Well, the day has finally arrived . . . moving day. Let’s catch up on the goings on around here, shall we?
-1-
He absolutely insisted on getting TAPED into the box, and I was like, “Of course nawww . . . what am I thinking? Yes. Yes, I will tape you into that box,” where he sat happily in the dark for a good half an hour. The dampness on the handle area is where Gus was handing him pineapple spears through the hole.
-2-
It has been a crazy week. I’ve been blogging less the past couple of months, in order to focus on the remodel of the new house and work on a couple partially completed writing projects that have been in the works for . . . years. And I was making a-bit-but-not-a-ton of progress on them, because packing/moving and remodeling decision-making/shopping is a gas. It expands to fill its container. Then, just when we were down to crunch time on the move, I was offered the chance to pitch a completely different book, that I had ALSO been meaning to write, but the completion level on that one was: Have-title-and-some-thoughts.
Great news, right?! Right. Very exciting. But the requested date for the proposal was March 1st. So, everything else came to a screeching halt while I hammered out an introduction, biography, annotated table of contents, sales pitch, and a 6,000 word sample chapter that was supposed to be 2,000 words. If it hadn’t been leap year, I wouldn’t have made it. But it IS Leap Year. So I DID make it.
The acquisitions editor accepted it with no revisions <phew>, and is going to advocate for it next week. So now we wait and see. With that out of the way, I was able to focus on packing and prep for the last couple of days, and the kids and the husband and the parents have all been hard at work. So, I think we’re pretty well prepared. #famouslastwords
-3-
Speaking of Leap Year . . . if you’re looking for a cheesy romcom perfect for Leap Year and/or St. Patrick’s Day . . . the movie
Leap Year is on Netflix now. I recommended it in
my roundup of Irish movies last year, but last year it wasn’t on Netflix, but now it is.
Also on Netflix: Groundhog Day and Pee-wee’s Big Adventure! The latter we watched as our family movie night on Sunday and the kids L O V E D. Gus asked me, “Mom, do people think it’s the best movie ever?” Um, probably? YOU seem to.
It holds up surprisingly well. Probably because the effects are meant to look cheesy to begin with. And Pee-wee’s get-up hardly looks funny to today’s eyes. It’s like he was the original hipster in that fitted high-water suit.
-4-
The other big project of the week was food prep. I have been concerned about my ability to feed us in the new house, more on that below, and I got it into my head that what I needed to do was just do ALL the cooking now for the six weeks until our kitchen will be done. The husband thought perhaps that was not a reasonable goal.
But once I have thought of something, I pretty much have to do it. So, I compromised and just did the cooking for a month.
I made 31 freezer to crockpot meals with
recipes from Kelly at New Leaf Wellness. She is amazing and put all the recipes plus a shopping list into a free PDF. So cool. I’m very excited about it. I’ve done some meal prep-and-freeze before babies are born, but never on a scale like this.
It took me pretty much an entire day, with breaks for feeding and putting kids down to bed, but I’m hoping it will really come in handy as I’m trying to do projects at the new house.
-6-
Okay . . . back to the move. This is happening.
Movers are coming today to move the furniture. We have already moved almost all the boxes ourselves, one load at a time in the big van.
-6-
Gramblewood is NOT finished. But we knew it wouldn’t be.
What it has: New plumbing and electric, and, for the FIRST time, air conditioning, wifi (I hope. We haven’t actually tried it yet), and outlets in the bathrooms (so novel). The new floor plan is in upstairs. Walls are moved, new bathrooms are installed, master bedroom ceiling is vaulted, walls are patched, most of the tile is done.
What it doesn’t have: A kitchen, any doors or flooring upstairs, paint, any first floor renovations beyond plumbing/electric/HVAC.
How we’re going to handle the above: My dad has spent the last couple of days setting up a makeshift kitchen for me in a little front room of the garage. I’ll have laundry, a sink, two refrigerators, a cook top, a crock pot, and even some shelving and a counter top. It’s much less of a kitchen than I have now, or will have in the future, but it’s MUCH more than I was planning on having until my dad got ahold of the project. I have inherited my overdoing from him.
We are moving into the first floor while they finish the second floor. There are four bedrooms on the first floor, which will eventually become our TV room, playroom, school room, and guest room. But for now, they’ll be the girls’ room, boys’ room, schoolroom/playroom/living room, and master bedroom. Once the second floor is done, we’ll move up there while they work on the first floor.
Most of our stuff is going to stay in boxes in the garage until there’s a place in which to unpack it.
