In 11 days, we’ll be boarding a plane to Auckland, New Zealand.
With a one-way ticket.
The process thus far has been tedious. We’ve gone through medical exams, questions of income, and rustling up copies of our bills to prove Keith and I are actually married and living together. We’ve spent time traveling to see as many friends and family members as possible. And we’ve purged our apartment of miscellaneous and forgettable belongings.
I’m sure you’ve been here before.
A vow to floss every day. Even when it’s 2am. Even when you’re on vacation. Even while camping in a rainforest outside of Peru.
A promise to run every morning. In below-freezing temperatures. In spandex. In the morning.
Or
A declaration that you’ll only be eating fresh produce, quality proteins, and tree nuts daily—even though at the moment you barely use your frozen foods before they expire.
This weekend, Keith and I were able to spend time with my paternal grandparents in New Paris, Indiana. My grandpa has worked and lived on a farm since he was a child, and I believe that next to his love for God and family, he is truly in love with farming.
And what’s not to love about a peaceful green field of spring grass, spotted by grazing calves?
Only a book-lover can understand the feeling accompanied with giving away a book. The smell, the cover art, the marginalia…
For some, organization is a chore. For me, it’s categorized next to fresh towels and baby bunnies. What? Just google baby bunnies; cuteness can’t get any better.
Anyway, I’m usually good about keeping only what we use frequently, so purging in the name of organization is nothing new to me.
Moving to the other side of the world, however, forces one to confront the deepest corners of their closets. The keep-sakes and tag-alongs from childhood and college, the left-overs from my parent’s down-sizing. The retainer that no longer fits, but somehow still belongs in my bathroom drawer? Really, it’s embarrassing.
While my husband is out of town, I’m making my way through my towering to-read pile.
The Help offers the recommended-reading-trifecta; it’s thought-provoking, witty, and surprising. Set in the deep South during the early 60’s, the book offers a glimpse into the extreme racial segregation of the time through the thoughts and observations of two black women hired as household help, and a white woman who comes to see the racial “lines” as oppressive and unfair. These women–although each facing their own difficulties and fears–all share in the risk of secretly journaling the experiences of the hired help.
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