The day has finally come.
My last wake up in our Texas house.
And it’s just as hard as I thought it would be.
We have been here for 5 years.
Half our marriage.
When we moved here, I had 2 boys that were almost 2 and just turned four. My husband was in medical school.
We leave today with an almost 9 year old, almost 7 year old, and twin sisters who turned 4 this month. If you would have told me that while we were moving in, I would have told you, you were crazy. Now I’m the crazy one.
My girls were born here.
Three of my kids were potty trained here.
My boys both learned to ride bikes in our cul-de-sac.
We’ve built tree houses, learned to shoot BB guns, had our first sleep over, had many birthday parties – had many parties.
Three of my kids used high chairs here. Now, no one does.
We’ve had a lot of good times and some really hard ones.
And the one thing we have had all along the way, are some amazing friends.
Amazing, amazing friends.
Friends I am so sad to leave.
Words really can’t express how sad I am leaving these friends.
It’s funny, people always say how outgoing I am and how I make a ton of friends everywhere I go, but the truth is that while I may make new friends, it’s really hard for me to let go of friendships. Whenever I leave, I’m never comforted by the fact that I will make new friends. I want to bring the ones I have with me.
But I can’t.
So, while I am sad about leaving this house that I have loved, that has so many memories that I have loved, I’m most sad about leaving the people here. People who have helped me while I was so sick with the twins, brought meals after they were born, celebrated milestones, prayed with me when I felt completely filled with hopelessness, helped push me to be a better athlete, mother, friend, wife, and child of God.
It’s been a good season. With really awesome people. This was a really fun chapter in my life. Like it or not, I’m off to a new adventure. Wonder what God has in store for me next….
Sweet Jesus, thank you so much for our time here. Thank you for so many sweet memories and amazing friends. Please be with us, right now, in this transition. Help me to be in the moment, not reveling in the past or dreading the future. I want to be here, present with my family, thankful for the memories we are making right now. Please help the kids as they move from their home and friends. I hate the confusion and pain in their eyes. Give me a positive attitude and encouraging words. Jesus, help this to be a smooth, fun transition with lots of memories. Please go ahead of us and prepare the way for friendship and ministry. I love that you love me so much you will do that. Help me to remember that you will provide what I need, when I need it. It’s funny, but every time we move I’m so sad and sure that it can’t get any better. You always prove me wrong. I think you are secretly trying to get me over my fear of heaven. Just when I think it can’t get any better…
(Found this on my computer and it made me smile!)
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Sunday, May 01, 2011
D is for...
Disorganized. That is probably not a word most people would use to describe me, but that is how I feel these days. Disorganized.
People keep asking me if I am “getting ready for the big move” and the reality is that up until yesterday, we hadn’t done much. I don’t know that it is procrastination or that I don’t know where to start or that I have so much going on now I don’t even have time to think about silly things like moving. Probably all three.
Our neighborhood was having a garage sale yesterday, so we decided to put out a few of our big things on the driveway with a “free” sign. After all, I was told that, “that was pretty much all we had to get rid of.”
Apparently not. That little idea opened up Pandora’s box. Or the Maddry’s attic. Either way, I was totally unprepared for all that came out.
Disturbingly, disorganized. Potty chairs, old books, a bazillion empty boxes from stuff we have bought over the last 5 years(!), toys, clothes, old love letters, 2 sand/water tables, memorabilia, 7 slip’n’slides, random wood and another bazillion things I had forgotten we even owned.
The kids were in heaven.
I was in…not heaven, that’s for sure.
Very disturbing for someone who thinks she is organized.
We had so much junk to get rid of that I was dazed, confused and traumatized.
After being totally disgusted that I had lost total control over the attic (which by the way, isn’t my domain – Man has control over that. Obviously. You should see his nightstand. A mini-version of the attic. Just sayin’…) I pulled it together and went into purge mode.
Because I am the opposite of a hoarder.
And probably need just as much intervention.
We started putting all sorts of stuff on the driveway. With free signs everywhere. Unfortunately it wasn’t until about 11am, which is post prime garage sale time. So I decided to take a picture of all the free crap and post it on Craiglist.
Because one man’s crap is…
And they came.
I don’t know who they were, but apparently they like crap…? J was concerned that we were supporting some poor hoarder’s habit. I was just glad to have that gone. Quite liberating. And very therapeutic.
Anyone need help cleaning out their attic? I’ll throw 90% of it away and find it emotionally therapeutic.
Just letting you know I am here to help you.
And myself, of course.
To completely change topics without a good segue…
Last week we separated the Diva’s for the first time. It was…weird.
