FRUSTRATION AND FAITH
Tuesday was a day of frustrations. Moving to another country just isn't easy. First you have the big issues-selling your house, storing/selling your possessions, and getting your visas. Then you still have to take care of insurance, banking and, in our case, Social Security. It's all exhausting!!!!
The house....selling the house. Open houses are just tiresome...but necessary. We want to do all we can to sell the house which means finding something to do for two hours on a Saturday, a Sunday or perhaps both. How many errands can we run, how many movies can we see????? Then we finally get someone who seems very interested but nothing happens----FRUSTRATION!!!!!!!!
It's so easy to think "what is God doing?" or "why hasn't He sold the house?" But then I remember this quote:
"You can focus on what God is doing or who God is-
If you focus on what God is doing,
What are you going to do when you don't understand
What He's doing???"
And I let it go and keep praying for patience.....again!
Thursday, January 25, 2018
Monday, January 22, 2018
THE STUFF
In addition to the larger tasks that have to be taken care of before our move to Paris (selling the house, getting the visas and finding a Paris apartment), there are quite a few smaller tasks that need to addressed. Being a person who hates (really!) to wait till the last minute to take care of things, this has been a real concern to me. What and how are we going to get rid of the stuff we have accumulated---and you realize much was eliminated three years ago when we moved to our townhouse. So we don't have nearly the amount of furniture, etc. that many of you probably have. And I'm always cleaning out my closet so that isn't going to be a big project.
But still....there's a lot and while I am all on-board for donating it, it would really be nice to make a little money that could be used to make our new apartment more us without feeling we were wasting money. David sold my car to a business associate, and that transaction will take place mid-February (I refuse to be without a car till then!!!!). Check! David put me in charge of the selling of the furnishings so I did what anyone would do...I googled it. I found two companies that do estate sales in your home and contacted both. One was not very responsive and when they finally did respond, I didn't find them particularly friendly. The second, however, was a hit from the first response. Another's Treasure is a mom-daughter owned company that does estate sales all over all the time. We had several conversations which were all helpful and supportive followed by a visit a couple of weeks ago.
At this visit, we walked through the entire house pointing out things I would be keeping (which was very minimal) so she could take pictures of the sale items. You may be asking how I (and David mostly leaves it up to me) decide what to keep and what to sell. My motto has always been I keep "what's close to my heart". To that I have added (sometimes with a few limitations) "if I can't see it or use it, why have it?". I won't go into the things that are staying (mostly in storage) but right now there are 20 boxes and there will be some more--but it won't be another 20. There are only a few furniture pieces, Aunt Bessie's little half table, David's dad's bookcase we got when we got married, and a little wooden child's chair from the church we both grew up in. I am, also, keeping my blue and white English dishes (from our visits to London when Nikki and Scott were there) and a few of the signs I love and hold close to my heart.
So on February 24 we'll be moving out with our minimal possessions and they will come in, pull out the remaining things, stage them and have a weekend sale the weekend we fly to Paris. Following the sale, they will deposit in our local account a HUGE sum (LOL!!!!) that was made from our furniture, closets, drawers and cabinets. And we're done! You think we're crazy, don't you???!! It's just stuff...I don't mean to sound cavalier about it. I have loved buying and decorating for our home these many years. It has created a warm, loving, and inviting place to raise our children. But, now, we don't need all the stuff to create that environment. What I hold dear can't be moved or stored because it's the people I love, the memories I carry with me and the one who walks beside me in it all that matter. And that is a dream of it's own!
In addition to the larger tasks that have to be taken care of before our move to Paris (selling the house, getting the visas and finding a Paris apartment), there are quite a few smaller tasks that need to addressed. Being a person who hates (really!) to wait till the last minute to take care of things, this has been a real concern to me. What and how are we going to get rid of the stuff we have accumulated---and you realize much was eliminated three years ago when we moved to our townhouse. So we don't have nearly the amount of furniture, etc. that many of you probably have. And I'm always cleaning out my closet so that isn't going to be a big project.
But still....there's a lot and while I am all on-board for donating it, it would really be nice to make a little money that could be used to make our new apartment more us without feeling we were wasting money. David sold my car to a business associate, and that transaction will take place mid-February (I refuse to be without a car till then!!!!). Check! David put me in charge of the selling of the furnishings so I did what anyone would do...I googled it. I found two companies that do estate sales in your home and contacted both. One was not very responsive and when they finally did respond, I didn't find them particularly friendly. The second, however, was a hit from the first response. Another's Treasure is a mom-daughter owned company that does estate sales all over all the time. We had several conversations which were all helpful and supportive followed by a visit a couple of weeks ago.
