keeping things in perspective

So blessed by your kind, encouraging comments.   I am sorry the posting has been so thin and far between, but it means so much knowing that there are still such sympathetic, caring souls checking in on me as we settle into this small, new town, and this large, messy house. Thank you for taking a moment to encourage me a bit in my really not-so-dire circumstances.

 

It is the best comfort to know we're not alone, and I'm trying to keep things in proper perspective, realizing that we are not facing any Real hardship here.....It is amazing to be in this house and have strength and resources to make it into a home.  It is not as if we've been given any tremendous obstacles to overcome, or great difficulties to choose joy in spite of.

No, choosing joy has simply been the business of smiling at my spouse over a breakfast that smells more of polyurethane than bacon, and squelching unpleasant utterances after getting another bruise on the maze of furniture, and not snapping at the children when they topple a pile of boxes, and not fretting {too much} about temporarily sleeping in the basement with the spiders.  Funny {and sad} how this business has kept my soul plenty busy.

 

This is our eighth week in the house and perhaps the most trying as we are turned upside down again in order to get the floors refinished.  But the floors are almost done, the painting is progress and we are on the brink of finally unpacking.

And this is the hope that now greets me when I open the front door.

{Please note absence  of unwanted door in the wall, crumbling plaster and worn-out floors.}

with every good intention of resuming more regular programming soon,
and with love,
cailan

progress, of a sort

 {via}

It's been pretty quiet here of late.   On the home front the work is slow, and I admit it's been challenge to maintain a vision, and stay motivated, and not get discouraged.

Living out of a suitcase is sort of feeling old hat.  Simply properly caring for three little people each day feels like a substantial enough accomplishment, thank you.  And I am sometimes answering my sweetheart "no, it's not time to hire a cleaning lady...not yet."

Nonetheless, Progress is happening here.  Perhaps not measurably about the house, but we are getting lots of good lessons.  Lessons on joy regardless and in spite of circumstances - specifically the circumstance of a very messy, new house and all the unsettling feelings that go with it.   

"Happiness that depends on circumstances 

            is a very poor article indeed." 

So today, I am believing that this will not always be the sight that greets you when you walk through our front door,

That this will not always be the state of my living room {and my old clock will not remain atop a box},

And this will not always be the circumstances in which I write a bit to you.

Today

{via}

And great changes are just around the corner.  The walls are almost fixed and the floor refinishers are coming this week!   We are all finally well again and there are still lovely summer days to be enjoyed outside together.   Yes, much to be hopeful and happy about.  Hope you are making progress of a sort, too. : )

love,
cailan

a summer ice cream party

Revisiting the end of June today and a little party we managed to squeeze in just before we drove away to Iowa.  You see, we have this funny, somewhat awkward tradition of celebrating the twin's  birthday in mid-summer since their real birthday is just four days after Christmas.  We call it their "half" birthday.  Don't know if the tradition will stick, but since we didn't celebrate last December I couldn't stand the thought of not celebrating their third birthday properly, so we celebrated...the day before we moved away.  I'm so glad we did.

The tradition seems to also be an ice-cream party {we had 2 1/2 party last year, too}.

 At this point all our earthly goods were on their way in the moving van, so had to keep it simple. Nevertheless, we still managed the predictable but irresistibly festive party decor.  Enter, the bunting.

and really, is it even possible to have a party without stripey straws?

 the "birthday" pair.  Couldn't love these two more.

 And all the dear cousins.  Goodness, we miss them.

Now then, it's certainly not too late to have a little ice cream party of your own! 

sources:
orange stripey straws: retro sally
bunting paper, sprinkles, plastic bowls, napkins: hobby lobby
wooden spoons: amazon
cousins: colorado

love,
cailan