The One Where We Live as Nomads

It all started in a happy joyous moment. The Husband received a job offer from a firm in his hometown (just 20 minutes from my hometown as well). It was a long time coming and he accepted gleefully. We were pumped and excited at the amazing timing as we were just shy of re signing our lease.

Ah moving. Last time we moved with one kid, this time it was with 3. Despite my constant consigning and trips to Goodwill to rid our house of baggage we still had tons of packing to do. I packed and looked for new places and my friends helped me pack, watched my kids and helped me stay sane.

At our wits end due to low volume on rentals and the fact that we were looking in Winter, the Husband finally found a “steal” for a rental of a friend of a friend. Long story short “buyer beware” would most appropriately describe it. It was left a mess by previous tenants and the day we moved everything inside came the final blow. As my husband returned the moving truck I began to hear skittering above the kitchen. Whether squirrel or rat it was too heavy for mice and I alternated between wanting to vomit and wanting to cry. I promptly gave the Husband my assessment, “no way in hell my children or I are sleeping here tonight”. Thankfully my parents already had my kids during the moving process and I joined then….for the next 2 weeks.

We have now rotated to the in laws (so as to spread our loud crazy children around) and will remain here until another shift back. The rats were supposed to be exterminated but on a few of my daily mail runs I have heard more skittering (*shudder**). Suffice it to say our “new house” is now a storage crate and we have been desperately searching for a suitable home since then. I loathe moving, I have high hopes that this may be our last move before “the move”, the one where we get to be grownups and buy a house. We shall see.

Anywhoo, until then we are enjoying time with our families and treasuring the family moments in between the crazy moments.

May you all have a new year filled with blessings and family!

Love, the nomadic writer 😊

A Season of Change

Tis’ the season.

For moving, new job, new Christmas traditions and the same conversations in roundabout fashion.

So much to tell, the Husband got a new job, took a vacation, quit his old job, and we moved. This all happened in the span of two weeks or so.

We are now a family in fragment, unlikely and completely unforeseeable circumstances mean we may be this way for some time as we encounter a few rough patches. We are nomads at Advent. I can now imagine how Mary must have felt leaving her family and her comfort to follow Joseph back to Bethlehem (at least I am not about to bear a child) and upon finding a sense of rest on arrival, finding out the only place available was a cave/stable. Thankfully we have family as shelter and are not living in a cave. I get it though. The time of year and my current circumstances have given me a new perspective and sympathy for Mary.

This time of year has been and will always be sparkly and magical for me. I am trying so hard to make it thus for my children but I am struggling. I am struggling with my “Christmas spirit”. My traditions and warmth seem faded and cold at this moment in time and I yearn for a peaceful soul.

Where you may be, whatever the circumstance I pray you may find peace and rest this Christmas season. May our focus remain on our blessings and the hope we have in Christ.

Until the next quiet moments….