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Sep 18, 2013

Moving On

Life at the Cole house has been crazy lately.  Legitimately nuts.

You see, we're moving.  This weekend! 

Closings for both houses happen this Friday (God willing) and the actual move is this weekend. 



From here..........to here. 





 
To say that this moving process has been stressful for me is a gross understatement.  I know that many people have endured much more stressful situations with much greater grace than I have shown during this time in our lives.  I guess I'm just not very graceful.  Especially when assimilating change and the unknown and deadlines that are out of my control and negotiations and money. 

Ugh. 

Add to the mix Lena starting preschool, Sam starting kindergarten, my office moving, one of my best friends leaving the office, my band evolving, another good friend leaving the state...and I've kind of been a mess.  It's so much all at once.  Reminding myself that these are all positive changes for everyone helps sometimes, but honestly more often than not the stress sticks around, eating through my stomach lining, knotting my neck muscles and graying my hair.   

The only things that really calm me are praying and feeling my husband's arms around me.  Both help me feel safe and watched over.  I've never been more grateful for both.

So...enough about my emotional instability.  That's not news to anyone who knows me.

This moving business all happened pretty quickly.  Rich and I weren't crazy about the school system the kids would be entering into at our current place.  And we've both always wanted to live in a more established, older neighborhood in a community that's actually a community, not just a jurisdiction.  So after a series of happenstances, late this summer we decided to put our house up just to feel out the market.  Within 10 days we were in contract. 
 
I guess we shouldn't have been surprised. We have a lovely home, despite the cookie-cutter houses and the new-ish subdivision nature of our neighborhood. Rich poured himself into our house over these last eight years, updating and adding and finishing, inside and out. What he made into a perfect first home for us is being passed onto to a young couple who too will make this their first home. I feel good about that. And I pray that this home is filled with as much joy and happiness for them as it has been for us.
 
 

 




Two brand new babies' cries and laughter bounced off its walls, tiny new feet took their first unsteady steps on its floors, first words were spoken into its air...their first everythings happened in this house.  And as our family grew and stretched and evolved, our home sheltered us through all of the growing pains and growing joys.  It's a happy place.  A peaceful place. 
 

We're sad to say goodbye to it. 

But we're also very excited about our new home.  We decided to focus on Westerville for its schools and community and recreation and location and availability of homes we liked.  We saw six houses in one afternoon and, after walking through this house once, Rich and I could both see the kids growing up here and being happy here and our family truly enjoying this neighborhood.  It is peaceful and quiet and established and exactly what we were searching for. 

We were sold.  And so began the process. 

Rich is itching to start making this home ours, drawing up schematics of built-in bookshelves and window seats and wood shingles and front porch expansions and discussing paint and flooring and counter tops and back splashes.  All that stuff he loves to do and is so skilled at doing. 

And I'm dreaming of the years and stages and holidays and small everyday joys and meals and homework and fights and laundry and heartaches and laughter that will happen in this place.  And I'm anxious for this new chapter of our lives to begin in this new place we will call home. 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 




 
I pray God continues to bless and protect our family in this new place, in this new phase.  And that he continues to make our old home a safe and happy place for its new owners throughout this new chapter of their lives. 
 
Welcome home.

Sep 11, 2013

Lena's First Day

My sweet baby girl started preschool yesterday. 

The first day is a shortened parent day, where one parent stays with the child in the classroom to help them get comfortable.  Some parents play with the kids, stay right beside them the whole time.  But I stand back along the wall so that they can be assured I'm there while exercising their independence. Because Thursday she's on her own, and I don't want that to be a complete shock. 

It honestly could have gone either way with her, my sweet independent drama queen.  But she was excited and shy and attentive and friendly. 

She was a perfect little preschooler.

I had to peel her off my leg when we first got into the classroom and kind of push her toward another little girl playing with a doll house.  But after that she was good to go.  Nearly all of the other kids were relaxed and playful and reserved too, so I know that helped.  After about an hour of playing and doing activities and participating in class, she didn't even want to sit with me when we went to music.  But after a moment's thought she climbed into my lap, joining the struggle everyone faces: finding a healthy balance between our independence and self reliance and how much we need to lean on others. 

She's beginning her journey, so ready to learn and opine and think for herself.  So ready to fill her mind with the facts she needs to learn, to fill her imagination with the wonders the world has to offer, to fill her soul with the beauty of art and music. 

Education is such an amazing blessing. 

 


 

 
I'm so proud of her. 

Sep 7, 2013

My Little Superheroes

When I came downstairs this morning, I found a couple of superheroes in our living room.  Sam was half Flash/half fairy.  And Lena was half bumblebee/half peacock. 
 
As dangerous a crime-fighting twosome as I've ever seen.  I'm making sure to be on my best behavior today!