Best Shot Monday: Finding our New "Normal"

Adjusting...
Wow, I can't believe it's been a month since I've found time to pop in here. August has rushed by like a whirlwind, starting with back-to-back travel for work followed by our official move to Tallahassee in mid-August and the girls starting in their new school. I captured this shot this past Friday, on the last day of their second week of class. We had a rough start as expected, but they seem to be adjusting pretty well now. They've made friends on the bus, in their classes and in the neighborhood. One of Mama and Daddy's biggest adjustments has been the girls' ability to just run out the front door and hop on their bikes for a while. They are loving their new-found freedom to do that; Benny and I are still accepting it!

The adjustment is still on-going for the adults in the family. Benny is adjusting to life as a retired, stay-at-home dad, driving around town exploring and just trying to learn how to navigate this new life we are living. Though we are still keeping him pretty busy around the house, I know the day will soon come when the girls and I run out of projects for him and then the true test will come! I'm envisioning lots of fishing trips back home. I finally finished unpacking my art and jewelry studio yesterday...unpacked but not yet organized. That's my next step, and I really need to get it done as having no art or jewelry play time has really been wearing on me. I need that outlet.

I've now technically been in my new role going on nine months now, yet this whole adventure still feels very surreal. I never thought being back in my college town would feel so odd, but I suppose it's the realization that I'm no longer just visiting now that the girls have started school here. Though we are still essentially living in two places, going home to Jacksonville as often as we can, I do miss home. I also really miss being on campus and working with students daily; that's truly what I miss most in my new role.  I've certainly had my challenges with some of the issues I've inherited in my new position, but I'm seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and hope to have those issues behind me soon, able to fully start fresh with my leadership of the organization. I'm also desperately missing my volunteer time at the shelter, but I haven't had time to visit the shelter here to get set up as a volunteer.  On my list of things to do!  Hopefully once we start getting in to that same sort of groove here, we'll start to feel a little more acclimated. Every night, I continue to say the same prayer: "Lord, please help us continue to successfully make this transition." Whether or not it will ever feel "normal," we'll just have to wait and see. 

2015 Documented Life Project: Week 18

Documented Life Project - Week 18

Week 18's challenge (May 2) was "fabric" with the journal prompt "the fabric of our lives." My sewing machine has been broken for a few months, so I haven't been able to do any sewing either in my journal or just on fabric, so I've been hanging on to bits and pieces of things. This spread actually came from a large painting I did in a class I took with Tracy Vergudo. Two of the Art to the 5th ladies, Roben-Marie Smith and Sandy Keene, were also in that class with me! Roben-Marie and I joked about getting our stencils out when we were struggling. :-)

Anywho, in the long run, I enjoyed the class but I wasn't happy with the painting and got tired of staring at it taking up space, so I finally cut the canvas off the frame and have been using bits and pieces of it here and there. I actually like it much more in smaller doses! The original was 30 x 30. So in that sense, my "fabric" was "canvas." I also added little strips of ribbon fabric and rhinestones I found in the $1 aisle at Michael's. Is there any regular visitor to Michael's who can resist the $1 aisle?

Documented Life Project - Week 18

This was the week of our state baseball tournament and my work car broke down on my way over to Tallahassee to pack up a few things before I could head down to Lakeland for the tournament. Thankfully, the car died on me as I was pulling into a rest stop, so I was able to wait there for a tow truck instead of the side of I-10! I was towed into a Tallahassee repair shop, picked up a rental and got a few things done in the office before I could turn around and try to make it to Lakeland in time for the opening banquet and end of season awards ceremony. Barely made it! That was the "fabric of my life" for the week. Hanging out watching ball games is not a bad way to spend the work day. There are perks to my job! :-)

See more of my 2015 Documented Life Project posts here, and check out the whole project and everything else the Art to the 5th gals have to offer here