No, I am not building a house - I wish. All my watching HGTV and DIY would be put to actual use. And I love design, but moving on (dorky pun intended), that's beside the point.
So since I have moved to South Africa in February, I am living in my second temporary place.
And I have lived out of my packed bags since end of June 2011 (that is not a typo) - I'm on my 11th month now.
Side note: While in the U.S. I traveled in 8 States in 7 months and slept in something like 10 different beds! I guess I've been a little bit on the transitional side of things, not my favorite of things.
And maybe you've had it worse - I'd love to hear it. Maybe I'd feel better about my own circumstances.
BUT as you can sympathize and as I just might be at the end of my rope right now with TRANSITION (it's becoming an ugly word to me),
I need a HOME.
My new bed and duvet need a home.
My dog - oh, I don't have a dog...
 |
| My New Bed and Duvet - so comfy! |
Ya know, it's not just a housing transition around here, it's kind of a
- COUNTRY transition,
- CULTURE transition,
- JOB transition,
- ACCENT transition (even if my students speak English, it's their second language),
- probably an EMOTIONAL and
- SPIRITUAL transition too.
So although I am not hammering away at the 2 x 4's of my home, I want to BUILD A HOME...
Meaning...
To WORK on adjusting, learning, adapting, ACCLIMATING (I don't really know how to do this, but I'll just "keep on" and keep on prayin'), AND
To FIND a house or apartment and housemates to share with.
Otherwise, I just might borrow that tent that was offered to me.
So if you could, keep on praying with me? ...as I consider housing possibilities ...and hope for a permanent status.
Need (at least something) by beginning of JUNE.
And really, share with me your "worse" transitional or moving circumstances!!!
P.S. Thought I'd share my clumsy/near death moment today: I tripped almost head-first into oncoming traffic today...
Landed on hands and knees, halfway on the sidewalk and halfway off the
curb! Thankfully and sadly, only my bruised knees and favorite jeans :(
will be paying for it! I'll let you know how my knees feel tomorrow!
5 comments:
10 beds....and one floor. Think CA wedding and the cozy 3 of us sharing one bed and the floor.
I have lived in tents before! Not for a long period, but for weeks at a time in hunting camp. Not bad with a wood stove, foam pads for sleeping and counter tops for the kitchen. The worst had to be when I had been married a year and Jim and I lived in Ancorage while he was trying to make some money for us to take trip to WI to see his parents. WE lived in a pup tent, two man, actually we slept in our pickup with a cap and cooked, ate under a tarp over the fire. The tent was for me to get out of the rain in while he worked. And it rained ALL the time, every day of the two weeks that we were there. I might add before that we stayed a month at some friends, worst mistake of our lives never talked to the friends again, and baby/house sat for some strangers for two weeks. Kids were a 2 year old terror and a 4 year old spoiled brat, but we grew to love them while everyone we saw wondered why two toe heads had a Japaneese dad and a redheaded mom. When we moved to the campground outside of Ancorage I thought is was Heaven! At first. After a few days of laying in the tent, could just sit up, reading and writing desperate pages in a journal I figured I had died and gone to--you know where. (definetly NOT Heaven) I walked my dog every day, in the rain,through the wet grass and brush, he was a Golden so didn't mind the 40-50 degree wet weather and my daily hi-light was to take a hot shower. I was a dutiful wife, however, always had a soggy supper on the wet table and a fire popping, if not roaring, in the sputtering fire pit. Then when we'd had enough, we took off and camped our way for a month or so to Wisconsin. At least it wasn't raining all the time! So that's my worst. Does that make you feel better. I should also add after we got to Milwaukee we ended up staying with Jim's affluent parents in thier almost-mansion for 6 months while Jim worked his head off and long hours to earn enough money to get back to Alaska. After a the first week of that I would have taken that rain sogged camp ground any day! Count your Blessings! Easy for me to say, huh? Love you, Wendy
Hey, Shannon, thank you for inviting me to your blog! I can share one "interesting" year in our lives as a family when we moved from the beautiful Central Coast back to the busy Bay Area. We couldn't find a rental we could afford, but the Lord showed us we could buy a shack. A shack that would need a complete overhaul. What was supposed to take 3 months of renovation, took one full year, and we moved 9 times, living out of suitcases, pretty much house-sitting the whole time. Our girls shared a bed, and Jared slept half that time on the floor in our room. He was in fourth grade and had an incredibly mean teacher. I think he's gotten over the trauma! ;-) Anyway, we'll never forget that nomadic year! We were in ministry as well, and we were surrounded by loving and supportive people. That's what got us through. Besides the prayers of so many wonderful family and friends.
Thank you for letting us into your life in Africa! I am praying for you. Your smiling face reminds me every time I open my fridge door! :-) God bless you in your journey there.
NKR ;) I don't want to even think about when the "cozy 3" happened...not like I was 2. ;)
And Wendy,
I think you definitely have me beat! But man, the adventures/stories you have to share! And we may realize that the company we keep has more power than dismal circumstances...and food - a satisfied belly I've found (maybe sadly) improves my outlook. :) And I am definitely counting my blessings as I walked home in the rain without my raincoat today - but glad to have a roof over my head, warm clothes to change into, and a washing machine (as for now) - and others I passed by on the streets do not have these!
Thanks for your thoughts and stories. Love, Shannon
Collord-Dodson ;)
So glad to hear from you, and thank you for the look back at you and your family's transitional life - I agree, it's the people God places in our lives who walk with us - who are a help to encourage us and navigate the journey a little less "bumpy-ish" in some cases! Something I always need to remember.
Thank you too for your friendship and intercessory heart (even if connections grow over cyber space) and your smiling face (via Facebook). Bless you. Shannon
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