Life at the Chicken Coop

New Terrain

We made the move! It's been an exhausting, relieving, rewarding and crazy past several days. We've got the remains to prove it: a fort in the basement made of boxes, for one (you know Finn was behind this one: anything involving construction, boxes and tape he is all over). And, a basement! We finally have a house with room enough for a basement! (Not that I'm a fan of basements, but now we have more room to nest our brood).

Exhibit No. 2: Henry christens the new kitchen sink by taking a post-dinner bath

Exhibit 3: Batman himself watches YouTube videos of himself (or the Warner Brothers one) from the new kitchen computer post

And, this photo is from our old house, but it shows the lackadaisical nature of the Matron of the house (me), in the midst of all this moving, unpacking and general chaos. I never would've let child number one lounge on the dishwasher door! I'm turning into a softie/crazy lady!

All jest aside, it feels so good to get settled into a more permanent living space. Plus, with the new school year, the daily drop-off and pick-up of the school bus, the cooling of the weather, and the settling of the memories of Summer, life feels like it's settling. What a welcome sensation.

I think I've left the house twice in the past three days, and have maintained my standard pajamas-while-at-home dress code. Two kind friends took my kids for hours on end so I could move and then unpack. They are angels. I got so much done with no "helpers" around. Between unpacking spurts, I have moved sprinklers and pulled weeds, only to come back inside to continue the "untying-of-the knot" effort.

I feel like I'm finally getting my bearings (much like after giving birth, or getting married, or any major life-change). I'm not hanging pictures yet (that will come after lots of painting and replacing carpet, etc.), but I might make a trip to the gym or the grocery store. I might not change out of my pajama attire, but I will make the attempt to resume my "normal life." (Normal here implies still a dirty house, disheveled-looking children, random piles of stuff scattered around the house, and holes in some of my favorite shirts).

So, life moves on and we've crossed a hurdle, for which I'm thankful. I've read alot in the blogosphere about the happy anticipation of Fall (i.e. pumpkin bread, crisp weather, sweaters, etc.) and I have to say, I am also looking forward to the upcoming season. This morning, as I bent over the overgrown front flowerbed in my multi-colored polka dot pajama bottoms and hole-y gray shirt, weeding, I felt a warm breeze slide through the general crispness of the air. It felt good. Just like being in this new terrain: our new home.