It's been awhile... life happens. The move, and then losing Uncle Bob, plus a lot of kid stuff this summer. Sometimes I have no doubt why fall always feels so good to me... it is finally getting past the busy summer and finally getting a time to be feeling somewhat human again!
My first goal this week is to finish up stuff that is sitting. Bills that need to be throughly reconciled and figured out to pay (we have a lot of medical ones, and that takes time)... laundry that is folded but needs sorted and put away (I have a whole bedroom of that!)... and partially clean rooms that need finished. God is good, and I am praying HE will guide my thoughts as I do this, rather than my having those thoughts from the "other one" that defeat my energies. Thoughts such as "I only have an hour, I won't be able to get things done in that short of a time..." etc. Satan loves to derail us!!
OK - off the computer go I, and to work on these things. Oh - - and the second goal - - is to assist our friends who are presently living in our other house, to have the house ready for showing via our real estate agent asap. We're ready to sell it! Please!
I hope for blessings on YOUR day as well, Laura
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Tough June but lessons still...
Early in the morning on June 6 our phone rang. It was my auntie in Canada, calling to tell us my Uncle Bob had died during the night. He'd had a heart attack, but we thought he was recovering... not so, as we now realize.
I know this topic might seem weird for a blog that I intend to share my thoughts of clearing out and organizing a home and life, but it isn't really. I'll explain.
I went to Canada to our old family farm (Mom grew up there) for Uncle Bob's services. A couple of fun things - - as we arrived, my sister and I (we had flights that came in near times with each other so shared a rental car), we walked into the kitchen and I just instinctively said "we're home." Yes, the farm is home, it is the roots of much of our family life for us. The farm house is old, and while it stores so much of our family's past it is not cluttered but instead is kept very neatly by my aunt. There is everything needed, but not all the extras. !!!!!
The farm itself is full of equipment, some newer and some antique and rusting. Everything on the farm seems to say "Uncle Bob" to me, and has every time I've been there, as a small child and even in recent years. But, this is where the realization came. As they were placing the small box with Uncle Bob's cremated remains in the grave, I thought of how we were all standing around looking at a box when Uncle Bob himself was already dancing in heaven (or maybe arguing with mom, a favorite pasttime in life for both of them). Then I looked at all my relatives there too... all of us with our own fondness and love for Uncle Bob, and the memories and lessons he has taught us. That truly is Uncle Bob now.
It was interesting - - as we went back to the farm, which we're not sure Auntie Margaret will continue residing on or not - - I didn't think "Uncle Bob" as much when I looked at everything. They were just things - - the true Uncle Bob is what he's left in a legacy of love for all of us. Auntie Margaret may very well move from the farm, even sell it - - and that is OK. I'd prefer to know that she is living where she is comfortable than staying there to preserve our memories because of the "things" (house, barn, contents, farm equipment, etc...).
And that all brings me to this post - - none of this stuff that clutters our lives and homes will be going with us, and when we're gone it could even be a burden for those left to manage it. Thus, it is best just not to have it, at least in excess. :-) Thus, I continue my quest to unclutter...
Friday, June 5, 2009
Other House Empty Now...
We have "officially" emptied the other house and it is completely clean. YAY!!!!! It DOES look nice, but needs carpet/floors replaced and worked on. We may sell it "as is" and thus avoid this, but if we need to list it we'll be hiring these things done. We'll see...
Todd also still has to finish the garage, in terms of emptying out all his cabinets and such. But, my part is DONE and then some! :-)
Now, to get things settled here. Mo is having a garage sale tomorrow and I want to empty out as much as I can to send it that way! However, I have several other obligations today that will make my time tight, so pray I can get to it all.
Even with a much bigger house, the desire to live with less is so strong in me, that the simplifying will go on... and on... and on.....
