My last post was about my children leaving the nest ... the last one actually left on Mothers Day. We also made it through the chaotic two days of two university graduations in two different cities. All the while, we were also listing our house for sale, having our house shown, selling, packing (pack, trash, recycle, or donate), house hunting, buying, more packing ... and then came the days of moving.
Many people have expounded on the relative joys of downsizing and decluttering ... it is certainly a challenge to face one's own accumulation of stuff from 17 years or longer. I found letters written to me from about grade 6 and on ... most I recycled without reading, but I did have to peek into a few of them. There were boxes of the kids' schoolwork from kindergarten to about grade 4 ... after that, they would bring all their paper from school to light the campfire when we camped in the summer. There were books ... so many books ... did I really think I was going to re-read my university texts? Even Shakespeare has been sitting on the shelf reproachfully for a long time. There were boxes of stuff that wasn't even mine (sneaked into my garage by my sibling). And I finally located my binder of creative writing (my "future novels") from early high school years.
However, the time sped by and soon it was time to load trucks. We were blessed with 4 fellows from our church the first night, who helped my husband load up all that had been packed into a 26 ft U-Haul truck. The second night, more blessings ... friends and more friends and family ... and all of the rest of the possessions made it on a second truck the same size as the first. Actually, that's not strictly true, as a utility trailer also appeared and picked up some more tools and things from the garage.
Moving day! We got the keys to the new house around lunch time, then drove the trucks to our new abode. One gentleman from our church was waiting when we arrived. We were soon joined by my mother and another couple of friends. And then the parade of boxes and bins began ... with the accompanying music of "where do you want this?" "Where does this go?" "Upstairs or downstairs?" And, of all the days of the year to move, we had to pick the one that broke records for the daily temperature that were set over a century ago! Hot, hot, hot. We went through a lot of water bottles.
By suppertime, we were getting anxious. There were some big things on the first truck to bring in and the second truck had barely been touched. We ordered pizza, prayed, and made some phone calls. When the heat of the day was done, along came two friends from the loading up nights, and one brought a friend of his that we didn't even know! What a blessing and an encouragement!! The trucks were emptied in under 2 hours and we were IN!
Of course, things were much more complicated ... the purchasers of our old home had wanted our newer washer/dryer set, which we had moved, so that had to go back. We were supposed to have our phone/cable/internet hooked up on moving day, but we didn't have the keys on time ... so it took 4 appointments to actually get that working. Each time they couldn't do it, we had to spend another 45 minutes on the phone to set up the next appointment. First world problems ... 13 days without TV or Wi-fi. The space where we planned to put our washer/dryer on the main floor does not have the hookups as easily accessible as we were led to believe. And every time the question "do you know where ... ?" arises. the answer can only be "I have no idea." Things that I had put aside so they would be immediately available have vanished!
However, three weeks have passed. We can cook in the kitchen, and even figured out the ice and water dispenser on the new refrigerator. We have our communication with the "outside world" ... especially the kids. I now have a new cabinet in the bathroom for my medications ... the one area of my life that I really need to keep in order! Our bedroom is liveable. And we do have the previous owners' washer/dryer in the basement, which will do for now.
At the same time as we have this disruption in our lives, thousands of people in the interior of BC, including some of our family and friends, have been evacuated due to wildfires threatening their towns and homes. I cannot imagine trying to grab the essentials, packing them into a vehicle, and leaving home for an extended and unspecified length of time, with no assurance that what is left behind will be there upon return. Even my "first-world" moving problems are minor, faced with evacuees who have much bigger worries. Truly, we are blessed, with a roof over our head, all of our possessions (even if we aren't sure exactly where they are), and peace of mind.
Thursday, July 27, 2017
Friday, April 7, 2017
Sometimes I just have to smile and smile and smile ...
The last baby bird is about to leave our family nest. We started with one baby bird almost 24 years ago, and she was joined by two more crazy little birds a couple of years later. At times, we thought this would go on for ever ... crying, feeding, bathing, shopping, doctors and dentist visits, school interviews with teachers, field trips, and soon we were facing orthodontists and taking them to driving school.
Then the first graduated from high school and went to university ... ah, living student life vicariously was fun (of course, I didn't have to commute an hour each way by bus). The twins soon followed in their sister's footsteps, graduating and starting post secondary education, but taking quite different directions. In a short time, the firstborn married, moved, and started a new chapter in her education and work experience. Older twin (by 5 minutes) went to college locally and then in Dawson Creek, and within 4 months had started on the career path that he still enjoys today. Younger twin went to the local university and is less than 3 weeks away from finishing his course work.
