What is 'Normal'?

The two year mark of our latest move is fast approaching. Perhaps the hardest milestone of all. The point at which the novelty has worn off and you feel you should know people. Well, you do know people but just not beneath the surface. And that is the hard part.

I have been thinking a lot lately about whether life feels 'normal' yet. But what is normal? What defines my parameters of normal? We have moved 3 times in the past 6 years, so have I achieved normal at any point in that time? I don't really think so.

7 years ago we lived in in a beautiful Queensland town, where we had been living for the past 9 years. A perfect t own- good schools, good sport, good church, good friends. Life seemed normal. I had three young children, at various stages of schooling/playgroup. I had a large circle of friends I met/socialised with almost every day. We talked, laughed, cried together. I led a ladies bible study group. I led Sunday School. I quilted/stitched with friends every second week. I helped at school. I seemingly had it all together. That was my normal. And I liked it. I liked it a lot.

And so I've realised that that is what I'm basing my normal on now. A comfortable, secure, habitual life. But life now is nothing like that. I think I've spent the past 6 years trying to formulate new routines, find a new comfort zone but too many things have changed. Now I work pretty much full time.Other than this term, I don't have regular work days at a set place. The kids are older. I don't lead a ladies bible study group. In fact, I barely have time to go to one. I've managed to get there once in six months. My kids are not in primary school and they don't need me to volunteer. I DO finally go to a quilting group, but it is not with my very best friends. A group of ladies that I only see every fortnight.

So, I guess, this is my current "normal". It doesn't feel quite right yet. Maybe with time....after I scratch beneath the surface a little deeper....

Two weeks of school holidays and I had a list of things to do a mile long. And guess what??
It rained.
And rained.
And rained.

And hailed.

And was cold.

And a lot of the things on my list involved being outdoors.
Weeding my garden in which the weeds were taller than some of my trees.
Paving the mud patch outside the shed door.
Turning what was rapidly becoming paddock grass into a nice backyard lawn.
I felt rather let down by the weather.
But on the few moments of non wet weather, I did manage to get a start.

Despite, the weather conditions, I loved the holidays. I love, love, love being home with the kids. I feel extremely blessed that all my kids get along so well. The boys, despite being only two years apart, never fight. They are very different, but they are good buddies, good mates. And they accommodate Miss E very well. I am so grateful.

So, what did I do whilst stuck inside.
I did what all sensible people do.
I renovated my laundry.
Orange cupboards were just not my thing.

I much prefer white.

So that involved painting

Putting together flatpaks

And building a new clothes hamper

And I worked on heading towards finishing the en suite renovations. They have been going on since January. A new vanity and toilet.

I enjoyed the baking of Miss E

And started a very special memory quilt using the shirts of a special boy now living in heaven

So, perhaps the weather didn't let me down at all. Perhaps it just made me re-focus on other things.

But there was some sad news as the holidays ended.
My baby, who was born just yesterday, began his final year of school.

I'm not coping well. Actually,I'm not coping at all.

On a brighter note- only 39 days till I'm on six weeks Christmas holidays. But who's counting!