At this visit, we walked through the entire house pointing out things I would be keeping (which was very minimal) so she could take pictures of the sale items. You may be asking how I (and David mostly leaves it up to me) decide what to keep and what to sell. My motto has always been I keep "what's close to my heart". To that I have added (sometimes with a few limitations) "if I can't see it or use it, why have it?". I won't go into the things that are staying (mostly in storage) but right now there are 20 boxes and there will be some more--but it won't be another 20. There are only a few furniture pieces, Aunt Bessie's little half table, David's dad's bookcase we got when we got married, and a little wooden child's chair from the church we both grew up in. I am, also, keeping my blue and white English dishes (from our visits to London when Nikki and Scott were there) and a few of the signs I love and hold close to my heart.
 |
| English teapots and one Portuguese stay and may go with me! |
 |
| Some signs remind me of sweet friends and good times past |
Sunday, January 21, 2018
MIRACLES DO HAPPEN!
So, you all know we went to Houston on December 8 to apply for our visas which we must have if we want to stay in France more than 90 days. Since then, we've been waiting to receive them in the prepaid , self-addressed envelope (with our return address) left with the consulate as they requested. All we read and hear is how slow the French are so we haven't worried about it.
Finally, this week we began to consider following up on the visas since we are now six weeks from departure! Our contact at the consulate gave us the good news our visas had been approved (yay!!!) and mailed....DECEMBER 11!!!!!!!! What?????!!!!! And it is now January 15 (the day David contacted her). Where are our visas?????????
With a copy of said envelope showing tracking numbers, David got online and found the number to be "undeliverable"!!!! Needless, there was "weeping and gnashing of teeth" all over the place!!!! And a few French words too!!! After several days and countless phone calls and emails, we decided to take matters into our own hands. My daddy always said "if you want something done right, do it yourself". That may not always be true but it's usually worked for me!!
Friday we went to our local post office, went to the little door to the side of the associates selling stamps etc., and told our problem to Sylvia. Because we'd been told it was probably in Dead Mail (wherever that is!!!!), we weren't even sure we could find it. Oh, I forgot to mention this envelope was "for signature" too so couldn't just be dropped in our box.
When Sylvia went to see what she could find, David and I stood sharing the typical "how could this happen", "someone didn't do his job very well", and even "this is all going to be okay-God's got it". In our relationship, I have typically been the more "realistic" one and David the more "it'll happen" one. However, I believe in a God of miracles (so does David!!) and I said to David "what I'd love to see happen is Sylvia come out holding our envelope with our visas-wouldn't that be a great surprise?"
A few minutes later, the little door opened, Sylvia walked out with a big smile on her face and handed us the envelope containing our visas!!!!!!! You have never seen two happier people...we were doing the happy dance (sorry, no pic of that!!!!)!!!! The other "I can't believe I have to wait in line this long" people probably thought we were nuts. But we felt as though we'd won the lottery! I told David later I imagine it even made Sylvia's day..how often at the Post Office do you get to give someone such good news?
Now we can go to Paris! Such a small thing but it brought us such great joy! Maybe that's always true...we just forget to be aware and look and notice the small things. And miracles do still happen...
So, you all know we went to Houston on December 8 to apply for our visas which we must have if we want to stay in France more than 90 days. Since then, we've been waiting to receive them in the prepaid , self-addressed envelope (with our return address) left with the consulate as they requested. All we read and hear is how slow the French are so we haven't worried about it.
Finally, this week we began to consider following up on the visas since we are now six weeks from departure! Our contact at the consulate gave us the good news our visas had been approved (yay!!!) and mailed....DECEMBER 11!!!!!!!! What?????!!!!! And it is now January 15 (the day David contacted her). Where are our visas?????????
With a copy of said envelope showing tracking numbers, David got online and found the number to be "undeliverable"!!!! Needless, there was "weeping and gnashing of teeth" all over the place!!!! And a few French words too!!! After several days and countless phone calls and emails, we decided to take matters into our own hands. My daddy always said "if you want something done right, do it yourself". That may not always be true but it's usually worked for me!!
