The last time I sat down to write, Isabelle was turning 5. It was April 20th and today is June 1st. I don't measure that as a very long period of time, but let me go on record stating that May was the craziest month I can remember. Just about every aspect of my life that I thought of as normal, changed.
On April 27th, we sold and moved out of our very first home.
When we walked away from 684 I felt as though I was leaving a part of my life I was not ready to let go of. It was really hard. When we lived there, life was normal. I knew where things were, the kids had routines, and all of the smells were comforting.
Change is really challenging. We are so fortunate to have such wonderful family and friends who really guided us and supported us through the process. We were not able to close on our new home until May 15th. We had 19 days with no home. My generous aunt and uncle offered to let us stay with them in Stillwater while we were in between homes. We moved to Stillwater and adjusted pretty quickly. Feelings of displacement are quickly erased when you move in with people like Beth and Gaylen Reetz. Their kind hearts made the transition smooth and fun. We felt at home and the days passed quickly (at least for our family). The kids had a lot of room to play and explore and Nick and I had a nice break from packing and moving.
On May 15th, we closed on our new house in Apple Valley and moved in.
We are pretty settled in the house and feeling really great about the move. The kids are enjoying their seperate rooms and more space to play. When you make the choice to change housing, life tends to push into high impact and anxiety mode. But, when the work is done and the house is a home, the struggle of change is well worth any discomfort it may cause.
Here's the other thing: it seemed appropriate to try to find a job during the month of May. I've stayed home with the kids for the past five years, knowing I would return to work when Isabelle entered kindergarten. I thought about going back to teaching and started sending out my resume. I figured nothing would come of it during May. And, it didn't. But, I also applied to some other educational organizations- one being Educators 4 Excellence. I was granted a phone interview. Then, I was asked to complete a project. Next, an in person interview. I thought I was finished, but was invited in for lunch to meet the team. Lastly, a phone interview with the CEO. This was happening while we were in transition and moving into our new home. I'm surprised I made it through alive.
Last Thursday I received a call from Educators 4 Excellence with a job offer. I will begin working for the organization on July 13th as an outreach director. The ultimate change. I was so excited to receive the offer and relieved to have secured a job. But, I am deeply saddened at the thought of leaving my kiddos. I pretty much move between screaming excitement to heaving sobs. Holy cow!
So, some things have changed in the past month and many will continue to as summer starts. But, that's the thing about life- it's constantly moving, constantly changing. With each change comes growth and new opportunity, happiness and beauty. I just have to get through the transition to realize all of the greatness that comes from big change.
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