The kids didn’t see our new home until just before we moved in. We
went house hunting without them and didn’t return for a sneak peek at our new
digs until moving day. Tim let them run around inside, up and down the stairs,
calling out in excitement, their voices echoing throughout the empty rooms,
before we unloaded the moving van. They felt giddy with anticipation and
delighted at the new space, eager to bring in their things.
went house hunting without them and didn’t return for a sneak peek at our new
digs until moving day. Tim let them run around inside, up and down the stairs,
calling out in excitement, their voices echoing throughout the empty rooms,
before we unloaded the moving van. They felt giddy with anticipation and
delighted at the new space, eager to bring in their things.
They felt a bit less giddy when they arrived later to discover
those empty rooms piled high with boxes, their toys stacked who-knows-where,
and mom and dad tired and frazzled.
those empty rooms piled high with boxes, their toys stacked who-knows-where,
and mom and dad tired and frazzled.
This is the first real move for our three kids. Ella moved across
the country at one, but doesn’t remember. The boys were both born in Illinois and it’s just now hitting home that my kids are midwesterners, not northwesterners like their parents. We didn’t live in a tiny one strip town before, but it was significantly smaller than where we live now. I felt like a mom of country bumpkins the day I took them to the enormous nearby Hyvee and Ella kept exclaiming, “Look at this store! Look at that! Wow!” as if she’d never seen a grocery store before.
the country at one, but doesn’t remember. The boys were both born in Illinois and it’s just now hitting home that my kids are midwesterners, not northwesterners like their parents. We didn’t live in a tiny one strip town before, but it was significantly smaller than where we live now. I felt like a mom of country bumpkins the day I took them to the enormous nearby Hyvee and Ella kept exclaiming, “Look at this store! Look at that! Wow!” as if she’d never seen a grocery store before.
Out of all of us, Ella and Tim have experienced the easiest adjustment. He had law school to anticipate this entire time and is relatively fearless to change. Ella seems to have inherited this trait, mainly only annoyed by the lack of immediate access to friends and impatience for her room to be settled. Oh, and an unexpected dislike for sleeping alone in her own room.
Kai would probably have fared well, if not for the five teeth that decided to push through the week we moved, making him inevitably fussy and unable to sleep at night. Ezra struggled the most with adjusting, followed (surprisingly) by me. Here’s what I wrote at the end of the day July 30th. I’d been alone in a new city with the kids for a few days while my husband prepared our house that didn’t sell for renters.
Ezra started balling this afternoon. It began as an escalating, frustrated, misplaced anger and acting out throughout the morning. It ended with him against my chest, sobbing, torn between twin emotions of anger and sadness. I asked him if he felt sad about moving and missed our old house. He nodded vigorously against my chest, blurting out “I want to go home!”
I don’t blame him. Surrounded by boxes in an alien place where we don’t really know anyone or even how to get anywhere, a part of me wants to turn back too. I’m an adult, so I know what it means to settle in, to acclimate, to go through culture shock. When you’re three, it seems like things will forever remain foreign. You move past the honeymoon stage to the “I hate this place” stage much more rapidly. Hopefully this means he’ll acclimate much faster too.
Looking around me, everything just feels so different. Not necessarily good or bad, although there’s certainly a bit of both. I love the enormous master bedroom, all of the windows, and the play area separate from the bedrooms. I miss our cozy bi-level, the convenience of the garage, the much larger bathrooms. I ache for our yard and the freedom it provided us.
Two weeks later, we’ve eliminated most of the claustrophobia of moving boxes, sorted out stuff for a garage sale, and organized the kids rooms. The house is still a bit devoid of personality, lacking photographs and decorations, but we’ll get there. Kids are signed up for school and we’ve met a myriad of new friends at church. Tim started his law school orientation and we talked over a fascinating mock case written in the 1950s over breakfast.
I still feel some trepidation, mainly over finances, but things will be alright. They’ll be more than alright. They’re going to be fantastic. It just takes time and we’re getting there. Here’s some photos of the fun we’ve had over the last couple weeks:
Kai’s first haircut, or saying goodbye to the mullet.
Fun at a church water activity at the park.
Sand in the city!
Riding around the common area of our townhomes.
Phew, I suddenly became very emotional while reading this post. I’m terrified of moving, but I’m inspired by your positivity and determination to make it work! And you’re right. Things won’t just be alright, they’ll be fantastic!
I have lived here for 10 years in December and I still get intensely homesick and go through emotions and adjustment, I’m just very attached to Iowa. There are many things I love about living here and I would be terrified (have been when I thought we were moving to NY last month) at moving somewhere that wasn’t Iowa. You are such a great momma and will get everyone (including you) through this adjustment!