It’s not ideal in some respects, I know. But I’m actually looking forward to being there. There are a few projects that we are doing ourselves, like the painting and wall paper and furniture putting-together, and it will be easier to tackle that stuff from within.
-7-
Well. The practical part of me is looking forward to being there. The other part of me is wandering our current house, wistfully running my hand along the wall, staring off just past the camera, thinking of all the good times we had here.
Seriously. Good. Times.
And it’s orange blossom week in the back yard, which makes it even harder to imagine not living here. I have loved this house. I’m not sure I ever would have wanted to move if it weren’t for Jack’s school situation.
I’m not a particularly sentimental person. Just ask my poor kids, who have learned not to ask me where something should go, because 90% of the time, I say, “in the trash.” I think I was going to be able to leave just fine, but then
Mary Jane was born IN OUR BATHTUB. And now I’m like, “How can I just move away from the most important bathtub in human history?” (
Who gets that reference? Anyone?)
So, step one was the obligatory day-before-we-move in-the-bathtub-where-you-were-born photo-shoot:
And step two is
this sweet bracelet, that a reader named Ginny sent me, so that I can always remember this exact spot in the world:
It has the latitude and longitude coordinates of the house, and on the inside, it has Mary Jane’s name engraved. I plan to pass it along to Mary Jane when she grows up, but until then, probably she won’t mind if I wear it. 🙂
Anyway, I really love it, and it’s helping me detach.
I know you must also have a spot in the world that you want to carry with you, be it the home where your kids were born, or the spot where your husband proposed, or where you grew up, so I was really excited when Ginny offered to let one of you choose something from
her shop as well. She makes all sorts of beautiful, personalized jewelry.
One winner will get a $60 gift certificate to spend in the store. To win, just leave a comment on this post telling us what’s the most important spot in the world to you. I’ll announce the winner sometime next week, once the computer situation is sorted out at the new house.
Wish me luck! See you on the other side.
My favorite spot is the hospital where all my kids were born or the ski resort where they're father and I first started our relationship.
I honestly couldn't pick just one place! There's my parents' house… the place my husband and I met… the place we got married… (actually, I might have to pick that one. But it's difficult!)
Wow, that's a hard one!! But I think I would have to say the church that I grew up in, that my husband and I were married in, and where 7 of our 8 children were baptized!
Can't wait to see shots of your new house!! And to hear more about your book project.
The most important spot in the world to me is our home in NH, where we spent a quarter of a century raising our five boys. We may retire to a home on the lake in NY, where my husband and I both grew up…but if I had a bracelet made, I would want the coordinates of our NH house engraved on it.
Favorite place in the world? Right here. The home where I am raising my family. Undeniably.
I am sure throughout my life it will change a few times, but now, I think of the little AirBnB in CA where my husband and I brought "home" our little girl for the first two weeks of her life until we could legally bring her home to adopt her.
It's not quite as traditional, but my most beloved place on earth is my grandparents' cottage. My grandma told my granddad that she wanted a cottage and five children and he gave her all of that. It's just a little weekend place in the middle of nowhere, but it's where my grandma died, it's where I have decades of memories, and it's the only home I've had for my whole life. I take my kids every summer.
What a fun thought! Either the farmhouse where I grew up… or the family place on an island in Georgia… or the church where I met my husband… If I won I'd have to DECIDE.
The house I grew up in! At least it is so far.
My favorite spot in the world is the home we're going to find…oh…any day now. (We've only been looking for four years now.) We have to find it soon, because we finally sold our house, and we're living in my in-law's house while they're overseas, but they're coming home in a year, so now we've got a deadline.
I know how you feel about leaving the house. I had all five of my babies at home, and four of them were born in the house we just sold. I walked through the day before closing, remember the exact spot each of them emerged into the world, and nearly decided to forget it and just stay there – so impractical, but it was really hard to let go. I we DID have wonderful memories there, and I'll never forget that house. It's hard to move on to the next stage, even if it will be something wonderful like your Gramblewood (which is looking more and more doubtful, in our case).
We're military, and our most important life events are scattered up and down the east coast. If I had to pick one place, it would be eastern North Carolina. That's where we met, and the beaches there are where some of our happiest memories have taken place. It's just about impossible to narrow it down to one specific spot but I love the idea!
