Moving across country at 30 something with 2 kids was much easier than moving across country at 50 something with 2 dogs. The dogs had nothing to do with it being harder. So I guess me being older was the hang-up? :-)
It is possible to find a new hair dresser who can do a nice job with my hair, however, she will never really replace my friend Jodi. There is just something special about going to Jodi.
I had a roommate most of the first 2 months I lived here. While I like the freedoms that living alone has, meals are much more enjoyable (and delicious!) when there is someone to share them with. Besides, magically the house gets clean. That NEVER happens by magic when it is just me!
It is possible to teach an old dog new tricks - the house came with a grill. I learned to use it and it is fun and easy!!
Just because the house has 300 square feet more than what I moved from does not mean everything will fit nicely. Shapes of rooms and storage areas make a huge difference. The joys of change!
Having a garage is a nice as I thought it would be! Now that is a joy of change!
I went from one dream job to another dream job. However, the job I left was truly a dream while the job I came to was a dream of the nightmare variety. Thankfully that has gotten better! - but it will never be the dream I had in good old ABQ.
I have always heard pastors use family members in sermon illustrations, but I have not been accustomed to being the family in the sermon illustrations - until my son became my pastor!
I had no idea how beautiful Tennessee is. And though there is much about life in ABQ that I miss, for me, the beauty of the desert does not hold a candle to the beauty of grass and trees and real seasons!
I left long time friends to be near family. I love being near family. I miss my dear friends much more than I realized I would. I guess it is a joy gained and a loss encountered. Somehow they balance out? Not all the time.
If you are counting calories to get ready for your daughter’s wedding, you can get creative if you work at it. I discovered such tricks as how to make a small serving of egg nog equal a fresh peach! :-)
Contra dancing and country dancing are not the same thing but both are a lot of fun.
Picking up dog poop out of the grass is a chore. Picking up rained on dog poop out of the grass is nasty! Picking up frozen dog poop out of the grass is not so bad.
Traditions move too! Oreo and candy corn turkeys were once again on our Thanksgiving table. Cranberry banana marmalade made its 25th annual appearance. Can’t believe Kara was 7 months old the first time I made it. We don’t know how to do Christmas without it. A jar even went to Brazil this Christmas for Kara’s soon to be in-laws!
I always thought I had a great sense of adventure. What I discovered in this move is that short term adventures in a lot of ways are much easier to enjoy than long term adventures. Traveling for a week or a few is a whole different thing than moving permanently. There is no going back home to routine. Now that the deed is done I really can not go back to life as I knew it. It was harder than I realized it would be to learn everything over. And just because a store says ‘Wal-Mart’ or ‘Lowes’, does not mean it is laid out like the Wal-Mart or Lowes that I am accustomed to. Ah the joys of change!
Just because you buy a cute, nearly new house with a pretty kitchen does not mean that there will be ANY drawers in the kitchen! I did not know until I moved in that a kitchen could exist without drawers - but I have learned to cope! More joys of change!
I am glad that God promises never to leave me or forsake me. His Book remains my constant companion and I draw strength from Him for every day. He has given me joy and beauty here in Clarksville and in Albuquerque. He has walked with me trials in the past just as He will in the future. I would never want to experience the joys or the difficulties of change without Him. He truly uses each experience to help me become more of who He wants me to be.
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