The first day. And I survived it.
I have the most amazingly complex fruitbasketupset pile of emotions happening in my heart, but something about today felt very significant as I realized it was the beginning bookend to a year that is going to be professionally and, more importantly, personally formative. Not easy---by any stretch of the imagination--but knowing that I have a tremendous amount of learning coming to me just around the bend is an exciting (terrifying, but exciting) feeling.
Awhile back, I had a patient who was really impacted by the book One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. One of the incredible things about being a therapist is what you learn from and how you can be deeply impacted by the hearts, souls and lives of the people you are privileged to work with along your journey. I have not personally read the book, but through my day today I was struck by gratitude for some clear "gifts" during a somewhat challenging transition. Thus today marks my journey of discovering five hundred gifts in the next 365 days.
With an aching heart I said goodbye to my parents yesterday and boarded a plane back to DC (after being groped by TSA - I joked in a heart-warming exchange of texts with my father-in-law who was flying to China yesterday that we could be grateful they were looking out for our security . . .). My time in Minnesota was a blessing beyond words. Family. is. everything. And it just was so good for my heart during a very challenging stretch to be surrounded by so much love and containment with the people who are my secure bases.
It felt nice to be back in DC. Nice. And Weird. And sad. And good. I think God has done something interesting in both Philip and I that - despite it's shortcomings - DC is a space where we have made a home. And I'm really grateful for that and it's really special to me. And we're both really excited to get back to it - I think we're coming to appreciate the place - crazy as it is - in a way that wouldn't have been possible if we didn't get a bit of a forced "DC break". Which naturally made leaving it feel emotional (even though, really I'm just down the road. . .).
A dear friend picked me up, and we spent the night connecting about sunshine-filled summer events of the last six weeks and the emotional tumult that this deployment has created for each of us. I rested soundly, woke up, went to a doctor appointment and a few hours later I was picking up the keys to my new temporary casa. Oh, did I mention that from Baltimore to Princeton it was POURING rain. I was glad I had memories of my sunshine-filled summer day here back in July otherwise it would have felt pretty ominous . . .
Walked through the door, quickly surmised that it would suit my needs just fine for the next 12 months and quickly went to set up the internet. Discovered I needed an ethernet cable slot on my computer to activate the internet. Someone from the leasing office came a couple hours later with said computer. Discovered ethernet not necessary, but internet still not working. Discovered that the company has to change out something in the apt and they can't do this until late next week. Um, really really reeeeeeally sad. If I was just a normal internet-addicted person it would be annoying. When your spouse is deployed with shotty communication capabilities this is sad x3. Somehow I kept it together.
Meanwhile I went to Target to buy a shower curtain and a mat for outside the door. Exciting stuff people.
A couple hours later the FURNITURE ARRIVED! Suddenly things started to look much more "homey."
I decided to bust out my mad military wife skills and find a solution to my desperate internet problem. I knocked on several neighbors' doors and finally found someone home. I introduced myself and explained my plight. Two sweet girls were very understanding, and graciously are sharing their internet connection with me temporarily. I almost cried I was so thankful. One of them gave me a hug. Seriously - this made everything feel a bazillion times better. I knew if I had an internet connection, I could conquer the world.
GIFT #1: Internet connection on my first night in Princeton
Reenergized I climbed in my car and made a quick trip to Josh & Elizabeth's house (friends of my dissertation advisor who he connected me with here in Princeton who have graciously allowed me to store stuff at their house over the summer). Mind you, I have never actually met these people. But I march up to their door at 8:30 at night, am invited in - not just to grab my crap but to sit down and chat. Josh is a doc who is prior military. I can tell they "get it." I knew we spoke the same language when Elizabeth and I used the term "situational awareness" almost simultaneously in the conversation. Seriously good people.
GIFT #2: Josh & Elizabeth
Amazed by how kind J&E were, I came back to the apartment and had the energy to unload the car.
I have moved. A lot. It SUCKS. Every time. Horrendous. Awful. Not fun. Especially the unpacking. But you know what? I have never had a more painless unpacking. I don't have that much stuff and the storage in the apt. is great so really I don't even have that much to do. I only have a partial carload left at J & E's that I grab tomorrow. So I prettymuch got to skip the overwhelming/house looks crazy phase. Awesome.
And now I will lay me down to sleep. In a bedroom with a full bedroom set of furniture. Sweet.
GIFT #4: Sleeping on a bed with a headboard!
Those of you readers who have been praying - thank you. Your prayers are felt and continue to be coveted in my and Philip's corners of the world.
1 comment:
You are welcome, and we will continue praying. I love the 500 Gifts idea. You already have a great start to the list. Will you write them in a journal? I don't know where I first read it, but I wrote in the front of my bible: "Count your many blessings.....and you'll soon lose count." Dad and I are proud of you, and amazed by your "navigating in new places" skills. Lots of love, Mom
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