What a lovely post and I am so excited for your family and the big move. I can't wait to follow along with the progress. The latitude question was a hard one–baby delivery location, honeymoon spot, first home, place my husband and I met…. But then I settled on our church/school parish home! I have received all my sacraments (except baptism) in one church, it is also where both my 8th grade and high school graduations were held, where I was married, where all three daughters were baptized, where both my mom and I taught and now my girls go to school. Yes, I can think of no more important spot in our lives!! Thanks for the giveaway!! And good luck today!
The cabin where my family has been vacationing for the past 25 years, and where my mother's ashes are buried.
The church I grew up in and got married in. Its the most peaceful place on earth to me!
I'd chose Altgeld Hall at the University of Illinios — where my husband and I climbed the bell tower on our first date and where he took me again to propose. The campus where we met and fell in love is just so special to me.
Hi, I'd choose my bedroom, where all 4 of my children were born, the first by accident, and the next three on purpose. That's a really neat bracelet, I'd never seen that idea before, and I think I'll suggest it to my husband, since I also struggle with 'how can we ever leave since all our babies were born here' and this looks like it will help. Best of luck today! Melanie
What an exciting time for you all. Prayers for as smooth as a transition as possible. The most important spot for me, is a dock at the lake where I spent my childhood and where my husband proposed.
My favorite spot in the world is the corner spot of my couch in the living room. From that seat I have the best view of my daughters sweet smile while I nurse her (and of her attempts to blow raspberries on me while I nurse her) and of my son running around the house shouting and laughing and calling mama from the other room. This season of my life sometimes seems so limited because of my little ones but it's always filled with sweetness because of them too.
Home is where the heart is. And where the heart is, so is the soul. So hard to separate the two… It's a good thing we can't leave either of them behind in a move!
How did you end up with bilingual French/English boxes? Did you get it from Canada?
Our first house and where we started our family. We're planning to move soon too but it will be a very hard place to leave. It's also the place we have come to love Doctor Who as well!
My favorite place is Camp Gray Catholic Camp in Wisconsin. It is where I spent several formative summers and years, met my husband, and call home even though I now live many states away.
Hm…what a hard question! My first thought is our home right now, as it's where we've spent all of our married life together. But, I also thought of Italy (honeymoon spot) and the church where we were married.
My favorite place in the world is my hometown, Roanoke, Indiana. It's a little village of about 1,000 and is a LOT like Stars Hollow in Gilmore Girls: lots of festivals, everyone knows everyone else (and their business) and everyone drops everything if someone is in need. And, they have a Catholic church where I grew up – my friends' parents still all sit in the same pews they did 25 years ago! It makes my heart melt! My husband and I purchased 7 wooded acres there last year, and we are breaking ground in two weeks to build a house for us and our 7 kids…it is also a bike ride from my parents (who still live in my childhood home) and my sister and her family, who live a block away from my parents, and my other sister, who is buried in the Catholic cemetary half a mile from the new house. I can't wait for my kids to have the same hometown experience I had growing up!
Oh, I'm definitely sentimental. Imprinted in my mind are the bluffs of NE Iowa where I was born and raised on a dairy farm. I remember so many hours doing chores and just gazing off on the beautiful hills surrounding the Mississippi river. I'm forever plotting to move back….it's in God's hand now. (that baby in the bathtub is precious!)
I would probably do the latitude and longitude of our current home. This house is not our forever home, but it is where my husband proposed, it is our first home together, we have brought 2 babies (soon to be 3) home from the hospital here.
My absolute favorite spot is Jackson Square in New Orleans. My husband and I plan to move to NOLA one day. Why is it special? Because hubby and I get this feeling when we are there like no other place. It is where we feel absolutely meant-to-be. Its hard to put into words. Good luck with the move, we just moved too! And I cannot wait to see pictures when y'all are done renovating!
I'm like, wildly impressed over the writing project you competed while everything was going on. The bracelet is amazing, but I can't get over the writing project thing, :-O you're amazing!
I'm not sure what place I hold the most important is, yet. Either the first apartment my husband and I shared, my parents' house where he proposed and we held our wedding reception, or the church he and our first two babies were baptized and we were married in.
Oh boy. My favorite is probably the lake where we used to have a deck / outhouse / trailer / fancier trailer / and now my parents built a real home there.
I'm also obsessed with Gramblewood and everything happening at Catholic All Year! Yay!
My favorite spot is the Tetons. Site of many family reunions, and most recently site of my epic trek across an avalanche while 6 months pregnant, with hubby and three older kids in tow. Talk about best family vacay ever! Best wishes with your move!!
