Thursday, July 3, 2008

Fragile


I was talking to my sister today and we both seem to be in the same sort of funk. I think it has to do with this particular time of the year. When we were kids, we always moved in the summertime. This meant saying goodbye to our best friends, boyfriends, homes, schools, everything and moving to a new and sometimes unusual country. As teenage girls, it was the most traumatizing and life-changing thing ever and I'm sure my poor dad bore the brunt of it. Looking back, though, we always adapted quickly and transitioned into our new lives pretty easily. 

But that transition period sucks. And that's where I am right now... halfway between my old home and my new one. I wake up and feel like I'm in a hotel. Worse- I wake up at five a.m. and feel like I'm in a hotel because Booker is also struggling with being uprooted. He's resorted to calling Clark and I by our first names and throwing tantrums over the silliest things. Poor kid. He hates us right now and is constantly asking to go to "Addie's house" or "Zanya's house." 

What I hate most about moving is that you're forced to confront all your stuff. There's no avoiding it. I'm surrounded by years and years of junk and I just want to throw it all away. I see all my mismatched, hand-me down furniture and I wish my house could look like a magazine spread instead of something from D.I. But then I put it all together and somehow I don't mind that my kitchen chairs don't match the dining table or that there are scratches on the coffee table. Call it complacency... I'm just glad to have somewhere to eat and rest my feet. 

This move has also been difficult because I didn't realize how much we relied on my mother-in-law's stuff. Its been such an incredible blessing to be able to live in her house and use her furniture/appliances/you-name-it while she's serving her mission. Now that we've moved out, I miss the things I took for granted, like having a night stand and lots of book shelf space. As someone who has always inherited other people's old furniture, I'm suddenly outraged at the cost of buying a new (or even used) dresser/bed frame/chairs/etc. Furniture is DANG expensive. I'm so annoyed! I've been scouting craigslist like a hawk lately for a good deal. I've definitely been spoiled by free furniture from family. 

Anyways, this house is slowly beginning to feel like home but there's a long way to go. I'll post some pictures once everything is in its right place. In the meantime, enjoy a video courtesy of Radiohead.

4 comments:

Petra said...

I had to furnish my new apartment just before leaving for Jordan, so I absolutely feel you. Ikea and Salvation Army, baby, that's where it's at.

(If you, like me, are okay with mismatched, cheap furniture.)

Anonymous said...

Love that video.

Callie Proffitt Christiansen said...

I have two Oak night stands if you want to use them. They're just sitting in our guest room. They don't have drawers though. They're like a cabinet night stand. You're welcome to them.

KrumperKids said...

I feel your pain. We are trying to get our house ready to sell and I am overwhelmed by all my stuff--and really, I don't have too much. I am beyond impressed that you are doing this 8 months pregnant. Brava.