A Little Something

A little family time.

So my month in DC with my nephew is over! And as you may have noticed I didn't have much time to post anything, he kept us busy!

A little smile.

In just a month he grew so much and became such a little person! You know, instead of just a sleepy poop machine.

A little look.

A little baby powder, a little fussing, a little giraffe painting, a little crib assembly, a few doctors visits, a little showing off, a little tiring, and it all flew by!

I miss him already!

Good Sleep

Peace

Living Alone is a Luxury

It's not a right.

As plenty of you have probably already realized, the US has been obsessed with the idea of one small nuclear family per McMansion regardless of the consequences. And, well, now we all get to pay.

What is an anomoly in the rest of the world is standard practice here, in part because we're such a mobile society. For me it was Seattle, Nicaragua and Wyoming in the course of four years for work.

In Nicaragua, most everyone assumed I had lived with my parents up until I had moved there. They were shocked to learn that not only had I not lived in their house, or their city, I had even lived in an apartment all by myself for the three previous years.

They couldn't imagine it. Wasn't I scared? Or lonely?

They didn't understand because they had learned the joys (and how to handle the challenges) of living in community, of living with multiple generations in the same home and neighbors whose conversations (and livestock) you could hear while lying in bed (although they were muffled and in Spanish so I never really understood them (the conversations, not the livestock)).

I could have bought a house in Seattle in 2004, 2005, 2006. It would be a house whose value would now be less than the mortgage. I worked for a general contractor who now has had to lay off some employees, maybe I'd be out of a job.

And I could ask you to bail me out, pay my way because I was part of a cultural bust that could ruin you if left undone.

But maybe I got lucky, luckier than getting pulled out of a mess. I learned how to live in community. I lived with roomates all through college to minimize debt. I lived with NPH and in a family home in Nicaragua.

And now I am being welcomed into the home of Dave and Karen in Wyoming who speak with enthusiam for Habitat for Humanity, hiking, their two grown sons and their families.

I will be paying them $300 per month for a bedroom, bathroom, utilities, food and general use of their home (a generous offer anywhere, but especially in Sheridan where just a room in someone's house can cost $500 or more per month). I'm also sure care, hugs and listening to frustrations will also be included free of charge.

And I suppose that is the real luxury so many people miss out on. While looking for privacy, space and a view they miss the joy of shared laughter, the comfort of shared time and the purpose of shared values.

It looks like more people are learning this lesson out of necessity (link to Seattle Times article on shared housing). So maybe there is a silver lining to these hard times.

A New Wake-Up Routine

Where Am I?

I miss parts of Nicaragua.

It's a little different here. When I arrived, snow and below 20 temperatures greeted me off the plane.

And this little guy greeted me too!

He's such a little angel... among other things!

But most of the time he's just waiting for us to figure out what we're doing!

If You're Reading This...

My big sister reading to me. But this won't last long, I've always been rather independent.

As my last post while I fly away from Nicaragua I'd like to say thank you.

Thank you for sticking around through my joys and complaints, through my long winded analyses (which you may have skimmed over) and short comments, through my confusion and epiphanies.

Thank you to those who left comments, sent emails or otherwise contacted me to express your support in what, at times, was a lonely road.

Thank you to the over 11,000 people in 131 countries that have visited over the last couple years to try and find something of interest, something they're looking for, something they can relate to.

Thank you to the 75 dedicated people who are subscribed and receive whatever I feel like committing to the screen every time I do it. We're not huge in number compared to some blogs, but I'm impressed with you!

"Happiness is not so much in having as sharing. We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give." Norman MacEwan

Thank you for increasing my happiness by sharing this incredible experience with me!

And finally, thanks to my mom for the support in writing (or was it pressure?). Even though you weren't the only one reading it, I still would have done it if you were (although maybe a little less frequently!).

Up next...

I'll be landing in Washington DC first thing tomorrow to begin the audacious project of helping my sister and her husband as they have their first baby.

So I got my own book! I've never stopped loving to read, I did eventually (although with much grief) give up the pacifier.