For me it would probably have to be either the restaurant where I met my husband or our current house where our youngest daughter was born, right next to the Christmas tree 🙂
Good luck Kendra and family! My favorite spot is the Kittridge Dorms at CU Boulder. My brave husband said hello to me there and that altered the course of my life forever. I'm so grateful the holy spirit encouraged him to reach out to me. We are so blessed! Have a great move! XO!
My favorite spot is home. We've moved 3 times in our marriage & it's always hard to say goodbye but home is wherever you plant your roots.
The Cathedral where I saw my husband for the first time, we got married, and baptized our little one.
Oh wow. I'd have to give it more thought, but off the top of my head, I'd say just outside the Dome on Notre Dame's campus, where I met my husband. Or maybe our current home that I hope will be our forever home, because it's not where I ever expected to settle, but I can't imagine ever living somewhere else now that we have.
In front of the tabernacle at my church
Aw, the bittersweet moving feeling. How well I know that! And also how well do I know the moved-in-but-still-remodeling feeling (but not nearly to the same scale- you, my friend, are brave).
One favorite spot is hard, as I'm perhaps slightly over-sentimental! The house I grew up in is one favorite, as it's where I learned all about relationship give and take, with 3 younger sisters, sharing bedrooms and one bathroom (my patient Dad deserves a medal!); where Dad taught us everything he knew, changing tires and oil, woodworking, softball and basketball; and Mom shared her devotion to us and showing us Gods love.
Ps – you're amazing, everything looks beautiful, and enjoy the adventure! I cry every time I leave an apt or home since getting married – we're on #4 🙂
My favourite spot in the world is my side of the bed! My husband teases me constantly about it, but with so many moves and other upheavals in my life, my side of the bed is my sweet spot. Have a great time turning that gorgeous house into a home!
I can't believe how hard it is to answer this question! As an also very unsentimental person, it's taking me by surprise. I guess I'd say the spot where we took our wedding vows, bEva use that's where it all began.
My favorite spot is my kitchen. It's where family and friends gather. My kids are always there, helping me cook, or just chatting around the breakfast bar.
Church where we were married!
I had a tie for my favorite spot. One would be that college that I met my husband (graduated and he converted to the Catholic faith there) or Afghanistan where he was shot while on deployment (was told he would not make it,but he did!)
I had a tie for my favorite spot. One would be that college that I met my husband (graduated and he converted to the Catholic faith there) or Afghanistan where he was shot while on deployment (was told he would not make it,but he did!)
right now it is my kitchen table for family dinners 🙂
I get the bathtub reference oh so well. Two months ago I delivered my tiny son, John Simeon, in the bath of our apartment. Although it was one of the hardest moments of my life, knowing his tiny body was lifeless, God granted me with the most amazing peace. I got to hold him and marvel at his perfect features, all while knowing he was also being held in the arms of Christ. What a gift it would be to carry the coordinates of his birth place and that memory with me forever! ❤️
Oh, this is so nice. I had our first baby at home last year (on purpose) and will have our second here as well in a few months. I know we'll have to move eventually, the house is pretty small, but the idea of leaving the house where our babies were born really gets me. Besides, my husband bought this house 18 years ago when he was only 19 and I think that's amazing. It will be very hard to leave when it's time.
I've never figured out how to comment as anything other than "unknown" on here. My name is Jennifer hakes! My favorite place would have to be Rome, Italy. Where I met all of my best friends and learned who I am meant to be.
Our nursery. William Gerald was born there in a (planned) home birth. He died in that same room 33 months later this winter. I can't imagine ever leaving this house with his crayon scribbles on the wall. This is where he lived his entire life. This bracelwt is beautiful.
The most important spot in my world Glacier Point, one of the overlooks in Yosemite. That's where hubby first told me he loves me. He was so heartfelt, sincere, and emotional that I (the non-sentimental one) started crying. And then he intentionally made me mad before proposing (almost a year to the day later).
Hmmm…That's a tough one…. I would have to say our university North Carolina Central University. My husband and I met there and had some really amazing memories. We made our best friends there. And our old church building was actually absorbed into the campus and serves as a chapel now.
my favorite spot? – wherever I am at the moment….
Oh, this is so fun to think about! Mine is the steps of the TN Capitol building, where my husband proposed (with a great view of the Church where we married).
My favorite place is a random corner of Disney's Animal Kingdom where my now- husband and I first spoke. It was the beginning of the best summer of my life. ������
And I can't wait for Gramblewood!!!
Ha! All my heart eye emojis didn't translate…now it looks like I'm questioning my life choices, haha!
