April 4th - Settling in?

     Anytime that you move there is such an unsettling, it doesn't matter how much you look forward to it or dread it. The whole action of boxing up what you own, going through the stuff and taking bags to the charity shops or the tip (recycling place for you Americans) can be taxing. It takes time to figure out what to toss, what hasn't been used in a while, what is sentimental that needs special care or what is fragile which calls for some bubble wrap. Of course after all the boxes, furniture and other stuff have been moved then it all has to be gone through and placed in the new abode. This takes not only time, but also quite a bit of headspace and emotion. The excitement of an empty space, the picture hooks on the wall, and the oh so needed changeable lampshades all provide an opporutnity for creatively using our belongings to adorn the new house.

    Making a house a home is a task and it is one that simply takes time. The question that you get the most once you've moved in is 'have you settled in' I can't say that I totally know what that means. Does that mean having boxes unpacked, having all your picture hooks occupied or plans for unused space? Does it mean that over the course of a couple of weeks an area you had never called your own is all of a sudden 'home'? That time does come but not overnight, and we look forward to our new dwelling being a true home, it is getting there and yes we are settling in.
    So how much are we settling in with the adoption process? This is a question that we have wrestled with as there is a big difference between waiting with expectancy each day looking at the email, hoping that 'the email' has come which will drastically change our lives in a good way. Compared to waiting with expectancy knowing that at some point that special email or call will arrive and we'll deal with those implications at that time. I feel like we are settling into the latter of the two, probably a more measured waiting knowing that it could be a long time until our hopes are seen in the expanse of our family.

 Settling into some kind of routine of life has been really helpful to us since our return to the UK following our adoption process trip. It has allowed us to live 'normal' in a way (even though we've just moved house) and not simply eager for the next to hear good news.
     For us this waiting period is an important one, whether that be 1 month or 14 months or even longer, this time is truly in God's hands, we are the ones who are being asked to live it out.  For all of you reading this blog don't feel sorry for us as we wait, it is part of this adventure and we are settled in for the long haul, as a great band once sang nobody said it was easy.