Friends! Oh, how I’ve missed you! I can’t believe I’ve gone so long without posting anything. It’s so unlike me! Life has been a whirlwind this summer, full of adventures and setbacks and things that needed so much time and attention to figure out. Finally, tonight I just HAD to sit down and write something to you, because I’ve missed you all so much!
How are you doing? Did you have a good summer? Have you gone on any adventures? Learned anything new? Taken time to slow down, relax, and really be in the moment? I hope you know how much I’ve been thinking of you all as I’ve been navigating through this crazy summer. It’s funny, I often feel like I take you all with me on my adventures. I’ll notice something and make a mental note to share it with you, because I know you will share my interest and excitement. When things go wrong, I turn it into a funny story in my head that I think will make you smile, and suddenly the situation I find myself in doesn’t seem so bad. It’s just nice to be a part of this little community, don’t you think? You all mean the world to me!
So, I totally planned to sit down tonight and write about my amazing trip to Africa, but this is what is spilling out of me tonight, so I’m rolling with it! I promise I’ll post all about my trip, my cousin’s wedding, and the orphanage soon. I’ll probably have to write several posts, as it was such an incredible experience! Just know that the trip was absolutely amazing and one of those experiences that I will carry with me forever! I’m so happy that I went! The people I traveled with and met were awesome, every day was exciting and an adventure, and it filled my soul with inspiration and joy! It was so, so good.
If you remember from my last post, we were “homeless” for a good portion of this summer while our house was undergoing some major construction projects that couldn’t be put off any longer. The kids and I ended up being out of the house for five and a half weeks! We hopped around between visiting family and friends, occasionally staying at hotels, camping, and of course, I went to Africa. No big deal. Totally normal stuff. We got really good at living out of suitcases and pairing down our belongings to exactly what we needed, because I had to fit everything for three kids and myself into our minivan, including two giant air mattresses, swimming gear, and all the snacks. Many days I wasn’t sure where we were going to end up sleeping that night, and I’d start texting and making phone calls around dinner time to find out where we could crash for the evening. The key word for this summer was FLEXIBLE. My kids became highly suspicious every time they heard me say, “We’re going on another adventure!”
But you know what? It was good for us. It’s amazing how we truly don’t need a ton of stuff in our day to day lives. And we are so lucky to have such a wonderful support system of friends and family who welcomed us into their homes. We spent quality time with our loved ones and made so many memories. Now that it’s all over and we’re back home, I can look back over this summer with gratitude. We are so lucky.
And, let me tell you, if you ever need a little motivation to get rid of stuff, might I suggest covering your entire house with a thick layer of construction dust? It’s amazing how easy it is to pitch things that you don’t really need when you have to ask yourself, “Do I really want to wash this off?” Unless it’s something incredibly sentimental or vital to your day to day life, the answer is “nope”, and out it goes. I’ve gotten rid of so much stuff, and I’m still working on cleaning everything up from the construction. We did hire a cleaning company to come in and do a deep clean of the construction dust so we could move back in the day before school started. Nothing like cutting it close! Since then I’ve spent days standing in front of the kitchen sink rinsing everything off. Baskets, picture frames, toys, you name it, I’ve washed it.
Friends, I cannot stress this enough. If you are dreaming about fixing up an old house, make sure you like the actual process of renovating and restoring a house. Not just living in an old house. Because living in a fixer upper is a never-ending cycle of construction dust and cleaning. And paying contractors and uprooting your family. Make sure you are okay with the lack of a daily routine. It’s not for everyone. But it sure is an adventure!
Speaking of adventures, I have some exciting news about that project that I’ve been hinting at all summer that I’m dying to share with you! Soon, friends, soon! I’m just bursting with excitement to tell you all about it! I can’t wait! Make sure to check back over the next couple weeks, I’ll be sharing all about my Africa trip and my big exciting announcement! If you sign up for the newsletter you can get an email sent to you on Sunday mornings with the posts from the week. That way you never miss a post! Because trust me, these next few posts are going to be good ones! And you can follow Whimsical Blue Living on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest for more information and inspiration!
Have a beautiful day!
Sandy
Still everytime i read your post i fall in love with your writing style. Always makes me smile and giggle as i feel like i’m right there experiencing it with you. Can’t wait to read these next posts coming up friend!
Awwww, thanks friend!