take time to smell the roses

Lately, our days have been one blur after another.  So many things have changed in the last few months, it's hard to keep up with everything.  All good things, I must add.  I started a new job in March, and shortly thereafter we were in the market for a new home here in Florida.  By the end of May, we had left our apartment and moved into our new house.  It's been one week since we moved in, and it seems not one minute goes by where we are not tackling an item on our to-do list.  

We were virtually fully unpacked in three days, which is quite an accomplishment, considering we have two little ones running amuck and begging us to chase them around in circles.  On Day Three, which happened to fall on Memorial Day, we enjoyed some time off outside and broke in the backyard with a quick family BBQ.  Eva and Zoe had never had watermelon before, but dug into their slices like pros and even joined us as we ate home-made cheeseburgers.  They love being outside and can't stop staring at the trees' leaves and their shadows as they sway in the warm breeze.

Slowly, we begin to settle into our new home.  The fear of living in a two-story home steadily subsides as the girls' enthusiasm over taking the stairs on their own fades and they willingly let us accompany them as they independently crawl up the stairs and scoot themselves down as we join them.  It amazes me how fearless they are.  They run through the living room without abandon when we tell them it's time to go upstairs.  The few boxes that remain unpacked are a constant reminder of all we have left to do, but to them they are mere objects they can pat and drum on to make their own music.  

We rush to get them to bed early enough so that we have time to do more, but they are on their own schedule and in no rush to get out of the warm bubbly bath they so look forward to each day.  In the tub, they are almost impossible to control.  Zoe cracks herself up as she balances herself on one leg while reaching for her toes, and repeating 'lingle lingle' in an attempt to say 'wiggle wiggle', which is what I do with my bare toes to encourage her to tickle them.  Eva will not sit up, and instead prefers to practice swimming moves as she lays on her belly and kicks her feet as hard as she can and giggles as she splashes all over us.  Together, they are my little yogi and little swimmer, though they have no formal training...

The day is over, but there is oh so much more left to do.  Every night since we've been here we have continued our day long after the girls' is over, and not gotten into bed a minute before midnight.  I've been immersed in organizing and decorating while Victor has slowly been learning the ins and outs of home repairs; he knocked down a wall to make room for our new fridge!  Together, we make a great team.  His carefree attitude balances my over-zealous expectations.  He reminds me of how far we have come, and of how much we have done.  He lets me know it is okay if everything is not always perfect, all of the time.

We have more than earned a night off.  Tonight is about soaking it all in.  We have been through so much over the last few years, and it feels so good to finally have arrived at such a good place in our life.  It is time to take a break from the chaos that becomes of our busy days, and simply enjoy the good things in life.  In time, our new house will become our dream home, and new memories will be made here.  For the meantime, I am just going to sit back and smell the roses...and count my blessings as each new day unfolds.