Friday we went to our local post office, went to the little door to the side of the associates selling stamps etc., and told our problem to Sylvia. Because we'd been told it was probably in Dead Mail (wherever that is!!!!), we weren't even sure we could find it. Oh, I forgot to mention this envelope was "for signature" too so couldn't just be dropped in our box.
When Sylvia went to see what she could find, David and I stood sharing the typical "how could this happen", "someone didn't do his job very well", and even "this is all going to be okay-God's got it". In our relationship, I have typically been the more "realistic" one and David the more "it'll happen" one. However, I believe in a God of miracles (so does David!!) and I said to David "what I'd love to see happen is Sylvia come out holding our envelope with our visas-wouldn't that be a great surprise?"
A few minutes later, the little door opened, Sylvia walked out with a big smile on her face and handed us the envelope containing our visas!!!!!!! You have never seen two happier people...we were doing the happy dance (sorry, no pic of that!!!!)!!!! The other "I can't believe I have to wait in line this long" people probably thought we were nuts. But we felt as though we'd won the lottery! I told David later I imagine it even made Sylvia's day..how often at the Post Office do you get to give someone such good news?
 |
| Who would have thought this could bring such joy??!! |
Now we can go to Paris! Such a small thing but it brought us such great joy! Maybe that's always true...we just forget to be aware and look and notice the small things. And miracles do still happen...
Tuesday, January 16, 2018
Waiting
And we wait...waiting is rarely easy. When you're a child, you wait for Christmas to come; when you're a student, you wait for summer vacation and when you're a young mom, you wait for moments of quiet and me-time.
David and I have been in waiting mode since our visa interview six weeks ago. The holidays helped, but now it's a cold January day and it seems it's been ages since we've taken a step forward toward our move to Paris.
Sell the house, receive our visa, choose a Paris apartment. All of these events are out of our control- there's nothing we can do...but wait.
"But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings as eagles;
they shall run, and not be weary;
and they shall walk, and not faint."
Isaiah 40:31
Yesterday a young woman looking at a the townhouse next door with her realtor was leaving as David returned from a walk and David invited them in to see our home. Also, we did some follow-up on our visa and it has been issued but the post office didn't deliver it (who knows why!!!!) so we're having to hunt it down. More on that later!!!!
Has anything changed for us? No, but God gave us moments of encouragement that help us to stand firm, to keep looking up, to keep believing. He's still working!!!!!
And we wait...waiting is rarely easy. When you're a child, you wait for Christmas to come; when you're a student, you wait for summer vacation and when you're a young mom, you wait for moments of quiet and me-time.
 |
| Musee d'Orsay |
David and I have been in waiting mode since our visa interview six weeks ago. The holidays helped, but now it's a cold January day and it seems it's been ages since we've taken a step forward toward our move to Paris.
Sell the house, receive our visa, choose a Paris apartment. All of these events are out of our control- there's nothing we can do...but wait.
"But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings as eagles;
they shall run, and not be weary;
and they shall walk, and not faint."
Isaiah 40:31
Yesterday a young woman looking at a the townhouse next door with her realtor was leaving as David returned from a walk and David invited them in to see our home. Also, we did some follow-up on our visa and it has been issued but the post office didn't deliver it (who knows why!!!!) so we're having to hunt it down. More on that later!!!!
Has anything changed for us? No, but God gave us moments of encouragement that help us to stand firm, to keep looking up, to keep believing. He's still working!!!!!
Thursday, January 4, 2018
What About Recipes???
I love cooking and baking. When the kids were growing up, I was always trying "new recipes" which were sometimes met with moans and groans. I also baked all our cookies, brownies and cakes from scratch (no boxes!!) because I was home, had the time, and enjoyed the process.
However, I'm no Julia Child and always needed a recipe unless it was something that just needed to be put in a saucepan or roasted in the oven. The first meal I ever prepared David after we got married was Beef Stroganoff and I used the recipe from my "wedding gift" Betty Crocker cookbook. It was fabulous!!!!
All that to say, now we are preparing to move and I have, over the years, collected many cookbooks. I read them like novels pouring over each recipe and picture determining the ones that sound good to me. Because I'm a magazine addict (to be discussed at a later time!!), I have also torn pages out of various and sundry magazines of recipes that I wanted to try. So now, in addition to cookbooks, I have two notebooks stuffed with categorized recipes from magazines.