Whew. Your dad is amazing.
The most special place in the world? I suppose it would have to be tied between Founders Chapel at USD (where we were married), a few hospital rooms, a bathtub in Altadena, and… a liquor store parking lot???
My favorite place is transient; wherever my children, husband and I are all together is the most important place to me.
So hard to choose my favorite spot, but this one speaks to my whole family. Glencolmcille, Ireland is special to all of us. My husband lived and worked there, we've all had the best, most restful and fun trips there, and we have friends there whom we love like family. Two of my children are even named in honor of locals there. I'd like to carry that with me on a bracelet. That would be pretty fabulous.
My favorite place is probably our current home. It's the first place that has really felt like "home" for so many reasons. I truly feel like God hand picked this place specifically for us. And I totally got your Doctor Who reference, it's one of my favorites and that whole speech took on a new meaning for me after my miscarriage. "The difference between what is and what should have been. There's an awful lot of one, but an infinity of the other."
The first location that comes to my mind is the Sisters' cemetery near our college. Now let me explain: my husband and I met at college like many couples do, except that we almost did't. I had a roommate, books, dorm room and everything ready for me at a college in my state that made the most sense. One day, a month before classes were to start, I woke up and decided that I wasn't meant to go there. Instead I was going to go to a Catholic college my Mon had graduated from. Similarly my husband had gone to the same Catholic college for a year and was considering transferring to a University a couple of states away. The day before his college visit, he changed his mind and decided to stay where he started. During my first semester, my fine art class didn't fit my schedule so I was moved to Chambre Choir. Who happened to also be in that class, my husband. He was convinced to join choir by one of his friends. And the rest, as they say, is history. At the edge of our campus, the Benedictine sisters (who sponsor the college) have a cemetery on a bluff that overlooks the Missouri River. I have felt the Holy Spirit touch me many times at that location and so that is the location I would choose.
A very important spot to me is the house where I grew up, where my husband proposed many years ago. My family moved from there before my son "Frankie" was born. When, years later, Frankie began dating a college student who just happened(!)to be renting that house with classmates, he had NO CLUE that his mother had ever lived there. The first time I met the girl, I asked ("making conversation") where she lived. I don't think we'll ever forget my scream of disbelief at her answer!! Long-story-less-long, Frankie proposed to her in the same living room where his dad had proposed to me, kneeling on the same wood floor. They now have 4 children. Wouldn't it be nice to have a jewelry memento of what we now call "the engagement house?" I think so! 🙂 An heirloom in the making, for sure.
I think it has to be the church at which my oldest and I were received into the Church, where my husband came back to the church, and where our littlest was baptized.
My most important spot is like yours: our old house in pennsylvania where Tahlia was born. At least she was born in bed so I got to take the bed with me 😉 but still, I miss that house every day for all sorts of reasons even outside of the fact that my first daughter was brought into the world there.
I have so many favorite places. One is our little house where we live now, the first we have ever owned. Another is the bell tower at my college which is where my husband proposed. Another is my grandparents house. So many wonderful memories 🙂
And to answer the favourite place part? Parliament Hill here in Ottawa. Ottawa is where I came for university as a result of an internship I won on Parliament Hill.
Both Ottawa and the Hill were places that immediately felt like home and like I fit in.
I worked there for 5 years and saw a lot of historic moments. My husband proposed to me in the Senate chamber, using the first question of Question Period.
Moving can be so bittersweet! Good luck in your new home.
Favorite place? My families summer cabin.
Placid, Iowa. Not found easily on a map but so many memories from my childhood!
Placid, Iowa. Not found easily on a map but so many memories from my childhood!
So many options! I can pinpoint the exact spot where I met my husband, so that has to be a front-runner for me.
Lots of favorite/sentimental spots…Des Moines, Iowa where I grew up. The hospitals where my children were born and the cemetery where my daughter is buried.
The most important spot in the world to me is the grave of my mother. I only just found my birth family about 8 months ago and my birth mother died when I was 5 but wgen I go there, I feel close to her. I look exactly like her too so it would probably scare anyone who knew her if they saw me there!
My favorite spot in the world is, hands-down, my parent's farm where I grew up. 🙂 The smell of hogs is oddly comforting to me. Also fresh air. How the air can be fresh and smell like hogs, I can't explain.
