Just had enough.

The rental is starting to really get to me.

Believe me, I am trying hard to remain positive and keep this experience as much as an adventure as I can for my kids sake.  But, sometimes the bright side gets awfully dull.  After months of tripping over all of our belongings because there is no where to store them (and over half of our stuff is in storage) while telling myself and my kids that it is so refreshing to see how much we can live without, I am getting a bit grumpy about the stubbed toes.  After months of that strange, musty smell coming from the basement, I am loosing patience (and gaining a constant headache).  After months of killing spiders, I am not looking forward to fall when the outdoor giants begin to look for winter cover.  After months of trying to cook in a kitchen that has 3 feet of counter space, I look with anticipation to any trips to a restaurant.  The positive is definitely starting to vanish.

And yet, I do remind myself often all that this experience has taught us.  There really have been some positives that I will take with me forever.  We have learned:
1. We really don't need a ton of stuff to live comfortably.  Maybe more kitchen counter space, but not more stuff.
2. My kids really are resilient.  They really have adapted to the chaos this move has provided relatively well.  I am so proud of them for that.
3. Sometimes it is ok to admit that things suck so that you can move on.  I had a great heart to heart with Colin one afternoon about how living in this rental is not ideal.  I think once he realized that he could talk about it and I understood without a positive spin, he felt much better.  I felt great that we can have these conversations with each other.
4. I can never live in an old house with character or a lake house because of my allergies.  I love the idea of both, but my body doesn't.  And, it turns out feeling well is a lot more important than character and water life.
5. All neighborhoods contain people who are crazy characters, but not all neighborhoods contain people who will remain friends for life.  And when you find friends for life, they remain friends even if you move..
6.  When you are a family of five, a giant refrigerator is a necessity and worth every penny.

It turns out our new house is on schedule.  We continue to have October 19 as a closing date target.  Two months more of rental living seems like an eternity right now, but with everything we have going on in the next 8 weeks, I am sure it will fly by.  I hope it will fly by!