It has happened once again. I really wasn't expecting it to happen, but by the end of the first day in our new home, I just felt comfortable in this place. I said to Brandon, "It just feels like 'us'. It feels surprisingly normal to be here. In this place." This was a HUGE admission on my part.
Anyone who knows me, and especially anyone who loves me, knows that I wasn't too keen on the house we finally settled on. Oh, I could come up with an endless list of things about it that made it just not quite right.
And then we moved in. This week I caught myself saying "Hmmm. This IS where God wanted us to be." A long series of events has led up to that realization; and yes, it has taken me WAY too long to catch on... Again.
It started when I ran into one of my neighbors (Liz) at a woman's Bible study I'm attending. Never mind that there are well over 100 women in a variety of studies there each week. She just happened to walk by and I just happened to recognize her from when I had met her while looking at the house a month ago. We talked for a while. I told here we had, in fact, bought the house. And then before she walked away, she gave me a hug! Now, I know that for many people that might be a little freaky. I mean, a HUG?!?!? And normally, for me it would be too. But it wasn't weird or awkward or freaky at all. God sent that hug to me because he knew I really needed that, right then, at that moment.
And then, this same neighbor offered to watch both kids for a while this morning so that I could get some work done around here. Nevermind that she has 4 of her own and another on the way. She willingly, without me asking, insisted that Lydia and Marcus come over. She also invited our family to a Bible study, right here in the neighborhood! One where kids come along and play together while the parents study. No need to stress about a babysitter... apparently there are well over 10 kids there each week.
This is as close as I think I'm gonna come to a pillar of smoke or fire by night. And I can confidently say, THIS is where God wanted us to be. And what a reassurance that is to me after what has been a very long, stressful and many times painful journey.
Non-fiction novels in the works
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Moving and then moving and then moving again has been very inspiring for some literary works. Here are working titles for some of my non-fiction novels:
- Navigating the Rugged Mountainous Terrain of Moving Boxes, One Box Full of Junk at a Time
- The Story of a Stuffed Cat Named Libby Whose Name was Changed to Oscar Mid-Transport and Re-Discovered in a Ambiguously Labelled Box Three Months Later
- Co-existing Harmoniously with Wasps
- The Refrigerator that Wouldn't Fit its Space
...and its guaranteed best-selling sequel:
- The Cabinet-moving, Floor-Cutting Saga
- Ode to a Terrace-Resurfacing Project in Prague: Welcome to the Neighborhood! Resurfacing All Surrounding Neighborhood Streets
Other than that, life is pretty ho-hum. We could really use some excitement around here.
- Navigating the Rugged Mountainous Terrain of Moving Boxes, One Box Full of Junk at a Time
- The Story of a Stuffed Cat Named Libby Whose Name was Changed to Oscar Mid-Transport and Re-Discovered in a Ambiguously Labelled Box Three Months Later
- Co-existing Harmoniously with Wasps
- The Refrigerator that Wouldn't Fit its Space
...and its guaranteed best-selling sequel:
- The Cabinet-moving, Floor-Cutting Saga
- Ode to a Terrace-Resurfacing Project in Prague: Welcome to the Neighborhood! Resurfacing All Surrounding Neighborhood Streets
Other than that, life is pretty ho-hum. We could really use some excitement around here.
The Verbrugges in the Dells
Last weekend we took a little hiatus from life and met Brandon's parents in the Wisconsin Dells for a day. Not really knowing what to expect, I was completely blown away by the insane waterpark hotels absolutely everywhere. We literally spent the day in our hotel swimming pool. Then we ventured out to the local petting zoo, which had seen it's heyday in the 80s and generally had animal housing conditions that would send any P.E.T.A. wanna-be into cardiac arrest. Nevertheless, Lydia thought the place was absolutely amazing and without hesitation hand-fed zebras, llamas, giraffes and more. (We will withhold the pictorial evidence of mating turtles. Who knew it was such a noisy affair?!?).
It was a great little getaway amongst an avalanche of major life transitions and a post-fifteen day China business trip. I'm sure we'll make a return trip when the kids are old enough to feast upon all the touristy delights including the Circus Museum, the House on the Rock and a varitable waterpark cornucopia.
It was a great little getaway amongst an avalanche of major life transitions and a post-fifteen day China business trip. I'm sure we'll make a return trip when the kids are old enough to feast upon all the touristy delights including the Circus Museum, the House on the Rock and a varitable waterpark cornucopia.
The Big M.D.
That's right! Tomorrow is time for yet another Moving Day in the Verbrugge family! We close on our house today and not a moment too soon since buyer-seller relations are increasingly strained. But Brandon has decided to issue an apology for something that really didn't warrant an apology, so we won't bring "that" up any more. The main thing is, we're nearly finished with this homeless phase and are quite excited to have a place to set our suitcases for an extended period of time. Lydia can not WAIT for her things to arrive, nearly 3 months to the day after packing up in Prague. When we boxed our things, we anticipated seeing it all again in 6 weeks. Wrong-o. It'll be like Christmas in September... I don't plan on seeing Lydia for the entire day as I fully expect her to be knee-deep in her long lost Legos, puzzles, dolls... and would you believe her anxiously anticipated Hello Kitty slippers?
But before that all happens, we have to go fridge shopping. Until yesterday at the walk through, neither of us realized the fridge would go A.W.O.L. Guess we should always read the fine print... 5 times.
But before that all happens, we have to go fridge shopping. Until yesterday at the walk through, neither of us realized the fridge would go A.W.O.L. Guess we should always read the fine print... 5 times.
Smiley Happy People
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Really, Brandon and I are finding it humorous that absolutely everybody is so darn friendly out here in Wisconsin. Pizza delivery guy, hotel housekeeper, grocery store bagger, toy store clerk, pharmacist, restaurant bus boy... you name it, they are smiley, happy people. Kindof freaks us out. Coming from the Land of No Smiles and Customer Service=Public Enemy #1, we don't know what to do with all this cheerfulness. But I think we can get used to it and maybe, just maybe, someday we'll even be... (gasp)... one of "them"!
Deep Conversations.
Saturday, September 01, 2007
Lydia: "Mommy, what's under the sidewalk?"
Me: "Dirt"
Lydia: "What's under the grass?"
Me: "More dirt"
Lydia: "Mommy, tell me about what's under again..."
Me: "Well, under the dirt is more dirt. And then under ALL the dirt is rock. And then if you dig through ALL the rock, there is firey, melty really hot rock. And if you dig aaaaaalllll the way through the middle of the world... (pause for effect)... you will come out in CHINA!"
Lydia: "Wowwww."
Hey, every kid has to believe that at some point, right?
She claims she wants to be in the circus or a cowgirl when she grows up. But maybe we have a geologist on our hands?
Me: "Dirt"
Lydia: "What's under the grass?"
Me: "More dirt"
Lydia: "Mommy, tell me about what's under again..."
Me: "Well, under the dirt is more dirt. And then under ALL the dirt is rock. And then if you dig through ALL the rock, there is firey, melty really hot rock. And if you dig aaaaaalllll the way through the middle of the world... (pause for effect)... you will come out in CHINA!"
Lydia: "Wowwww."
Hey, every kid has to believe that at some point, right?
She claims she wants to be in the circus or a cowgirl when she grows up. But maybe we have a geologist on our hands?