There will probably come a day where the most sentimental spot will be the family home that we live in now with our 4 boys. But the place where I started on the journey to the "me" I am today was Notre Dame. I will always carry Notre Dame in my heart. It changed my life, soothed my soul, gave me a second family network, and taught me to smell the roses and praise God amidst the otherwise busy days of life. I wouldn't be who I am if I had never attended law school there. It is also the place where my husband proposed to me and where we were married. In so many ways, my life really began there.
My favorite spot is the Black Hills of South Dakota. I grew up in Colorado (yay for the mountains!), but moved to North Dakota, where my mom is originally from, when I was 15. I met my husband here in ND, we are raising our family here, we have extended family nearby, and are just about as busy as can be. The Black Hills are close enough for a weekend getaway and as beautiful as the mountains – almost 😉
I have no idea really.. But we spend some time in the summer at my in-laws 'camp' in Vermont along the beach at Lake Champlain. Probably there…
My favorite spot is the adoration chapel in Linton, North Dakota. It is where on December 28, 2015 the love of my life got down on one knee. "From the beginning we've asked God to be in the center of our love. I wanted him to be here watching over us as I asked you this question." I'll never forget that moment.
This is so hard. My favorite place is wherever my husband and kids are. If I really had to choose, it would either be the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco (where he proposed) or the Carmelite chapel across from the university we went to.
-Aileen W. (not sure why I'm popping up as " Unknown.")
This is really hard, but I'm going to go with the the church where we got married, since that is where my family began!
My favorite place is under the big tree where my husband and I had our first date (climbing) and where he proposed.
I think my favorite spot is our home now, it's the first home we've owned and it has so much promise. We've already had amazing times and we are planning our first homebirth, a large garden, many awesome things 🙂 I can see us being here forever.
This is a hard one. We moved a ton when I was growing up. But the one place that is sticking out to me was the crabapple tree in our backyard in South Carolina. It's branches had a perfect seat for me to sit in, and I would climb up there with a book for hours.
I think I would choose our engagement spot – on a rock in the middle of a mountain stream. We go back and visit it every year.
My favorite spot is my extended family's house in the Berkshires, which is in western Massachusetts. It's not a fancy house but I have so many good memories there. I love hiking in the woods and watching the stars from our deck!
Also, I am with you on how hard it can be to move! My parents sold the house I grew up in two years ago to move into the city. It was really hard at first, and while I still miss our old house, I like their new one too!
I am in LOVE with that bracelet! It's going on my mother's day/birthday wish list 😀
Good luck with the move!
I love this! I'm torn…between the Larchmont Yacht Club, where I have great memories from growing up and married my awesome husband, and our current bedroom, where my second beautiful son was born (planned home birth for us)!
Maybe St. Therese church in Alhambra, CA… it's the first spot my husband took me when I flew out to visit him and meet his parents for the first time. I wasn't even Catholic (or Christian) yet. What kind of guy takes his non-Catholic girlfriend to his church before anywhere else? My wonderful husband apparently. Eventually, it is the place I went through RCIA, was baptized, confirmed, had first communion, and helped out with VBS and CCD there. It's the church where my daughter was "the tiniest angel" in the children's Christmas mass. It's also the first place I really believed that Jesus was real, and that he had died for ME. When I read this question I didn't really feel sentimental about any place… but St. T's is pretty special 🙂
Congratulations on your new home! My favorite is in my husbands arms. Simple as that 🙂
A. Love your blog so much.
B. Most important place? Probably our first home. It was quite…choice, but we stayed there our wedding night, brought our first child home there, and birthed our second baby there. And we moved out. 😉
Great post- and congrats on moving day!
My favorite place in the world is our current home. We moved from apartment to apartment during the 6 years we've been married while I finished residency and fellowship. As our family grew we kept moving. Finally we were able to buy a home last year. We love watching our 3 little girls growing up in a place where we can put down roots 🙂
Providence Bay, Manitoulin Island. It's my favourite place on earth.
Greene Point Rapids, British Columbia where my grandparents used to have a cabin.
Wherever my family is!
Oh, Kendra, this post really spoke to me. We are in the middle of moving from the home that we have lived in for the last 9 years. When we moved in we had two little girls and a two-week-old baby boy; now we have seven children, two girls, four boys, and a baby girl. We moved here after 10 years in Europe, where I had met my husband and we began our family (so a tiny town in Austria where all that happened is also in my top three). But this house was where we went from being a tiny, mobile family with little girls to a nice big family, with a wide swath of boys. It was our first house after 7 years as apartment dwellers. It was our first experience of life in America. Although I never delivered any of my children on the premises, it has been the house where we became Our Family. It has so many closets, I can't believe I'll ever find its equal for storage space. And we have stored up many great memories here. An older couple whose children are now grown told us, "These are the golden years." I'm taking consolation and gleaning wisdom and helpful practical tips from watching your move. I know the plans he has for us must be to prosper and not to harm us! And our home is not here anyway, as you are always so good as to remind us.
