Settling

Unpacking, organizing, teaching new boundaries and expectations to the kids- these activities have consumed my days. So far, only 3 days in, I think I'm surprised by how little the two families see each other. We have quick passing conversations, but really any extended time we've had together hasn't been much more than what we were already intentionally doing before the move.

It has made me think about how we, as suburban Americans, normally just aren't very efficient with the space we have in our homes. We use our bedrooms only for sleeping. We have "guest rooms" that are empty 11 months of the year. We insist on having 1/2 acre lots for our homes to make room for storage barns and extra garages for unnecessary extra stuff when a well organized closet or attic space would work just as well. Personally, I haven't felt crowded or claustrophobic at all, and this house is the same size as many others that only house one family.

A definite advantage, it has been so nice to have four adults to help with things instead of just 2. Four adults means half the yard work, half the cleaning, and half of the responsibility of maintaining a home. And, we all know that mundane chores like dishes and meals are just more fun when you can do them with someone. Eric and Tom are going to rebuild the play-set one of these days, a miserable task alone but kind of fun with a friend. Cassie and I are going to work on menu planning for dinners and financial stuff tonight; normally a task I would be dreading, but not so bad because we're doing it together. So, that's life so far from my perspective.

And, Miss Lottie might have sharper claws, but Harley is definitely louder. He is adjusting in his own I-have-short-dog's-disease-and-I-bark-at-everything kind of way.