When August Comes

 It is an absolutely gorgeous morning. July has passed and I am truly grateful for each day it held and all the gifts it offered. Part of me wishes a finger could be snapped to bring everything in to place instantly but that is not the reality of any of this. This huge change is a process of acceptance and adaptation. July provided sunshine , lots of lake swims, head and heart preparation and time to absorb the blessings this home has given us over the years. I returned from a year in the city and have loved every day of being back  by stepping back and just taking in the beauty of each day. I have sat on the front veranda every morning and the back veranda later in the day soaking up the sights and sounds. The green hills, blue sky, cows, pigs, chickens , our beloved Disco, birdsong, and conversation. What a contrast from my solitary summer in the city last year. I had envisioned a more productive July filled with purging and disposing of years of living in this house but instead found myself just relaxing and reflecting. I know all the practical stuff will get done but I needed July to be exactly what it turned out to be. So now on to August. As a teacher August always meant getting ready to go back to school. Even though technically you were still on summer holidays your head was thinking school and there were things to attend to to make that transition. That is how this first day of August feels to me. We hope to ramp up the work of preparing the ground so that in October our new home can be delivered. The sale of the house is almost over the finish line and soon tackling the huge job of removing our belongings will happen. Caleb and Jenna will slowly make this house their home and we will move up the road. Patience, faith, determination, stamina, generosity, acceptance, courage, humor, communication and perseverance  are required as we face the days and weeks ahead. I look behind and see how far we have come and have confidence we can keep moving forward. Life comes in stages and increments and each brings challenges, doubts  and confusion. But beyond that each brings such joys and blessings. I am ready for August!