Good luck and God bless! Think of all the love that you have filled that house with. Some lucky family is going to move in and feel all the good times and happiness and it will make the home all the more wonderful for them. From afar, the crazy living through a major reno on freezer meals seems exciting and romantic, but up close I'm sure it will be less so, so many prayers peace during the next few months.
It is so hard to pick a favorite place – maybe where I met my husband, maybe where he promosed, maybe where we got married…but really I think it is our current home. The first home we bought and our lifetime fixer upper. It is where are kids are growing up and where our marriage and family became so much stronger and closer to God.
I would have a hard time deciding between a spot in our favorite Scottish town or the church where we joined the Church last year. Both wonderful places!
Hm…. Either my family's "campground" in the woods behind my parents' house, or the church where my husband proposed. 🙂
The spot on the Ohio River across from Downtown Cincinnati where my husband proposed to me. 🙂
Prayers for a smooth(ish) move!
I would say my most important spot is here. At home. Blessed to be here on the good days and the not so good ones.
Home. With my family. No place better.
The farm I grew up on 🙂
I would pick the campus building where we met for unofficial night prayer during my first year of college…probably scared the other students who were just trying to finish their math homework.
A couple things: 1. You can solve all. the. problems. I'm impressed with your plans, and your crock pot freezer meals. 2. I am hoping that book you are planning is for us. It is only a guess but such a long chapter is hopefully a grown-up book. 🙂 3. My favorite place is the church where my husband and I got married and we baptized our baby.
Best of luck with the move! It's so exciting!
Wow! Good luck with your move! (I'm sure it will go smoothly… it does look like you've thought everything through 🙂 )
Hmmm… favorite spot in all the world? Don't know that I ever really thought about that before – but no matter how far I seem to roam, I always come back to my hometown. So, I'll go with that. My hometown 🙂
My favorite place would have to be either our home (our first house to own + the place where we brought home our son, and soon, baby #2) or our church (where my husband converted to Catholicism, we were married, and my son + baby #2 were/will be baptized).
So many important spots! My favorite is probably the island of Borneo, where I did missionary work.
The most important place? Eek, too many! But right now the one tugging me is the church where I entered the Catholic Church last Easter Vigil. So many tears of joy were shed that night. 🙂
I think I would pick the spot where I met my husband…changed my life!
My favorite spot is the home I live in right now with my husband and baby. We always rented while I was growing up, so it's amazing to live in my own apartment for the first time in my life!
My favorite place is the river front on a concrete wall where my husband and I had our first date and also where he proposed to me.
Glendale. My family's country home. Beautiful jewelry!
Probably our current home. If I got jewelry, I may have to use both our current and first home. I really like these pieces.
Sounds cheesy, but I'd put the most important spot in the world as Marysfield, Canada, when in 2002 I heard JPII say, "You may be 22 and I may be 82 but I know you." and I realized I was Catholic to my core. That led me to marriage as a vocation, to my four living children and one in heaven. Nothing matters more to me.
My most important place is wherever my family is, but I would probably choose one of my favorite spots in Disney World, as we have made many happy memories there together.
Hmm, probably Las Vegas. I was only supposed to be there for a few years, but I met my husband there, he proposed to me there, we lived there for 11 years and all 4 of my children were born there. 🙂
If i should happen to win (!), my email is book bike water (all one word) at gmail you know the rest. 🙂
What a fun post to read. So excited for your new home… it's such a great home!!
But saying goodbye is hard…. we are in the process too.
I am torn on most important place– the tiny town I grew up in (Linden, CA) gave me my wholesome roots, love for all things Italian, and an appreciation for community. Victorville gave me the title mom when my youngest was handed to me after a long wait to adopt, and then there's my current home where I brought my three babies home… Hmmm… I think Victorville might win out. (A town I'd never thought twice about, still nothing impressive… but I get all the warm feelings when I think of that dark night I became mom.)
it is a toss up for me. it is either this: my husband and i met at church and 8 months later we got married at the same church. or it is this: the house we have lived and raised our children in for all 17 years of our marriage.
My favorite spot is the lake where we would take our family vacations.
