Moving

Life is moving along quickly these days. It is June and I can hardly believe it.

We sold our house and the new owners are all moved in.

We are living in a 450 square foot apartment in Arlington, MA. We found it on airbnb.com when we found out we would need somewhere to live for 20 days between closing on our old house and closing on our new house.

In 2 days we close on our new house in Waltham, MA.

In 3 days all of our stuff arrives with the movers who have been holding it in storage for us.

In October we will welcome a new baby into our new house.

I am so excited to get into our new house and make it our own.
"A Robin feathering her nest has very little time to rest..."

We really love the little neighborhood we are moving into. It is one of those neighborhoods that doesn't have any "cut-through" streets which means no one really comes in unless they live there or are visiting someone who lives there. We can walk to a newly renovated (last year) public pool and there are 2 neighborhood playgrounds. The neighborhood has lots of little events that go on throughout the year like 4th of July Parade and Picnic, Halloween Parade, and neighborhood yard sale. We hope to get to know a lot of our neighbors and really feel part of the community.

My husband and I are day dreaming about all of the improvements we can make to the house inside and out. I have grand visions for the yard while he is more focused on the interior.

Our backyard is fenced, but I would really like to fence in our front yard too and put some seating out there. Abigail loves to be outside and with the new baby coming I would like to have two safe places to let her roam.

I can't wait to set up the new baby's room! I have been planning things out a little bit in terms of "theme" and where whatever furniture we eventually purchase will go, but haven't been able to do much beyond that. Once we are in the new house I will be able to pull out the cloth diapers and itsy bitsy gender neutral baby clothes, etc. Looking forward to seeing it all come together.

I am also thrilled to have our living area downstairs and sleeping area upstairs. Abigail is really sensitive to sound when she sleeps which limits what I can accomplish while she naps. The separate space is going to be a life changer.

Then there are the two bathrooms (one on each level) and the finished attic and the back deck and the possibility of a crafting/writing area where I can spread out and have some creative time to myself...

So very thankful and excited!!!!

Space

So, just as I am starting to feel comfortable in our space again... Just as I am releasing all kinds of physical stuff from our life...
We are searching for a new house to make our home.

This is incredibly exciting! We are outgrowing our space. It will be lovely to have indoor and outdoor play space for Abigail. It will be nice to have more than one bathroom. It will be nice to have a fenced in space to let the dog run around. It will be nice to have room to grow.

This is also mildly terrifying! We have never been in the position of needing to sell a house. We will be taking on a larger mortgage. When I was young I experienced what it means to be forced to move. I know that my husband and I are being very smart about this and not taking on anything that is beyond our means, but those earlier memories still live, mostly buried, inside me. I find myself calming and comforting the little girl inside me more these days.

Then there is the emotional side of me. I know that we will take all memories of our current place with us in our hearts, minds, and photos. I know this and still... This is the space we brought our puppy home to and Abigail home to. This is the first home we owned together. We have wonderful neighbors who have become wonderful friends. They live right upstairs and we lean on each other often. Yes, they can come visit us in our new place. This is just leaving behind the old to welcome in the new. I have a feeling that all of the good old will follow us where ever we go.

I also have a fear in the back of my mind, something I need to release...  Part of me is afraid that we will find a beautiful
new place with all kinds of room and then my body will fail us and no more babies will come. All of this space and no babies... Then I assure myself that even if there are not any more babies we will know what to do with all of that space, it will come to us. I must relinquish a false sense of control and welcome what comes.


I am making space and searching for new space. The fear and emotion and possibility of it all is exciting!

Atop a Tarp

Last night I dreamt of myself making art.
I had put a tarp down in my dining room.
There were art supplies of every kinds everywhere.
I had spread out everywhere and I was working, really working.
My heart was full and my head was humming with ideas.

I realized that what I need is a safe space in which to get messy.
I am someone who loves order, but in order to create I need to make a "mess" in a somewhat orderly space.
Am I making any sense to anyone but myself?

I also realized that part of my creative block right now is that I do not have EVERYTHING, all of my supplies, at my finger tips. I have them all, but they are stored in the baby's closet and I take things out one "project" at a time. TOO CONFINING! This limits my creativity.

I could actually buy a tarp, clear out space for all of my suppies in our buffet drawers and/or front hall closet, and create on my dining room floor.

I am not sure that this is the best way to approach this, but at the very least it is the kernel of an idea.

Release

This new year has new things in store for me.

My word for the year is Release.
It has already taken over.
I have bagged and boxed up so much stuff to give away. It will be picked up on January 22.
I have joined a gym and am releasing energy and my cozy cocoon of chubalub there.
I have had a lot on my mind, but have begun writing down these worries and placing them in my "God Box" knowing and believing that God will take care of these things for me.
Every morning I write down three things that I am grateful for.

I am struggling with the Releasing of my creative energies through writing and crafting if only for 5 minutes a day.  I came upon some awesome downloadable software for only $40 called Scrivener. I think it will be a wise investment for my writing. If I have everything I need contained in one place the whole process seems less overwhelming somehow.

I feel like I need a space for crafting, but space is something that we are lacking in our current home. I have not yet figured out how to create this space in the current confines. Maybe I will find it by giving away more stuff and convincing my husband to do the same. Maybe a fold out table/desk in the kitchen?  Maybe an armoire for the laundry area that could double as a crafting space? I trust that a solution will come to me.

I am open to ideas and possibilities.

With Love