i saw every. single. mile. :)

Packing up your life and moving back in with your parents after living in New York City is not the easiest thing for a "grown-up" (and I use that term loosely) to do. But alas, my time in The Big Apple is over, at least for now, and the door to my parents' home was really the only open one I had left to go through. I do know how blessed I am to have a home to go back to, of course, but I must say it is a bit strange coming back. And a bit hilarious since my 23 year old brother has also moved back. It's like the good old days...except we call each other more sophisticated names than "poop-face" (most of the time).


So anyway, I made it! It was a long, fabulous journey home. I think Virginia is my new favorite state. It was full of snow-topped rolling hills and old wooden farmhouses. I loved driving through. I loved seeing everything in between here and there. But now it's so strange to be back here. New York feels like a dream. This last year feels like a dream. My future feels like a dream. I have no idea where I am headed and that is both terrifying and exhilarating.


Here is what i do know though: I will learn how to build a cabin this year. My parents have some wooded property back behind their house and I am going to build a little "retreat" place for myself, and for anyone else who comes to visit.


I'm still working on "growing to learn to love to live," but I think I'm getting closer. And really, I think that's the point of life. We live so that we can love to live.


I'll have photos of my mini road trip soon, but in the meantime, check out my newest project. This is to get me ready for the cabin - I am helping my parents fix up the attic so that I have a place to stay. Yes, the attic. But it is actually going to be super rad I think. Unless my brother chooses to share it with me. He has a tendency to make things, well, not clean. Yeah we'll see.


The attic, pre-remodel:

i'm going to see every mile pass me by.

Literally.

This is what happened (long story short): I started packing to go home. My stuff didn't fit in the trailer with the other people's stuff. So I rented a car and I'm bringing the rest home by myself. I decided it's better this way. Because this is one move I am not going to miss. I am not going to sleep while someone else drives. I am not going to fly and miss all of the in-between (which is what really makes things what they are). I am going to see every single mile between New York City and Magnolia Springs, AL. I am going to know how I got there. So there.

p.s. I'm in Virginia and it's 9 degrees outside. Ouch.

we're all adrift in the same boat...

...too few days, too many troubles.

(Photo from skatterplot at bwca.com)

That's what I read this morning. I've been reading the Message version of Job (check it out - me likey). You know, sometimes it is nice to read about other people's unfortunate lives. I mean, sucks for him, but at least I know I'm not alone. Not that I had my family and health taken from me or anything, but I have sometimes felt a little down and out, if you know what I mean. And I have occasionally felt like the Lord is straight up spitting in my face. Which He isn't really. I mean, does he even have spit?

Anyway, I'm just saying we're not alone. And look at Job - he only went through what he went through cause the Lord knew he could take it, and because he knew there would be people like us who would need to read it.

Sometimes our life events aren't just for us. And the Lord will never give us something we can't handle.

Good to know.