It's not that I have been longing for an empty nest. I've enjoyed my little ones even after they became big ones, and then grew taller than me. I look up to the three of them, not just in the physical sense. They are remarkable human beings who are heading toward their goals and setting new ones once those are achieved. We have a family chat on Facebook, and each was recounting what they were achieving this year ... then someone commented "and what have you done, Mom?" Well, my dears, you are my gold medals, my Pulitzer and Nobel Prizes. I have had my university education, teacher training, years of various employment, and now have my dream job at last. But you are my legacy and when you achieve, I bask in the reflected glow.
The updated achievement for the firstborn will be her Bachelor of Arts in French this June. She has also maintained a private tutoring business through the last few years, working with students of many ages. This year has been a challenge, as she and her husband also moved to another apartment and he is presently looking for a position in worship ministry. There were many ups and downs and changes, but she has weathered them without being worn down. Next fall will be the teacher training professional/practicum year ... but I feel as though she is miles ahead of where I was at her age, wise beyond her years.
The secondborn has been living on his own and working for more than two years. He too moved to a new rental accommodation this year. After finishing the academic portion of his Aircraft Maintenance Engineer course, he worked for several companies and has gradually achieved journeyman AME status. He also gets to spend time away from base (aka - home) at various camps where he does maintenance on his company's helicopters, and his next destination is Newfoundland (which apparently has just been snowed in again). This will make him the one in our family who has been the furthest east in Canada, the previous record held by his sister on her two visits to Quebec.
And that last nestling is spreading his wings with university graduation with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science. He has made several trips to North Vancouver for job interviews and has just accepted a position with a company there ... while also being accepted into the graduate school of UBC to begin a Masters degree this fall. He just got word that he will receive a travel scholarship to attend a computer technology conference in Silicon Valley. So the next month will be a busy time of exams, finishing coursework, finding a place to live, and moving away from home to begin his new adventure, accompanied by his faithful (and ferocious) cat, Snowball.
Now, all I have to figure out is how to get to two graduations in cities five hours apart, which are being held on consecutive days ... during my work week. It may be a challenge, but when I see what my offspring are accomplishing, their effort is worth my time to go and celebrate with them.
Then the first graduated from high school and went to university ... ah, living student life vicariously was fun (of course, I didn't have to commute an hour each way by bus). The twins soon followed in their sister's footsteps, graduating and starting post secondary education, but taking quite different directions. In a short time, the firstborn married, moved, and started a new chapter in her education and work experience. Older twin (by 5 minutes) went to college locally and then in Dawson Creek, and within 4 months had started on the career path that he still enjoys today. Younger twin went to the local university and is less than 3 weeks away from finishing his course work.
It's not that I have been longing for an empty nest. I've enjoyed my little ones even after they became big ones, and then grew taller than me. I look up to the three of them, not just in the physical sense. They are remarkable human beings who are heading toward their goals and setting new ones once those are achieved. We have a family chat on Facebook, and each was recounting what they were achieving this year ... then someone commented "and what have you done, Mom?" Well, my dears, you are my gold medals, my Pulitzer and Nobel Prizes. I have had my university education, teacher training, years of various employment, and now have my dream job at last. But you are my legacy and when you achieve, I bask in the reflected glow.
The updated achievement for the firstborn will be her Bachelor of Arts in French this June. She has also maintained a private tutoring business through the last few years, working with students of many ages. This year has been a challenge, as she and her husband also moved to another apartment and he is presently looking for a position in worship ministry. There were many ups and downs and changes, but she has weathered them without being worn down. Next fall will be the teacher training professional/practicum year ... but I feel as though she is miles ahead of where I was at her age, wise beyond her years.
The secondborn has been living on his own and working for more than two years. He too moved to a new rental accommodation this year. After finishing the academic portion of his Aircraft Maintenance Engineer course, he worked for several companies and has gradually achieved journeyman AME status. He also gets to spend time away from base (aka - home) at various camps where he does maintenance on his company's helicopters, and his next destination is Newfoundland (which apparently has just been snowed in again). This will make him the one in our family who has been the furthest east in Canada, the previous record held by his sister on her two visits to Quebec.
And that last nestling is spreading his wings with university graduation with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science. He has made several trips to North Vancouver for job interviews and has just accepted a position with a company there ... while also being accepted into the graduate school of UBC to begin a Masters degree this fall. He just got word that he will receive a travel scholarship to attend a computer technology conference in Silicon Valley. So the next month will be a busy time of exams, finishing coursework, finding a place to live, and moving away from home to begin his new adventure, accompanied by his faithful (and ferocious) cat, Snowball.
Now, all I have to figure out is how to get to two graduations in cities five hours apart, which are being held on consecutive days ... during my work week. It may be a challenge, but when I see what my offspring are accomplishing, their effort is worth my time to go and celebrate with them.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)