There's no way I can take all this to Paris, but I need (and want) many of these recipes--even though I realize the ingredients of some may be difficult to find and the measure system is different (yet another issue for me!!!). After discussing this with David and considering the choices of scanning said recipes and keeping a computer file, doing a Shutterfly book (still requiring scanning), or creating one single notebook that can be added to or taken from, I think I've decided on the latter. Now, of course, I will have to go through all the paper recipes I have, the cards I have and copy any cookbook pages I need. But adding new recipes and deleting unused recipes will be much easier, I think.
I know this isn't a very technological method, but then I'm not very technological. I do want a pretty notebook because, again, who knows where I'll have to store this wealth of information! I'm open to other ideas if anyone has any- send me a comment. Truth is, familiar meals (at least some) with fresh foods will help our new home feel like home. Maybe I can become Julia Child along the way!!!!!
I love cooking and baking. When the kids were growing up, I was always trying "new recipes" which were sometimes met with moans and groans. I also baked all our cookies, brownies and cakes from scratch (no boxes!!) because I was home, had the time, and enjoyed the process.
However, I'm no Julia Child and always needed a recipe unless it was something that just needed to be put in a saucepan or roasted in the oven. The first meal I ever prepared David after we got married was Beef Stroganoff and I used the recipe from my "wedding gift" Betty Crocker cookbook. It was fabulous!!!!
All that to say, now we are preparing to move and I have, over the years, collected many cookbooks. I read them like novels pouring over each recipe and picture determining the ones that sound good to me. Because I'm a magazine addict (to be discussed at a later time!!), I have also torn pages out of various and sundry magazines of recipes that I wanted to try. So now, in addition to cookbooks, I have two notebooks stuffed with categorized recipes from magazines.
 |
| A notebook, some cards and a few books |
There's no way I can take all this to Paris, but I need (and want) many of these recipes--even though I realize the ingredients of some may be difficult to find and the measure system is different (yet another issue for me!!!). After discussing this with David and considering the choices of scanning said recipes and keeping a computer file, doing a Shutterfly book (still requiring scanning), or creating one single notebook that can be added to or taken from, I think I've decided on the latter. Now, of course, I will have to go through all the paper recipes I have, the cards I have and copy any cookbook pages I need. But adding new recipes and deleting unused recipes will be much easier, I think.
I know this isn't a very technological method, but then I'm not very technological. I do want a pretty notebook because, again, who knows where I'll have to store this wealth of information! I'm open to other ideas if anyone has any- send me a comment. Truth is, familiar meals (at least some) with fresh foods will help our new home feel like home. Maybe I can become Julia Child along the way!!!!!
Tuesday, January 2, 2018
My Car
So..along with selling our townhouse and nearly all our possessions we will be selling our cars. That's probably not surprising since what would we do with them for 1-3 years while we are gone??? Most of you who know me know I'm am not enamored with cars, mine or anyone else's. I know what I like-small, sporty in a color other than a neutral. That's it. I seldom know one make from another nor do I really care.
That said, I'm finding it hard to think of selling my car. Not because I just love it (though I do) or because I want to drive in Paris (which I absolutely do not!). Since I was 16 and bought my first car (a Ford Falcon!!!), I have had a car. I could go when I wanted, leave when I wanted--it was an independence I appreciated. Now, without a car, I will be at the mercy of a metro system (though an excellent one and pretty easy to figure out) and a bus system (again very easy)...oh, and my two legs (one of which is recuperating from meniscus surgery so not real reliable this moment!!).
Adrian says not having a car is liberating--no insurance, no gas, no maintenance, no parking issues, no car payments. I get that. Really. But right this moment I'm thinking more about walking to a metro station or bus stop (my mother did that!) and waiting to go wherever it is I'm wanting to go.
Do you see what I'm saying???? I'm a little fearful of the unknown (does that sound ridiculous as I plan to move out of the country??!!) and can see myself getting lost or ending up in Timbuktu (did you know that's a real place?????And it's not close!!!).
This is just another "letting go of the old and embracing the new" I'm facing. And while I have just revealed a little of my personal crazy, I also know this urban lifestyle I am approaching will soon (I hope!) be my new normal and I may never want a car again!!!!! You never know.....
