{My cute husband with our even cuter nephew.}
[By the way, no telling where this post is going. Writing is therapeutic for me; packing is not. So here I am. I need to write today. And the photos? Random ones I've taken this month.]
Here we are with all the walls, bookshelves and cabinets emptied, boxes stacked high in every corner, closing on our Houston house tomorrow, then closing on the Franklin house Thursday.
Sounds exciting, right? {My husband is excited...packing up boxes like a man on a mission, while I sit paralyzed, unable to get a grip on all that's happening.} We're chasing a dream, and that's exciting for sure, but it may take me getting there before I can really feel the "excitement" emotion.
{Gift tags designed by moi!}
For a girl who doesn't like change, disorder or chaos, this part of the dream is about to undo me. I feel like I'm about to spin out of orbit and fall into another galaxy! How to pack, endure the last crazy week of school, cram in all of our doctor appointments, get a highlight to cover all the gray hair I've developed in the last six months {entirely new for me!} and see friends and family one last time?!?!
{Playing in Uncle JD's Jeep.}
It doesn't feel humanly possibly to do it all. Because it isn't. I can't do all this on my own. I keep muttering these simple words out loud as I go along: "Help me, Jesus." In this place of utter incapability, I'm learning what He meant when He said, "My power is made perfect in weakness." {2 Corinthians 12:9}
{Sweet Laura Finley helping me package stationery.}
I'm feeling so many emotions right now...all at once. Not sure how to process them all. I cried myself to sleep last night and couldn't even figure out what it was all about. It feels as if I'm packing up more than just house stuff. More like packing up 37 years of life in the same spot...a wonderful neighborhood called West University Place. {My mom blogged about it here. She was even the mayor here once!} I was born and raised in West U, and feel blessed to have returned here with my own family. It feels like home to this nostalgic, tradition-loving girl!
{I'll miss my house and studio in the back.}
Trying to process that my friends and family aren't coming with me to Franklin. I hate saying goodbye. Not sure I can even say the words. {Crying just writing the words!} Kind of weird, but it doesn't look like we're having a going away party. We've hosted a few for friends in the past, but not sure how I'd do at the center of one. I'm more of a one-on-one girl anyway. I just wish there was a way to fit in a one-on-one visit with everyone I love between now and June 1st.
{Hallie and my dad.}
But it's not all tears and sadness around here. There have also been AMAZING blessings mixed in. Even this very morning. Here I was having this crazy "Shop My House" sale {why on earth did I decide to do that on top of everything else?!?!}, and two of the girls who came blessed me with the most encouraging words. Their words made the whole sale worth it...made me want to cry. These aren't girls I see or hear from often, so I had no idea that my blog and my life had impacted them so much...until now. I'm humbled to the dust. Thank you, sweet girls. May this blog continue to be a blessing to all who read.
{My Open House sign.}
And then yesterday, I got an surprise phone call from a woman who I've talked about several times here on the blog. She owned my favorite shop in The Heights for years, helped found Urban Market, and now lives back in New England. {Talk about someone who had a bigger impact than she'll ever know! Houston misses her like CRAZY!} Anyway, her phone call blessed me and encouraged me when I was on the brink of melting down. She reminded me of what really matters in life...of why we decided to chase this dream in the first place. It's going to be GOOD.
{Teacher gifts. So thankful that I love to design paper goods!}
And now a blessing to beat all blessings. Remember the post where I made a mention of not knowing where we'd live for a few weeks in between this house and the Franklin house? Well, a sweet blog reader who I've only met once {bought the BELIEVE pillow from her at Marburger}, sent my blog to her friend in Franklin, who sent it to her neighbor, who "happens" to live right up the road from our Franklin home. And guess what? {I could cry.} She has offered to rent her house to us for the weeks when we had nowhere to go. I cannot tell you how blessed I feel by her offer. We'll get to familiarize ourselves with our new town without having the pressure of unpacking boxes, painting, etc. {Though of course I'm eager to get to that as soon as we can. June 30 is our expected move-in date.}
{Our soon-to-be home in Franklin.}
And then get this: when my husband saw how quickly he could pack {he's a machine!}, we realized it would be hard to live in this house much longer. {We're paying to be here after tomorrow, and it ain't pretty once it's packed!} But where to go? With all the stress of selling a business, packing up a lifetime in Houston, finishing school for the girls, saying goodbye, etc., we were longing for a little R&R. But we aren't big vacationers, and without a paycheck these days, it didn't seem wise to spend a bunch of money. But just in case...I looked on VRBO to see if I could find a deal. We've never been on a beach vacation. {If you saw how fair-skinned we are, especially me, you'd understand why!} But white sand and emerald-blue water sounds really good right about now! Long story short, found a condo in a quiet beach outside the hot spots of Seaside/Rosemary/Destin. It's called Blue Mountain Beach. Peaceful. Quiet. And home to the area's only natural food store! We'll be there on weekdays, so the owner gave us a great deal! Cheaper than our lease back agreement in Houston...and no boxes! Can't beat that!
{The girls performing on the street corner.}
{And a few kind neighbors leaving tips.}
And just when I didn't think things could work out any more perfectly, some dear friends who live in Franklin {some of the only friends we know there}, have offered to let us stay in their home in between our trip to the beach and the rental house. Their family of five is graciously taking in our family of four. I hardly know how to thank them. We've never done anything like this...never wanted to inconvenience anyone. But there is something so sweet about allowing someone else to meet your needs. I have a feeling that will be a week we'll never forget.
{This little guy loves the Jeep!}
{Sweet Hallie.}
So there you have it...emotions and blessings all wrapped up in one LONG post. If you read every word, you deserve a prize for your faithfulness!
Thank you for every prayer, every wish, every blessing, every word of encouragement. You are the sweetest blog friends. You've been a real strength to me during this journey. I hope you'll stick around to see what's waiting for us out in the country!
Hugs and love,