Laura
Todd also still has to finish the garage, in terms of emptying out all his cabinets and such. But, my part is DONE and then some! :-)
Now, to get things settled here. Mo is having a garage sale tomorrow and I want to empty out as much as I can to send it that way! However, I have several other obligations today that will make my time tight, so pray I can get to it all.
Even with a much bigger house, the desire to live with less is so strong in me, that the simplifying will go on... and on... and on.....
Laura
Monday, May 25, 2009
All Moved, and Time for more Simplifying!
I haven't posted in a really long time... life has been insane. We did buy our "big" house, and are now trying to settle in. A lot of the "stuff" I hadn't gotten rid of from the other house has gone, but there is a lot left that unfortunately needs sorted before it can go. UGGH! Because we're emptying that house out to get it sold, we will have to move the stuff here to sort it. Not my favorite solution, but still necessary... oh well.
Some of the things we discovered in the other house... one, mice. We had them a few years back and thought we'd gotten rid of them. When we moved big furniture there was evidence of their still presence under some of the large pieces of furniture. Because we had pets, we could never use poison traps but now that we've moved out, that we have done. The stuff has been eaten - - and the droppings are ceasing to exist too. YAY! Another discovery - - carpets that clean nicely. Though worn, our 11 yr old carpets have shampooed very nicely. Except for the pen mark in Tori's room, bleach spots from acne lotion in Scotty's room and in the hall, and general wear, they look really good. And... the most amazing thing, there is a FLOOR in the basement! NO WAY! I thought it was just an area 4ft deep of junk stuffed and stacked up - - 1100 square feet of it, but lo and behold there is a floor beneath. The kids can't believe how much room there is in there... :-)
Back to simplifying - - though there is plenty of room in this bigger house, I have my work cut out in getting rid of stuff from the other house so we can enjoy the room. Only one car fits into our 3car garage as of now... so the mission goes on!
Laura
Some of the things we discovered in the other house... one, mice. We had them a few years back and thought we'd gotten rid of them. When we moved big furniture there was evidence of their still presence under some of the large pieces of furniture. Because we had pets, we could never use poison traps but now that we've moved out, that we have done. The stuff has been eaten - - and the droppings are ceasing to exist too. YAY! Another discovery - - carpets that clean nicely. Though worn, our 11 yr old carpets have shampooed very nicely. Except for the pen mark in Tori's room, bleach spots from acne lotion in Scotty's room and in the hall, and general wear, they look really good. And... the most amazing thing, there is a FLOOR in the basement! NO WAY! I thought it was just an area 4ft deep of junk stuffed and stacked up - - 1100 square feet of it, but lo and behold there is a floor beneath. The kids can't believe how much room there is in there... :-)
Back to simplifying - - though there is plenty of room in this bigger house, I have my work cut out in getting rid of stuff from the other house so we can enjoy the room. Only one car fits into our 3car garage as of now... so the mission goes on!
Laura
Friday, May 1, 2009
Mooooooving!
We actually closed on the short sale house! Now that it is done, I am absolutely in awe with God that He could put this thing together. The short sale process is complicated, and often doesn't work out. In our case, there was so much loan $$ from the previous owner to be "forgiven" from the banks, that it took everyone - - us, the 2 banks, the 2 realtors, the seller, and the credit union rep we were working with on our loan, to actually come together and make it work. It did, but we didn't know until up until the last day.
Now we're faced with packing, moving, etc... I am SO thankful I got rid of so much of my own stuff prior to this, but there is so much more stuff in this house I wish we didn't have. Thus... the clearning out will continue, AFTER we get this massive move done. Wish us luck.
Laura
Now we're faced with packing, moving, etc... I am SO thankful I got rid of so much of my own stuff prior to this, but there is so much more stuff in this house I wish we didn't have. Thus... the clearning out will continue, AFTER we get this massive move done. Wish us luck.
