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Monday, May 18, 2015

Here, There, and Pioneers



These past few weeks have felt like we're living between two places.  On one hand, we are spending all of our free moments preparing to move to California.  There are things to be sorted, and papers to be filled out, and plans to be laid.  I have a babysitter coming regularly (queue Alleluia chorus!) which has allowed me to start working through each of these things, or just calmly prepare a dinner without children underfoot, depending on my mood.

Ben went out to California this week, and while we obviously missed having him here, it was thrilling to be able to see everything through his eyes.  Our new house, a school for Hugo, the neighborhood we'll be living in.  It's all so exciting!  Ben would send me little texts and notes through the day like, "Just had breakfast at a diner that I think you're going to love," or "Went for a run and saw some kids riding bikes to school!" just to help me imagine everything.  There are so many things I'm already excited about, the top two being that 1. We are a short walk from a Crepe place and 2. Our house has a finished attic which is magical.  I mean, I think I would move to California for those two things alone!

But then on the other hand, plain old life is continuing around here.  As many things as need to be done, we still have our basic needs for nourishment and rest.  There are sandwiches to be made, and clothes to be pressed, and noses to be wiped.  All these little children are great at reminding us of this!  And so, even while packing and planning, we are pretty much just continuing life as usual.  We are in particular relishing the things we love about Virginia in the spring (and summer!), like running through the sprinkler whenever we want to, azaleas that erupt in flashy colors every May, and time with all of the friends that we hold dear.

The big girls and I have been watching the "Little House on the Prairie" series for the first time, after reading the books enough times that we can recite the storyline.  I love these shows, and they have been the ultimate motivation to me.  Here is a family that relocates every few years, often due to some big disappointment, from one challenging life to another.  And yet they preserve family unity, manage to find a community, and accomplish great things amid their failures.  There's something so incredible about that pioneering spirit, and I see it echoed in the hardships my own parents faced to immigrate to this country.  It is a beautiful thing to hear the stories of those who came before us and succeeded in doing hard things, because it makes us realize that we can do them, too!  How's that as a pep talk for your week?  Happy almost Monday, friends!

4 comments:

Margo said...

love all the pretty summer dresses and that awesome retro pitcher/percolator (?) on your table. Great to be pioneers in style :)

Lauren Oliver said...

I hear you with the crepes and magical attic!!! I'll have to come check those out! Go, Pioneers (and visitors)!

Adele said...

It's a percolator from the thrift store which is missing its electronic components, so is just employed as a pitcher here! :-) Yes, happy summer!

Adele said...

We are officially open for visitors in August of this year, Lauren! ;-)