A little bench outside of my college dorm, "Our bench" my husband (then boyfriend) called it. 🙂 It's where we dated and fell in love and fought and made-up. <3 I like to think of it as the place where we did lots of growing up.
The Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Chapel in my town. When I was converting to Catholicism I went weekly and say and contemplated and dived head first into truth! Then my amazing husband proposed to me there in the first pew on Christmas Eve 2007. Now I am blessed to take my 2 girls (4 and 1) there every week for prayer. Of course, it's not the building but the tiny host behind the crystal that makes it the most special.
The Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Chapel in my town. When I was converting to Catholicism I went weekly and say and contemplated and dived head first into truth! Then my amazing husband proposed to me there in the first pew on Christmas Eve 2007. Now I am blessed to take my 2 girls (4 and 1) there every week for prayer. Of course, it's not the building but the tiny host behind the crystal that makes it the most special.
The first house we bought and absolutely love for our family!
Best of luck with the move. You've been in my thoughts and prayers. It will all be worth it in the end! How exciting about the book proposal, the timing for these things is never right but you can't ignore the opportunity when you get it! Please keep us updated!
As far as my favorite place, it's a bench that looks onto Nun's Island where the Poor Clare's Monastery in Galway is, and behind the bench is the Galway Cathedral. It's a special place for my husband and I.
Take care and all the best for the next couple of weeks.
I'm long overdue for a post as I've been reading our blog for sometime and love it. Whenever I tell my husband about something you've posted, I start off by saying, "you know that blog I like …" because then he knows exactly what I'm taking about.
My favorite spot in the world is home – the only home that we've ever owned, and the home that we brought 2 kids home to from the hospital, and the home in which our 3rd baby was born. So many sweet memories!
*your
I did the same with my husband about referring to Kendra's blog and he finally said to me, "Her name is Kendra that writes that blog, right?" Ha ha! I guess when I was reading through all her old posts that I was sharing quite a bit!! I can now just refer to her as Kendra. 🙂
When do you have the tiiiiiime?!?! I'm so "busy" with two little ones that I don't think I'll be able to pack all of our stuff in time for moving day in two months, not to mention having freezer meals prepped in advance! I am impressed!!! 🙂
To be honest, the most important place for me is where my family is, so I'd likely blow that gift certificate on some other adorable piece of jewellery, because I REALLY like the pretty stuff this Ginny lady sells!
All the best with the move and settling in, mama!
My favorite place is St Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Dallas. It was the first Catholic church I had ever been in, in the fall of 2014. I was an atheist and I remember crying because it was such a beautiful place and the words of the priest hit me in a spot my heart hadn't felt in so long. It was the church where I was baptised and brought into our amazing faith, on Easter Vigil of 2015. And it's the church that I plan to get married in someday soon. ♡
My favorite place is any place my family gathers especially when it's my extended family also. My other favorite place is my aunts farm – I have so many found memories from my childhood there.
I always feel heartbroken leaving a place, but then once I'm on the road and thinking ahead to the new destination, I feel nothing but excitement and an urge to unpack in record time. Your "in the trash" comment cracks me up. Kindred spirits.
I love the Roman numerals ring – thanks for introducing me to the shop!
I am trying to catch up on all my blog reading, so I am a bit behind the times, but I wanted to tell you congratulations on your book proposal! That is wonderful!
Also, I am looking forward to reading the updates about Gramblewood. I am sure this is a very exciting and busy time for you! Praying for you and your family. 🙂
Hi I'm a happy new reader.Congrats on your new home! I understand your sentimentality re the bathtub as number three was born in our house as well. We've been here so long:) I can't imagine the logistics of your move but your new home is amazing and I wish you many, many blessings there! Karen
Love, love, love the Doctor Who reference!
I'm not sure I could pick a favorite! But where my husband and I had our first date would be up there!
Probably where my husband proposed! It's tough choice though!
My husband purposed to me in one of my favorite spots- looking out to Lake Superior from Duluth. I get warm fuzzies every time I think of it!
My husband, at the time fiancee, right after a Valentine dance at our parish, at the time Blessed Sacrament Parish,walked me over behind the church trying to get close to the Tabernacle, being the church doors were locked, he knelt down and promised to Jesus to love me always.
the farm in EU where my mom was born….thank you for this chance!
I like that idea of the bracelet much better than a tattoo which is the only other place I've ever seen longitude and engraved…
My favorite place would be the house I was born in. I would want to pass that down by generation so that at some point, some distant relative would go to that house based on the points on the bracelet and wonder why they're standing in front of it and hopefully connect the dots to their history .