Laura
Friday, April 10, 2009
Thinking about Romania... at Easter
In 1995, Todd and I took the trip of a lifetime and brought back a "live" souvenior - - our daughter Ana-Maria. Our "trip" was actually to get her, sight unseen, after her adoption had been completed via power of attorney, in Romania. That trip changed our lives.
We stayed in an apartment in Bucharest that was very old and run-down, but had everything we needed in it. There was a small sort of hallway kitchen, a main room that had a nice dining area and an old futon-styled couch, and a TV. There was also a teeny hallway to a teeny bathroom, which had all we needed (toilet, old rusty tub, and sink), and a small bedroom. Outside the living area and bedroom was a wooden balcony that overlooked a courtyard, and on the other side of the courtyard was a very fancy outdoor restaurant where live ethnic Romanian music was played until about 3am every night. Of course, the first nights, this run-down place and the strange sounds of the music (we had to have the windows open - no A/C, and it was August, 100degrees plus in the days) made it difficult for us not to expereince the anxiety of being in a different world. We couldn't watch the TV but more than an hour a day and even then it was not in English. The one hour we could turn it on was when they were playing Superbook cartoons (in English -but with Romanian subtitles) and Ana-Maria loved them. Thus, we were literally immersed in simplicity. Oh no, we even had to talk to and relate to each other all day long! For food, we could walk to the open market or stop by a grocery - - there were no grocery carts though (and even when I went back in 2000, though they had them, they were tiny!). We got used to buying only what we needed for a day and carrying it back, with a toddler who was just getting used to us. We were a bit afraid of getting sick from the food, so we carefully boiled everything and prepared our meals... and that filled up some of the time. We sat on the floor for hours and played with the same blocks, with Ana-Maria - - it is amazing how many uses for stacking cups and blocks one can really find! In the evenings, we were blessed to be picked up by some people we had just met on the airplane on the way in (yes!) and taken to places to walk, and visit. Their company was so dear - - though neither of us hardly spoke each others languages.
I could go on and on - - but what I am getting at, is we were happy... euphoric! Of course, we had just gotten Ana-Maria and she was everything we'd dreamed of and more... but we also were living simply. We were not "plugged in" all day long. We weren't "supersized" all day with food and entertainment. Instead, we were relating to each other and those around us, and taking a new unusual place that had a lot more to offer than the place of abundance where we'd come from. One of the strongest and lasting impressions made on me was one evening, at around dinner hour. We heard a lot of shouting and such from the balconies in the courtyard of our building. I looked out, and chidlren were playing games with each other from the balconies of their apartments. I would have given anything to hear the words in English, but they were evidently saying things to each other, dropping down out of sight behind their railings, and then popping up again - lots of laughter. There were probably about 10 different balconies with kids on them playing this game. I kept thinking "yeah, and we've replaced that with the TV or video games... what a loss for America!"
The lesson of this week had a profound impact on me and is one I have to revisit occasionally. On days my kids are "bored" I think of that, and I encourage them to find some "unplugged" self-entertainment. When I grocery shop (and I mean GROCERY shop - - we put the back of the car FLAT at Costco) I think of how much of what I'm buying we really need at once. Some is good - - it is a big time-waster to be in and out of that particular store too often. But mostly, I think about how much "stuff" has gotten in the way of the relational lives God built all of us for.
As Easter weekend comes and we prepare to spend the weekend with very special friends, I am remembering this special lesson from Romania. This will be a relational weekend, hopefully as unplugged as possible, and one honoring the risen Lord.
By the way - - that "strange" music we heard in the nights became a lullabye by the end of our 5 night stay in the Romanian apartment, and we have several CD's of it here. Go figure!
