A Life Adventure I Like to Refer to as "A Series of Unfortunate Events" - Part 1

With frustrations surmounting, sending me to the brink & at times into the level of crying.  I hope just typing this out will help make some of the frustration go away. 

May 2013

My beautiful, sweet boy was born.  He fills our lives daily with joy and laughter. 

I'm not writing much about him at this point because he is not in any way the source of my frustration, yet he is an important part to this story, so, more to come later about Baby Barron.

August 2013

With my maternity leave over, I returned to work.  Sad to leave my son, but knew he was in excellent hands while I worked my 7-4.  I took my regular vacation of one week off the end of the month to celebrate our anniversary with my husband.  

~ a little background before I continue...

My father-in-law, a few months prior to my son's birth, was diagnosed with arterial sclerosis of the brain (aka Alzheimer's).

...now to continue ~

We aren't super religious [anymore] but my husband and I grew up in Christian homes and raised under Biblical values, et al.  So when my husband walked into the nursery where I was rocking my son, he had just gotten off the phone with his mom.  She informed him that she had made a decision to move her and my FIL from Portland to Florence, Oregon and was already making plans to visit Florence to find a home.  I don't know the exact words that were exchanged in the phone call, just that she had invited us to move with them; with or without Tim and I, they were moving.

Tim has a job that he can do anywhere, so that wasn't a huge factor for our decision, but he especially didn't want to lose his father being physically close since the illness was already causing him to mentally "leave". I loved my job, yet I've always desired to stay home and raise my kid(s).  We had mutually agreed a while previous to all of this to "walk away" from our home.  We were in negotiations with the bank for our home, yet still occupied it.

With best intentions we made our decision to move with my in-laws.  We also believe we were honoring God with our decision.  Not any one particular scripture verse came to my mind that day, but here are a couple that basically explain my thoughts on it that day in August: 1 Timothy 5:3-4, 8 and Ephesians 6:2-3.

I think it was the weekend before I returned to work from my vacation when we stayed at my in-laws PDX home and watched their dogs while they visited Florence for a home.  Tim and his older brother finished numerous projects on the Portland home before it went up for sale.  Being where the home was located it didn't take more than 24 hours after it was listed when an offer was made and accepted by my MIL.  Also, my MIL found a home for both families to live in, which also included a decent amount of land around it so we could have a garden full of fruits and vegetables.

I had glorious visions of this new "adventure" too: walking along the beach during the day with my son, collecting shells, hunting for bugs in the brush with him when he turned one...

September 2013

I gave my resignation at work, trained my successor, placed a forwarding address request with USPS - the usual "moving" things.  Packed box after box after box.  Got rid of a lot of things.  Helped my in-laws move into our home.  With mixed emotions we said a sad goodbye to friends and family, most of whom were also raised as Tim and I and/or couldn't argue with our decision.

October 2013

Moving day came dark and early on the 11th.  The caravan was headed out before God was even up: leading the group were 2 extra-large U-haul trucks; my husband driving one and our neighbor Alex driving the 2nd, 2 sedans which drove on ahead parted ways with us which contained my in-laws and the other contained Nick & his girlfriend driving the car to bring back the other drivers.  I followed next in our FJ with BB sleeping in the back and towing the aluminum boat full to the brim, Nathan followed me in the little red Ford truck towing a trailer with Cocoa as his co-pilot.  We were off.  I cried and cried.  Probably cried several times on the trip, but I don't remember, I was trying to stay positive.

Nathan got stuck behind a slow driver so I held back to stay with him as best I could.  We arrived in Florence and I got lost and drove us around crazy in that small town.  Finally we made it to house, unloading already underway.   

I got out of the car and my MIL says to me very excitedly "welcome home!" - I held back tears, trying to be strong and positive, unloaded BB and took Cocoa into the house with me.

~ to be continued...

Wardrobe Spring Cleaning!

Confession: as an adult woman married to the love of my life in the early years of our marriage I would go shopping every payday-Friday.  I think I did this for *maybe* a year, I don't recall exactly how long, I just remember it coming to an end because I started feeling like a compulsive shopper. Though I never became one of those women (or men) who went into debt of any sort from their obsession. Just wanted to make that clear! :)

I have loved clothes and shoes for as long as I can remember.  They "speak" to me, I guess, and I obviously hear them; like those Pier 1 commercials I see occasionally.  So obviously its hard for me to detach myself from these inanimate objects.  However, I just have too many clothes (if you ask my husband he will also say I have too many shoes).  This especially became a problem when we had to move, and move again, and then move again for a third time.  Hubs did not appreciate seeing box after (large) box labeled "Kara's Clothes", especially because he was mainly the only one moving them as I was preoccupied with our infant.  Now that we are "settled" into our new home I'm taking the time to evaluate each article of clothing, ignoring whether or not they still speak to me; instead I am asking myself a few things:

1) Do I LOVE it or like it?
2) Do I have multiples of the same style/color?*
3) Does it still fit me?

The third question really should be the first because after having a baby last year I am not the same size on top, for obvious reasons.  I can fit into all my jeans, capris, skirts (yay- maxis!), and pants just fine - hallelujah!  Thank you skinny-family gene!

*Unless it's a long sleeved button-up cardi or a maxi skirt ;) For some reason I can't resist either of these items right now!

Because I have too many, and that I am coming to the realization that I won't be able to fit all of my clothes into our new, smaller home (boo for tiny closets), I have begun a "closet clean-out".  I'm taking some things to a local consignment shop, using eBay to sell castoffs, donating to secondhand stores, and passing on some to my big sis!  It has been marginally profitable and fun.

For the items which have passed my three question test, I place them in the closet or dresser, when I decide to wear that item of clothing, one of two things will happen:

1) "no way" - instantly decide I don't like the item on my body and it gets added to the "purge" pile
2) "iffy" - which means I'll wear it to work or elsewhere. However, if I am at any time during the day uncomfortable in it, it will thus be labeled "OUT!" and I will not be seen wearing it in the light of day again

3) "meh" - I really can't decide yay or nay so I'll wait and test it out another day when I'm in a different mood or sequester it for 6 months and then make my decision

Part of what I said previously about how I feel about my clothing is that what I give away/sell/trade/whatever is that someone else will love it more than I do - just like the catchphrase by Olay "Love the skin you're in" I want to love the clothes I'm in!

Pinterest

Pinterest. The online replacement for clipping articles and images out of fashion magazines.

We just moved to a new house and with that comes unpacking boxes. I just opened a box, determined to put its contents where they belong and I discovered my collection of news articles, fashion, health, beauty, and jewelry magazine clippings.

Now how do I get all these onto Pinterest? Paper is like the Stone Age! Just kidding :) I just don't need more clutter and having paper articles like these hanging around my house makes it feel like clutter, even though these clippings are nicely contained in a plastic project case (the office-supply-geek in me just got all giddy).