October 4, 2007 | Mama Smith

pieces of life

Washing dishes together last night, I was bemoaning the fact that I still haven’t found a groove yet in my day. Sinking into a routine still feels impossible after being in this home for a month now. Writing, returning phone calls and emails, structuring the day for the boys. It all seems just out of my reach. I wonder where the hours and days go.

sisters

Callie has been living with us now for over a month. This week she is in the Outer Banks with her closest friends before returning for a few days. She’ll then flying to PA for training before heading to Honduras at the beginning of November.

It has been such a gift to me to have her here during our transition to Greenville. Yes, there have been hard moments as living in community is never easy. We just emerged from one of our most painful conflicts in awhile. But as I wandered around the house alone yesterday afternoon, I realized how deeply I would miss her friendship. She has walked with me through this transitional time, cared for the boys and brought a new angle of energy and life into this exhausted, humorless mom. I can’t believe I have just three short days with her before she leaves on this three year adventure to Latin America.

home

I’ve never been fond of curtains. Something about bunched, heavy fabric blocking light just seemed to feed on my claustrophobic tendencies. Our windows in Philly remained clean and simple. Free of any decor.

Which is fine for a rented apartment and all. But for some reason, becoming a home owner has made me feel the need to do something with my windows, as much as I am opposed to the idea. The only thing I could stomach for our understated home were these roman blinds from IKEA. We’re still waiting for that 2+ hour trip to Atlanta to happen.

Until then, I decided to put this fabric to use in our dining room and make some simple window panels, so our neighbors didn’t have to endure our nightly meals, wandering around in our pjs and the uneasy feeling they were unwantingly spying on us. Hopefully the white blinds behind will eventually complete the effect.

As for the rest of the home, it had to suffer this morning for my sewing break.

Our den. Beautiful in it’s child-claimed glory. Half eaten baby food of Levi’s on the coffee table. A handmade cardboard “barn” for B’s trucks. Curtain panels slung over the couch waiting to be hung. Pictures leaning again walls, maybe to be hung sometime this year.

Natalee and her family just moved into a new place here in town as well. We were both commiserating yesterday about the longing for our homes to be “done”. Cozy and filled with personality, as if we’d lived there for years. It’s hard to wait. To watch the numbers in the checkbook shrink and know painting, decorating, landscaping will come…but just not right now.

The boys are threatening to explode in tears if I don’t rescue them from their napping beds. We may attempt a park outing in the rain just to get some fresh air we’re all desperately in need of. Hope the week is treating you all well.