Hello friends,
As you all know I embarked in a journey doing a world move with my husband this summer. I shipped my “house stuff” the first week of August and since then I have been living off my suitcase. The last 3 months have been full of ups and downs.
I have done laundry several days a week to make sure I had enough clean clothes. The thing is we packed 1 suitcase for each of us with clothes hoping that by first week of October we would be settled and with our stuff back… Turns out that it is November and we are still here with the same 4 suitcases still living in a hotel.
Let me start by saying that the last few months have taught me many things. First one being “I really don’t need all my stuff” yes, I said it. I truly don’t need all the things I have, yes, it is good to have “stuff” they make you more comfortable but no I don’t need them.It is funny to think back and realize that I had a walk in closet full of clothes and I remember saying a few times “I don’t have anything to wear” well, the truth is I have plenty to wear and I am truly blessed to have what I have. In reality I learned that I have way more than I could ever expect.
Things make us comfortable but what truly matters is each other. I know that might sound “cliche” but it is so true. My kids have been so resilient throughout this entire move. I would have expected them to be cranky and crying all the time… Yes, they had bad days like I’ve had them but for in their little minds we are all together as a family and that is what matters.
We have a night routine which consists of eating dinner (I need to work on it because the truth is we are eating in front of the tv since we don’t have a dinner table) after dinner it is bath time, followed by story time/prayers and lights out. Our routine was all out of whack when we moved and we weren’t reading or praying and the kids were getting restless and not going to bed until ten pm, which made them really cranky and whining all day long…. Cracky kids equals tired mom. We all know if mom is not happy no one is happy. 🙂 Long story short, I visited our local library and got like 10 books for us to read, since then the kids have been so awesome. We have been visiting the library now every week. The kids love cuddling and listening to stories. After storytime we pray and they are asleep within 10 minutes. All they needed was something to stay the same so we could “survive” and “thrive” in the hotel. Since I am in the subject please support your local libraries, they are full of resources, visit them!
We have been in the hotel now for eight weeks, believe it or not it feels like home, we barely have anything other than our four suitcases, we still doing laundry 3x a week (at least) to have enough clothes for the week, but we are happier than before because we are valuing each other everyday more. We have a routine and things are really working out for us.
To put it lightly we realized that to be happy all we needed was each other and everything else will be ok. We will thrive. We will succeed.
Today, as you go about your day be thankful for the “stuff” you have. Don’t take things for granted, look beyond the circumstances and remember… everything will be just fine in the end… Also, remember to love those around you!
With a bit of good news (I don’t want anyone pitying me LOL), we get to move to our new place in one week! Again, we will be reunited with our stuff and even though it is only November in my heart and mind it’s already Christmas Time! My favorite present what I really, really, really want this christmas is to sleep in my own bed after 120 days away from it!
Much love to you…
Raquel
