October has always been one of my favorite months, and I don’t know why. Maybe it’s the weather or the leaves, or maybe it’s the football, fall decorations, food, etc. But this year I definitely know exactly why. This year Christmas came in October because our household goods FINALLY got here. And because our new flooring was finally installed! And, for me, this was like Christmas (in the admittedly worldly and materialistic sort of way). All fun was had except for the first few days of floor installation…that was a new level of misery. After 6-7 months of not having all of our ‘stuff’ I can confidently say that YES it’s possible, and probably a lot more simple, to live without these things…but it feels ohhh so good to have it all back. To be able to sleep in my own bed. To be able to finally open and use our wedding gifts, for which I am even more thankful for than before. To be able to set up, decorate, and turn this house into a home. It might be fun opening new things, but I would argue that it is even more fun opening boxes of your old things that you’ve not seen in a while, or have even forgotten. It’s also extremely overwhelming. See below… I had spent countless hours and days walking around our empty house, picturing where everything would go, taking measurements, and making lists. We were spending every meal sitting in two beach chairs (beach chairs are better than the floor, right?). We were sleeping on an air mattress for over a month. We were cooking out of one pan, one pot, eating from two plates, two bowls…you get the idea. I was frequenting Target and Trader Joe’s, staring down the pumpkins and cute fall decorations, wishing I could set up and decorate our house. The best I managed was a pumpkin spice candle at first. It could always be worse. But y’all, I hit a breaking point. After several weeks of this empty house, it seemed far from a blessing anymore. I couldn’t wish for or pray hard enough for our belongings to get here any faster (because military timeline). So I decided to do two things (well, three): 1. To find a better attitude, 2. To get online and at least start ordering some of the furniture and household items that we had agreed upon ‘needing’ or rather wanting, and 3. To work in the yard to at least improve the outside of the house if I couldn’t do anything about the inside yet. I moved my car into the driveway and used our garage as a drop off zone for the nice FedEx and UPS men frequenting our house, as well as the nice mailman who has actually started joking with me about how many packages we’ve received – guilty. We were within a week of having our floors installed, and once those were finished we could finally start setting up the furniture/things I had ordered all while waiting for the rest of our household goods. I started working in the yard, raking and picking up leaves. And I spent a day and a half pulling weeds. Lots and lots of weeds. And, oddly enough, I actually found out that I really love pulling weeds. Nothing like the challenge and satisfaction of getting one of those big, deep roots! Anyways, the satisfaction faded the next day when my hands, fingers, and entire body ached. And the leaves have since all returned to the ground plus some (thanks fall, looking at you). But here we are on the other side of all of this, and come this Thanksgiving I can truly speak to a few things I’ve learned to be thankful for these past several months. For simplicity, for prayer, for words of encouragement, and for courage. For time together, for accountability, for a roof, for warmth, for pets, for challenges, for independence, for change, for growing up, and for learning to be more patient. As tough as things have been at times, I’ve received grace upon love upon peace and comfort in places and at times I didn’t deserve or believe possible. So here’s to appreciating the little and the big things in life, the ‘stuff’ we all love, the lessons that need learning, and to always pushing forward together no matter what! And let's all take a moment to appreciate that Catsby Gatsby also finally has his beloved carpet cat stand back! Good things ARE worth waiting for!
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