Easter Blessings - Laura
We stayed in an apartment in Bucharest that was very old and run-down, but had everything we needed in it. There was a small sort of hallway kitchen, a main room that had a nice dining area and an old futon-styled couch, and a TV. There was also a teeny hallway to a teeny bathroom, which had all we needed (toilet, old rusty tub, and sink), and a small bedroom. Outside the living area and bedroom was a wooden balcony that overlooked a courtyard, and on the other side of the courtyard was a very fancy outdoor restaurant where live ethnic Romanian music was played until about 3am every night. Of course, the first nights, this run-down place and the strange sounds of the music (we had to have the windows open - no A/C, and it was August, 100degrees plus in the days) made it difficult for us not to expereince the anxiety of being in a different world. We couldn't watch the TV but more than an hour a day and even then it was not in English. The one hour we could turn it on was when they were playing Superbook cartoons (in English -but with Romanian subtitles) and Ana-Maria loved them. Thus, we were literally immersed in simplicity. Oh no, we even had to talk to and relate to each other all day long! For food, we could walk to the open market or stop by a grocery - - there were no grocery carts though (and even when I went back in 2000, though they had them, they were tiny!). We got used to buying only what we needed for a day and carrying it back, with a toddler who was just getting used to us. We were a bit afraid of getting sick from the food, so we carefully boiled everything and prepared our meals... and that filled up some of the time. We sat on the floor for hours and played with the same blocks, with Ana-Maria - - it is amazing how many uses for stacking cups and blocks one can really find! In the evenings, we were blessed to be picked up by some people we had just met on the airplane on the way in (yes!) and taken to places to walk, and visit. Their company was so dear - - though neither of us hardly spoke each others languages.
I could go on and on - - but what I am getting at, is we were happy... euphoric! Of course, we had just gotten Ana-Maria and she was everything we'd dreamed of and more... but we also were living simply. We were not "plugged in" all day long. We weren't "supersized" all day with food and entertainment. Instead, we were relating to each other and those around us, and taking a new unusual place that had a lot more to offer than the place of abundance where we'd come from. One of the strongest and lasting impressions made on me was one evening, at around dinner hour. We heard a lot of shouting and such from the balconies in the courtyard of our building. I looked out, and chidlren were playing games with each other from the balconies of their apartments. I would have given anything to hear the words in English, but they were evidently saying things to each other, dropping down out of sight behind their railings, and then popping up again - lots of laughter. There were probably about 10 different balconies with kids on them playing this game. I kept thinking "yeah, and we've replaced that with the TV or video games... what a loss for America!"
The lesson of this week had a profound impact on me and is one I have to revisit occasionally. On days my kids are "bored" I think of that, and I encourage them to find some "unplugged" self-entertainment. When I grocery shop (and I mean GROCERY shop - - we put the back of the car FLAT at Costco) I think of how much of what I'm buying we really need at once. Some is good - - it is a big time-waster to be in and out of that particular store too often. But mostly, I think about how much "stuff" has gotten in the way of the relational lives God built all of us for.
As Easter weekend comes and we prepare to spend the weekend with very special friends, I am remembering this special lesson from Romania. This will be a relational weekend, hopefully as unplugged as possible, and one honoring the risen Lord.
By the way - - that "strange" music we heard in the nights became a lullabye by the end of our 5 night stay in the Romanian apartment, and we have several CD's of it here. Go figure!
Easter Blessings - Laura
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Fun Weekend - and back home again
I went out of town this weekend - - my sister was married on Saturday, and Ana (oldest dau) and I flew in for her wedding. It was fun - - and we got a little break from "real life" too. I'm back now and working away at "stuff." It now seems to always be calling me to eliminate more of it, which is good! This morning I've been trying to catch up on wash, and pitching any clothes that are marginally fitting the kids. :-) I think the "attitude" is sinking in!
And... even though we were in town where my favorite outlet store is to purchase things for Tori and Cristian, I did NOT shop and thus didn't bring anything back with me. THAT in itself is truly a change.
Laura
And... even though we were in town where my favorite outlet store is to purchase things for Tori and Cristian, I did NOT shop and thus didn't bring anything back with me. THAT in itself is truly a change.
Laura
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