We moved to southern MN in mid-June. So, I spent much of late May and early June packing and tying up loose ends. And going insane. Then regaining sanity. (That happened a bunch of times and I'm not certain really at which point in the cycle I am now.) Then I spent mid-June to mid-July unpacking, and mid-July to present trying to give the kids some sort of summer by going to county fairs, festivals, swimming pools, campgrounds and grandparents' houses. I've intended to blog, but each time I think that I should have pictures and I don't know where my cords are, or my camera batteries are dead, or I'm so exhausted that I need to lay down, or maybe it would be more important to unpack my crock pot or bread machine, or someone has scratched someone again and "There's blood, Mom!" or locked someone in the camper or something more pressing. So, I haven't blogged.
Until now. (And you're likely wondering why, as this is the most uninteresting blog post you've ever read, right?)
Well, there's been so much change, I could write about what has stayed the same. I've already mentioned my exhaustion and battles with maintaining sanity. We still have 2 cats and 3 kids. We still have 2 cars and 1 camper. The kids still are best friends and bitter enemies. But that's pretty dull.
We have a parsonage in town. It's a beautiful 100-year old home with a rich history and plenty of space. It's taken awhile to figure out how to best use the layout, but we're getting there. Solveig misses the wide open spaces of our rural Lengby yard, but is beginning to appreciate the neighbor kids who regularly stop over to play with her. After a month of training, our cat Pumpkin is acclimated to his new stomping grounds, and he is already hard at work charming the neighbors and finding favorite outdoor napping spots: the shade under the tomato plants during the hot days, and the sunny porch swing on mild days.
We've lost Shawn's great-grandmother since we moved. At 102, she finally reached the number of days God ordained for her, and began her life in Heaven. She was the matriarch of the family and even with her advanced age, it just doesn't seem right that she is gone. We found out that one of the members of our Lengby church was killed in Afghanistan, and we aren't there any more to provide support. I resigned from my city clerk job in Lengby in June, and find myself without any outside-the-home responsibility for the first time in 8 years. We registered the older 2 kids for their new school after weighing the options. After having prepped Anju for starting preschool in Bagley this fall, she will now be doing homeschool preschool with her mom. Jonah turned 9 and Pumpkin turned 8. Solveig's goldfish died.
Solveig will be starting confirmation and figure skating this fall. We have to drive a ways to get to the rink, but it's what she needs right now. Anju will be taking a gymnastics class once a week, too, as the PT and OT people in Fargo recommended. She's nervous about the class, but giddy to get to wear a leotard. She's already dug one out of Solveig's dress-up box and has it set out ready to go--although we're still weeks away. She wants to add a tutu. I'm sure the teachers will appreciate that. If we can find a piano teacher, Solveig and Jonah will have that, too.
So, the staffordsoflengby are not of Lengby anymore. But, we're not of Hartland yet, either. We miss the loons on the lake calling to us, and the slow pace of our northern life. But we're enchanted by the fireflies dancing each night in our Hartland yard and enjoy the proximity to family and friends. We know God has intended us to make these changes at this time, and has wonderful blessings in store for this parish, and our family.
( Pictures next time----and soon-----I promise!)
