After six and half years here in our two-bedroom apartment…
After bringing all three of our babies home to the same place…
THIS happened!
We bought our first home and are moving an hour south to start phase two of our family’s life!
I’m operating in a state of overwhelm at the idea of moving. Of starting again. I’m out of practice!
I’ve also never moved with kids before, so worrying about their feelings and adjustment is brand new to me.
I don’t even want to think about the friends we’re leaving behind!
Plus, I’ve got to hand off our job managing the building we live in, buy and wrap the Christmas gifts, make treats for my son’s “special day” at preschool, think of a way to thank all the teachers, pack for a Christmas trip to Utah, and (minor detail) literally move a family of five. Oh December.
And what if we move in and our toddler-baby destroys the house??
Basically, it’s a lot to take in!
But we are SO grateful to have a new place to call home (check out those pretty floors!!). The boys prayed every day that we’d find the right house (and later, that the sellers would “accept our offer”—it’s so cute when kids use adult language). And I can already see the Lord’s quiet hand in our decision to move. It’s time.
I love the lesson from Brené Brown’s latest blog post: I’m not the victim of this circus; I’m the ringmaster.
Instead of telling myself, “The show must go on!” this month I’m going to try to ask myself, “Is this part of the *show*? Does it really need to get done? And if so, what can I do to stay positive?”
It’s up to me whether I turn this season into a three-ring circus.
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Feel free to leave me your best moving advice! And I’ll be sure to share pictures once we’re more settled!
Oh Erica, this is such exciting news for you! I’m not sure if you remember or not, but our little family just made the move from the US all the way to Japan. My husband is stationed here right now. Talk about a whirlwind! We were actually really excited about the move. Just a really awesome opportunity to experience a new life for a little while, you know? The travel over here was really rough with a toddler, but outside of that it’s really been amazing. As I’m sure you already know, there is SO MUCH you can do to ease the transition of moving with kids. You guys are gonna ROCK THIS! I just have a feeling. Thanks for sharing.
Lauren
WO! I had totally missed that! (I just followed you on facebook so that won’t happen again. 🙂 Moving to Japan makes moving one hour sound like a piece of cake. That said, I still need to read up on how to help kids adjust. I’m going to need to do some googling / pinterest searching. Have you written anything on that? (If not, you should!)
Kids are so resilient! It’s always me who has had a difficult time adjusting, whereas my kids have just seen moving as an exciting chance to meet new friends and visit new places. In fact, the kids have made moving so much easier on me becauase I get to take my favorite little friends with me 🙂 As for packing- it’s helped when I’ve made a goal to pack a certain number of boxes every day… it forces me to pack things that I “may need” and makes it so I don’t have EVERYTHING still left to do at the end. It’s a great time to de-clutter, and have your kids help pack their own things- as long as you can remember that getting it done is more important than getting it done perfect 🙂 oh, and pack as much as you can when the toddler is ASLEEP, because if she is anything Like mine, she will be fantastic at unpacking anything you put in a box! Good luck and congratulations to your family! So exciting! 🙂
Congratulations! I personally haven’t moved with kids but I’ve always found that the best way to keep everything in hand (as much as possible) is lists! Pre-moving, the actual move, on the way, and arrival. You can also have a box or suitcase packed of things that MUST be available when you get to the house. Things like some cups, plates, extra clothes, toiletries, food, and games for whoever might be on their way to a tantrum (which is more often than not one of the adults)! Good luck moving and starting this new adventure!
Erica!!! Congratulations!!! That is such great news!!! 🙂 The kids adjust, but the older they are the harder it is. A still has some times where she misses CO, but she made some pretty strong friendships there. But they’ll adjust, and having “their own space” and yard will make things easier. 🙂 So happy for you guys!
Thank you so much, Ashley! I’m glad they are young, for sure. Plus, they’re pretty darn stoked about bunk beds! 🙂
Congratulations! That is so exciting. 🙂 I can’t wait to see more of your new home!
I’m so happy for you guys! What wonderful news! I know you will make it through all December is throwing at you — and as long as you can be their rock, your children will transition smoothly through the move. Sad we won’t be “neighbors” anymore!
What wonderful news!!! Moving with kids can be a lot of fun! They love to help pack, and as long as I used the verbage “ADVENTURE” (not moving), it was excitement all around! Blessings on your December and in the New Year – in your new home!!!
Congratulations, Erica!!! How exciting:) I love your perspective. I know it seems like a lot…I have moved once, 7 weeks pregnant…to a house we have flipped. It was an adventure, but it was the first week of school, so crazy in a different way. I will say prayers for peace of mind and contentment through it all!! <3
Congratulations! That’s a lot to take in … but I love your attitude. As I tell my clients, don’t give up … AMP it up. You got this. Enjoy the ride.
