of it is: IT IS GOOD.
Eight weeks ago, our move...our real move was prompted by school starting. More firsts!
First day of high school...I can't tell if he is nervous or just irritated that I am taking his picture! :)
First day of Kindergarten! His review? "It was awesome!"
First day of school for the whole clan. Jakob started a few days before, and his schedule has him leaving the house almost an hour before these guys, so we never did get all six of them. There's still a few years left though!!
Lots of new things going on! New house, new classes, new routines. I wasn't entirely prepared for managing everyone's schedules. I didn't really think it was going to be much different than ever before, but it was. New school means new schedule, routine and guidelines. I think I've got a better handle on it now that we have our feet wet.
We squeezed in our second annual ice cream social. The house was empty, but the freezer was full of vanilla bean ice cream. I opted not to make a bazillion flavors for the sake of saving time (or just being able to get it done period!) We're glad that we did it, as it would've been easy to let it take a back seat to all that we had going on, but the night was gorgeous and it is likely the last thing that we will host there. I'm not sure our new back yard would accomodate quite as well...stay tuned though, as we are certainly planning to plan a 3rd annual!!
Mathilda was part of a play this year that is performed each year in honor of Our Lady of Fatima preceding the annual Marian Mass held outdoors.
The weather all week was reminiscent of late summer days, but the evening of the play and Mass proved to be much different. The temps dropped 25 degrees, the clouds rolled in, threatening rain to our otherwise drought-striken environment, but the play went on. It was beautiful, as it always is, telling the story of St. Lucia and her childhood encounters with Our Lady.
An amazing outdoor procession and Mass followed by a Rosary procession by candlelight typically follow immediately, but instead, this year, everyone quickly stacked chairs and headed to the retreat center chapel to move the Mass indoors.
Literally standing room only as people stayed, willing to stand outdoors under shelter while the rain was coming in sheets to celebrate.
It has been fun to watch Jakob enjoy highschool. It suits him, and he has really jumped in and taken hold of his day...well, maybe not the waking up, but he manages his responsibilities pretty well. He is enjoying football, and it is fun to be part of another team.
Maintaining the desire to pursue more than just one talent, Jakob is also part of PiusX Singers. They performed their first concert along with the rest of the school choirs and of course it was lovely.
Joshua is now the only "Firefighter". The midget teams are divided by geographical boundaries, and he started playing while we were still living in Eagle, but he and Jon are both hoping to be able to still play for the Firefighters again next year.
We couldn't feel more welcomed to this familiar place. As new as everything is, it is comfortably familiar...enough to make it seem as if we've always been right here...in this place. It is so great to be minutes away from almost everything that is going on. Our community--our neighbors, our parish and school families, our friends make it all so easy.
The younger kids got to visit the "Pink Sisters"...the Sister Servants of the Holy Spirit of Perpetual Adoration. The Sisters love this yearly event where they can greet and visit the children!
2012 is a big year in many ways...not just because we moved. This year on Jakob's birthday came the announcement that our diocese was appointed a new bishop. He will be installed on Jon's birthday. We have been blessed with 22 years of Bishop Bruskewitz. He has been a tremendous leader. We were thrilled to have him celebrate Mass with us at least one more time as we celebrated our parish feast day.
Joshua was thrilled to be able to serve for the Bishop and because in prior years, his big brother assisted with the Bishop's staff and mitre, Joshua was honored to do the same.
The prior evening, our parish celebrated with a big picnic...always fun for everyone!
The godteens youth group helped by offering face painting, but I think there was a bit of hesitation to let this boy have access to their faces. Ha ha!! Little brother was ok with it though!
It's been a good start. We're still praying for the sale of our other house. Pray with us if you think about it!
Eight weeks ago, our move...our real move was prompted by school starting. More firsts!
Lots of new things going on! New house, new classes, new routines. I wasn't entirely prepared for managing everyone's schedules. I didn't really think it was going to be much different than ever before, but it was. New school means new schedule, routine and guidelines. I think I've got a better handle on it now that we have our feet wet.
We squeezed in our second annual ice cream social. The house was empty, but the freezer was full of vanilla bean ice cream. I opted not to make a bazillion flavors for the sake of saving time (or just being able to get it done period!) We're glad that we did it, as it would've been easy to let it take a back seat to all that we had going on, but the night was gorgeous and it is likely the last thing that we will host there. I'm not sure our new back yard would accomodate quite as well...stay tuned though, as we are certainly planning to plan a 3rd annual!!
Mathilda was part of a play this year that is performed each year in honor of Our Lady of Fatima preceding the annual Marian Mass held outdoors.
The weather all week was reminiscent of late summer days, but the evening of the play and Mass proved to be much different. The temps dropped 25 degrees, the clouds rolled in, threatening rain to our otherwise drought-striken environment, but the play went on. It was beautiful, as it always is, telling the story of St. Lucia and her childhood encounters with Our Lady.
Literally standing room only as people stayed, willing to stand outdoors under shelter while the rain was coming in sheets to celebrate.
It has been fun to watch Jakob enjoy highschool. It suits him, and he has really jumped in and taken hold of his day...well, maybe not the waking up, but he manages his responsibilities pretty well. He is enjoying football, and it is fun to be part of another team.
It's been fun to pack everyone's dinners up and jump in the Suburban to go watch an out-of-town game...especially since we're really not in the car too much anymore. :)
Maintaining the desire to pursue more than just one talent, Jakob is also part of PiusX Singers. They performed their first concert along with the rest of the school choirs and of course it was lovely.
Joshua is now the only "Firefighter". The midget teams are divided by geographical boundaries, and he started playing while we were still living in Eagle, but he and Jon are both hoping to be able to still play for the Firefighters again next year.
We couldn't feel more welcomed to this familiar place. As new as everything is, it is comfortably familiar...enough to make it seem as if we've always been right here...in this place. It is so great to be minutes away from almost everything that is going on. Our community--our neighbors, our parish and school families, our friends make it all so easy.
The younger kids got to visit the "Pink Sisters"...the Sister Servants of the Holy Spirit of Perpetual Adoration. The Sisters love this yearly event where they can greet and visit the children!
2012 is a big year in many ways...not just because we moved. This year on Jakob's birthday came the announcement that our diocese was appointed a new bishop. He will be installed on Jon's birthday. We have been blessed with 22 years of Bishop Bruskewitz. He has been a tremendous leader. We were thrilled to have him celebrate Mass with us at least one more time as we celebrated our parish feast day.
Joshua was thrilled to be able to serve for the Bishop and because in prior years, his big brother assisted with the Bishop's staff and mitre, Joshua was honored to do the same.
The prior evening, our parish celebrated with a big picnic...always fun for everyone!
The godteens youth group helped by offering face painting, but I think there was a bit of hesitation to let this boy have access to their faces. Ha ha!! Little brother was ok with it though!
It's been a good start. We're still praying for the sale of our other house. Pray with us if you think about it!