So..along with selling our townhouse and nearly all our possessions we will be selling our cars. That's probably not surprising since what would we do with them for 1-3 years while we are gone??? Most of you who know me know I'm am not enamored with cars, mine or anyone else's. I know what I like-small, sporty in a color other than a neutral. That's it. I seldom know one make from another nor do I really care.
 |
| Goodbye sweet car! It's been nice! |
That said, I'm finding it hard to think of selling my car. Not because I just love it (though I do) or because I want to drive in Paris (which I absolutely do not!). Since I was 16 and bought my first car (a Ford Falcon!!!), I have had a car. I could go when I wanted, leave when I wanted--it was an independence I appreciated. Now, without a car, I will be at the mercy of a metro system (though an excellent one and pretty easy to figure out) and a bus system (again very easy)...oh, and my two legs (one of which is recuperating from meniscus surgery so not real reliable this moment!!).
Adrian says not having a car is liberating--no insurance, no gas, no maintenance, no parking issues, no car payments. I get that. Really. But right this moment I'm thinking more about walking to a metro station or bus stop (my mother did that!) and waiting to go wherever it is I'm wanting to go.
Do you see what I'm saying???? I'm a little fearful of the unknown (does that sound ridiculous as I plan to move out of the country??!!) and can see myself getting lost or ending up in Timbuktu (did you know that's a real place?????And it's not close!!!).
This is just another "letting go of the old and embracing the new" I'm facing. And while I have just revealed a little of my personal crazy, I also know this urban lifestyle I am approaching will soon (I hope!) be my new normal and I may never want a car again!!!!! You never know.....
Monday, January 1, 2018
Another Ending
Happy New Year! Another year has ended and we are now down to two months until our move to Paris becomes our reality.
Earlier I wrote how I felt a little sadness as we decorated for Christmas this year...perhaps more nostalgia than sadness. When we decided to take down those decorations, we also decided to leave our two big trees up a little longer than usual. We enjoyed looking at them and, we knew, we wouldn't just be putting all those ornaments in their special place but would be deciding which were going with us to Paris, which would be stored for our return (whenever that is) and which would be given away.
I expected this task to be difficult...which ornaments were really "close to my heart" and pieces of my life (and the lives of our children) that I didn't want to part with...long-term or short-term? The truth is it was fairly easy. I discovered most of the ornaments weren't important to me at all. Few were really "close to my heart" (a couple from my own childhood, some photo ornaments of grandsons and special moments, or some from special places). Many were simply ornaments I liked...small icons that represented parts of me--a high-heeled shoe, a bottle of nail polish, a Starbucks cup. I know, trivial little things but ornaments someone saw and thought of me. I like that!
So the trees are empty and have even already been given away to families who will, I hope, enjoy them the way we did. A small handful of ornaments goes with us....and I feel no sadness. I feel great gratitude for the all the Christmas memories I have stored in my heart and I look forward to making new Christmas memories in Paris-maybe even adding a few new ornaments to the "close to my heart" box that will return to Texas later!
Happy New Year! Another year has ended and we are now down to two months until our move to Paris becomes our reality.
Earlier I wrote how I felt a little sadness as we decorated for Christmas this year...perhaps more nostalgia than sadness. When we decided to take down those decorations, we also decided to leave our two big trees up a little longer than usual. We enjoyed looking at them and, we knew, we wouldn't just be putting all those ornaments in their special place but would be deciding which were going with us to Paris, which would be stored for our return (whenever that is) and which would be given away.
I expected this task to be difficult...which ornaments were really "close to my heart" and pieces of my life (and the lives of our children) that I didn't want to part with...long-term or short-term? The truth is it was fairly easy. I discovered most of the ornaments weren't important to me at all. Few were really "close to my heart" (a couple from my own childhood, some photo ornaments of grandsons and special moments, or some from special places). Many were simply ornaments I liked...small icons that represented parts of me--a high-heeled shoe, a bottle of nail polish, a Starbucks cup. I know, trivial little things but ornaments someone saw and thought of me. I like that!
So the trees are empty and have even already been given away to families who will, I hope, enjoy them the way we did. A small handful of ornaments goes with us....and I feel no sadness. I feel great gratitude for the all the Christmas memories I have stored in my heart and I look forward to making new Christmas memories in Paris-maybe even adding a few new ornaments to the "close to my heart" box that will return to Texas later!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)