Sunday, October 4, 2009

A New Normal

It began with a kind email from my father in law, Tom: Would we like a Christmas wreath for our front door? As I read his generous offer, I was struck by the new normal that our lives are beginning to take on.

Life is changing once again and what we have become use to is now a thing of the past, and what we have in front of us is our new normal.

New - Attending the same church every Sunday, getting to know people, beginning to recognize faces and starting to feel at home.

New - Routine, a white board with chores and tasks, a schedule and things that has to be done.

New – A place for each thing, and the place is not a suit case or a brown paper box, it is a shelf, a closet or a table.

New – Regular play dates with the same kids every time, familiar faces and good friends, not having to make a new acquaintance each time we stop in a park.

New – cleaning, bed making, grocery shopping, meal planning, take out the trash, no longer are these things taken care of by others in hotels, motels and restaurants.

New- Hospitality, we now have a place to call home to where we can invite people to come and join us for a meal and fellowship, and although we do not have real plates just yet, we are learning that china and crystal is not necessary for a fun time.

New – Time apart, and how precious and wonderful the reunion is at the end of the day when Daddy comes through the door after a long day at school.

New - A place to call home, a place to decorate for the seasons, a place to hang a live Christmas wreath!

We have done so much in the last 11 months, and learned so much, and although we are a bit sad to give up the freedom, the fun and the adventure, we are excited about this new normal here in Monterey, California.