Moving On

We are on the move!  Time if FLYING right now.  I am go-go go.  Hopefully everything will be moved down to our rental in New Orleans this weekend.  I am still splitting time between Nola and Memphis because my Louisiana PT license has not come through yet, even after a 2 month wait, and this mama has to provide a financial income.  So, there is a lot of single parenting going on.  The bonus is I get a lot of special #spreaglet time.  The downside is I can only train when I don't have Isla and I am not working, and that is usually only about 30 minutes a day in between my "shifts."  I look at this as a very extended marathon recovery.  And I am really starting to get some competitive feelings swirling inside of me again, and that has been a long time coming.  I think the move to a new location, with new training opportunities, is taking a hold of me.  I am excited.

I knew I was in a rut here.  I knew needed a change.  I just didn't realize how much this move would help me until I started the process.  The sky is the limit!!!!

Isla is excited to move to New Orleans, or at least she tells us she is.  I can tell she gets a little stressed when we are splitting time in two places and when our family is separated.  It probably doesn't help that she has ANOTHER ear infection going on.  Oh, you know.  Only the 4th sinus/ear infection of the year.  :(  (above picture was my first sign we were getting sick....it was 70 degrees outside and this is what she wanted to wear).  

But soon she will spend the summer doing this!

Dave "made" me give my tapes away.  Well, he wanted to chunk them.  But I have such a problem with this!  First, why fill up a landfill with trash.  Irresponsible.  Secondly, I love these tapes- they have been with me for decades!  Thankfully my brother-in-law took them off of my hands so I can feel like they have a good home now.  Bye bye, tapes.  You remind me of the old days, where I saved every little penny I had for you.  You were treasured!  

Packing has been great and tough.  I am familiar with the Konmari method, but have not read the full book.  I really, really wish I had read it before I started this process.  And, I wish I had more time, toddler free, to just go through EVERYTHING.  So far we have had 1 garage sale, but I wish I had time to have another.  I have given away bags and bags and bags and bags of things.  Those 100+ race t-shirts the I wanted to make into a quilt?  GONE.  My VHS copy of Beastmaster, Krull, Karate Kid, and Conan the Barbarian?  GONE.  (now that actually made me a little sad)

So, does it spark joy (Konmari method)?  If not, I give it away.  Or, at least I am trying to.  This really is a hard process for me, not because I want a ton of junk, but because I consider myself a really thrifty person.  I do not buy a lot of things, and therefor I have many things that I have carried around with me for 30 years.  Why buy a flat screen TV when my tube TV works just fine?  I just don't really identify with our culture.  I don't understand upgrades.  I don't understand how people can just throw things away, and I literally mean throw them in the trash.  BAD karma, IMO.  So, I am trying to re-home things.  But, with Konmari, you are not supposed to keep things because you think they may serve you later.  They should spark joy, or they don't belong with you.

So, my struggle right now is in packing.  I have come face to face with the disorganization of my life, which is at an all-time high.  I remember being the girl who had the super organized dorm room, combined with a super organized studious life.  I made lots of to-do lists and diligently checked off my accomplishments.  I had a neat and legible calendar with everything planned in it.  Now, I am a disorganized mom that only remembers about 2/20 things I was supposed to do on any given day, and even if I could remember to do it I wouldn't be able to find it in my unorganized house.

Anyways, this is all changing.  Seriously.  This move is forcing me to make the change happen that I have WANTED and NEEDED to happen, but just haven't made the time or effort.  And I feel happy.

And selfishly, I know this will help my training.  I just know it will.  I have 100% faith that re-organizing our home and lives will allow me freedom to be in the moment, reduce stress, and plan more time to set goals.   I have no doubt some organization would find me an extra hour in my day for the sports that I love.

Last days are happening all around.  Isla had her last day at one of her preschools today, complete with her last day with her "Best Boy"  (her words, not mine), Stuart.  It is seriously awesome to watch my daughter smile and engage with friends.

Isla and I are spending some last days here in Memphis together.  I wonder what she will remember of her first years here?