upsidedown fall
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Whoa fall. Every time I think about what these last three months looked like (and just how different that was from what I anticipated them looking like), I laugh a little.
Y’all, our house and stuff. Destroyed. By a typhoon. It sounds a little ridiculous, right?
And yet Soudelor. And this fall.
I have to say- in the least ideal of situations, there was so much good.
So many small silver linings. So much special time with family. So much grace. So many great things that I couldn’t have orchestrated if I’d tried (cousin time for three months straight when we don’t live near cousins… I mean, really?).
And that doesn’t even touch on the people that pulled together and put aside and rearranged and made room for us. It always comes down to the people, doesn’t it? And we have great ones (we gathered a few more along the way this fall and I am beyond thankful for those new friendships).
That’s not to say that it was the easiest season we’ve had. Unexpectedly uprooting and living in other people’s spaces whilst every single detail of your life is new and different and not-figured-out-yet (and with two traumatized kiddos) is no joke.
Also, if you are a single mama, hats off to you. Some people (some of my good friends, actually!) handle solo parenting with such grace- I am not one of them. Being away from Adam is hard on my heart and hard on the kids and that was apparent every day. Also, at bedtime each day I felt like wrapping myself in a giant white flag and just surrendering. But that’s the thing about being solo. THERE IS NO OPTION OF SURRENDER. Bedtime. Nemesis. For sure.
Last Thursday we arrived back to our still recovering island. Our house is…. hmmm…. a work in progress- haha! The major structural parts (ceilings, windows, doors) are repaired but there are a hundred projects still unfinished, and most of our rooms are covered in drywall dust and a little empty as we try to find replacements for the things that require replacing. Also, the island itself is still in recovery mode (there is evidence of Soudelor everywhere, the rebuilding effort is still fully underway, many stores and restaurants haven’t yet reopened and those that are open are still decidedly empty of many staples). In short, the next few months will be an adventure. BUT WE ARE TOGETHER as a family. And right now, that’s the best news in the whole entire world.
See ya later, Fall 2015. You have been weird and hard and fantastic and unbelievable all at once.