Good luck with the move! It will be a little crazy but at least you’re close enough to still see friends. Maybe look for what fun things are half way and plan some regular play dates for you and the kids! Almost everyone does it, but leaving CSII is hard!
Congrats guys! That’s so exciting and scary at the same time. What a new adventure awaits you.
Oh, yay! I am so happy for you and your whole family! It was definitely time to get out of that small condo. I can’t believe the difference it makes to be in a house vs. that condo with children. Please e-mail me your new address when you have a moment. Congratulations! It will be a great move; I just know it. Will Trenton change schools? I guess he will, and I hope all will go well with that.
Thanks, Leigh! Yes, I’ll email you! And yes, T will change schools. I’m sad to leave his current school, since we’ve come to love it, but it’s an exciting next step for our family. I often think of you and all the house dreaming we used to do together!
Hooray and good luck! I can’t wait to see and hear more all about it.
I am so excited for you and this new adventure! Moving with kids is hard work. I think the 18mo-2yrs stage is a hard time for moving/change. Don’t be surprised if Quinn is extra clingy and whiny. (But I hope for you that she is fine!) They do adjust quickly, though. I’m looking forward to reading about your new adventures and see pictures of your new place.
Oooh, good warning about Quinn! It really helps me to have an idea of what to expect when I go into something, so even just having had that cross my mind will help hugely if she does go whiney-pants on me. Thank you!!
Congratulations!! What a milestone! I have a sense of what this means to you since we took our own long and winding road to home ownership. It is completely worth all the effort and hassle it takes to get there! There’s no way around the fact that moving is a major pain and completely exhausting, but you’re an organized person and thoughtful of your kiddos, so it will all work out. Can’t wait to see more pictures! Hip, hip, hooray!!
Thanks so much, Monica! I love that you can relate. Sometimes things are much sweeter after you’ve been through a season of waiting. 🙂
Oh Erica that is so exciting!!! Congratulations! I’m so happy for you 🙂
Yay! Congratulations, Erica! Good luck with packing and moving. Can’t wait to see pictures! I’ll be thinking of you 🙂
YAY! Congratulations!!
We moved quite a bit growing up (both times that we moved cross-country, it was in December!) and I thought it was good for me. Since I’d moved before, I found it relatively easy to leave for college and easy to move to unknown cities for my husband’s work having done it as a child. I loved the opportunity to “reinvent” myself a little bit.
Honestly the only reason I think about leaving my very good life here in CO is because I want to give my kids the experience of starting anew someplace else and loving it, just like I had growing up. (But then I think about all the packing we’d need to do, and how much my husband loves his job, and I realize it’s not happening anytime soon!)
I WHOLEHEARTEDLY agree with you about “scaling back” the show! Be very easy on yourself!! (I don’t see any reason why you couldn’t pick up some cookies at the grocery store for your son’s preschool treat? I do that as a matter of routine in my regular life!) (Then again, I hear some people find baking and creating stress-reducing. Me, it sounds stress-INducing.)
And are those floors laminate? They look a LOT like the laminate floors we had put in a few years ago in our home (“brilliant maple” from Home Depot). We get tons of compliments on it! (I like that it hides dirt, LOL)!
Such exciting news (except how far away you are moving!) That’s really great for your family though.
Having moved several times when my son was little I’d say the best thing we ever did was pack several special boxes that were well labeled to be opened first. They contained sheets and pillows and towels, maybe with the surprise of new pajamas – all the things needed so that we’d get a good nights sleep in our new place. We also always planned what to eat that first night and morning so we weren’t left sleeping on the floor with beach towels for blankets and a box of bad pizza to eat. 🙂
Oh my goodness, these practical tips are awesome! I especially tip to plan the first (and last) meal or two, because I totally saw a box of bad pizza in our future, and I’m always a lot happier when I have food that hits the spot! The kids too. Thanks, Marcella! I’m going to miss you!
This is SUCH exciting news! I am extremely happy for you!! We have moved about 7 times in 6 years so I almost consider myself a pro 🙂
My advice-Pack way in advance and a little bit at a time (things you don’t use daily first). Ask for help!! Don’t be afraid to ask a friend to watch kids for a day or whatever it is you need. And remember that kids are more flexible and tough than we realize! Mine have all adjusted really well when we’ve moved. I can’t wait to hear more details!! 🙂 🙂 🙂
Erica, exciting news and a lot to think about. I remember my kids doing better with changes and transitions of many kinds of I could talk to them about what it would be like and what to expect and also what my expectations were. There were less unknowns that way. Good luck and just plan to spend a little special time with the kids for the first few weeks.
I love that, Valerie! I will definitely do my best to keep my eyes and ears wide open for them as they get used to all the changes. An open conversation is so important.
It has really been such a privilege knowing you, Valerie. You are such a warm and grace-filled person. I really admire you! Keep in touch!
A big congratulations to you and your family. Just a great blessing!