Kate had pink eye and I needed to teach a class, but couldn’t bring her to the gym with me. J had a bunch of errands to run on base, but didn’t want to take both girls because together they are t-r-o-u-b-l-e. So I took Gracie with me and he took Lily Kate. It took some bribing (okay, lots of bribing) to get them to agree to go anywhere without the other one, but eventually they said yes and on our way we all went.
They asked about one another a lot (as in every 5 minutes), called one another a few times and Gracie got her sister a “special treat” when we went to Target. When reunited, they ran to one another and gave big hugs like they hadn't seen each other in years. It was delicious. They were only apart for three hours. Absolutely delicious.
Gosh, wouldn’t it be so cool to have a relationship like that? Sleep together, eat together, go everywhere together, dress alike, and even go to the bathroom at the same time (obviously different bathrooms!) If one comes to get a snack, she will also ask for one for her sister. If I give one a special little treat she will stand there until I put two in her hands and immediately go share. For being together as much as they are they almost never fight. If I buy them a new shirt and one has an elephant and one a giraffe, they never gravitate to the same shirt. The worst punishment to them is to be separated from one another. They honestly hate to be apart.
They really are an enigma to me. But, mercy, I love them and pray they always stay the way they are now - sharing life together.
Except I would prefer them to not share a husband.
That, would be disturbing.
People keep asking me if I am “getting ready for the big move” and the reality is that up until yesterday, we hadn’t done much. I don’t know that it is procrastination or that I don’t know where to start or that I have so much going on now I don’t even have time to think about silly things like moving. Probably all three.
Our neighborhood was having a garage sale yesterday, so we decided to put out a few of our big things on the driveway with a “free” sign. After all, I was told that, “that was pretty much all we had to get rid of.”
Apparently not. That little idea opened up Pandora’s box. Or the Maddry’s attic. Either way, I was totally unprepared for all that came out.
Disturbingly, disorganized. Potty chairs, old books, a bazillion empty boxes from stuff we have bought over the last 5 years(!), toys, clothes, old love letters, 2 sand/water tables, memorabilia, 7 slip’n’slides, random wood and another bazillion things I had forgotten we even owned.
The kids were in heaven.
I was in…not heaven, that’s for sure.
Very disturbing for someone who thinks she is organized.
We had so much junk to get rid of that I was dazed, confused and traumatized.
After being totally disgusted that I had lost total control over the attic (which by the way, isn’t my domain – Man has control over that. Obviously. You should see his nightstand. A mini-version of the attic. Just sayin’…) I pulled it together and went into purge mode.
Because I am the opposite of a hoarder.
And probably need just as much intervention.
We started putting all sorts of stuff on the driveway. With free signs everywhere. Unfortunately it wasn’t until about 11am, which is post prime garage sale time. So I decided to take a picture of all the free crap and post it on Craiglist.
Because one man’s crap is…
And they came.
I don’t know who they were, but apparently they like crap…? J was concerned that we were supporting some poor hoarder’s habit. I was just glad to have that gone. Quite liberating. And very therapeutic.
Anyone need help cleaning out their attic? I’ll throw 90% of it away and find it emotionally therapeutic.
Just letting you know I am here to help you.
And myself, of course.
To completely change topics without a good segue…
Last week we separated the Diva’s for the first time. It was…weird.
Kate had pink eye and I needed to teach a class, but couldn’t bring her to the gym with me. J had a bunch of errands to run on base, but didn’t want to take both girls because together they are t-r-o-u-b-l-e. So I took Gracie with me and he took Lily Kate. It took some bribing (okay, lots of bribing) to get them to agree to go anywhere without the other one, but eventually they said yes and on our way we all went.
They asked about one another a lot (as in every 5 minutes), called one another a few times and Gracie got her sister a “special treat” when we went to Target. When reunited, they ran to one another and gave big hugs like they hadn't seen each other in years. It was delicious. They were only apart for three hours. Absolutely delicious.
Gosh, wouldn’t it be so cool to have a relationship like that? Sleep together, eat together, go everywhere together, dress alike, and even go to the bathroom at the same time (obviously different bathrooms!) If one comes to get a snack, she will also ask for one for her sister. If I give one a special little treat she will stand there until I put two in her hands and immediately go share. For being together as much as they are they almost never fight. If I buy them a new shirt and one has an elephant and one a giraffe, they never gravitate to the same shirt. The worst punishment to them is to be separated from one another. They honestly hate to be apart.
They really are an enigma to me. But, mercy, I love them and pray they always stay the way they are now - sharing life together.
Except I would prefer them to not share a husband.
That, would be disturbing.
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