Friday, June 10, 2011

New Home: A block about moving....

No, we are not moving anytime soon. At least, not that I know of. But as I continue on in showing you the squares, now block centers, of my Diary Quilt I've arrived at the block titled "New Home."

One of the suggestions in the book was to include a block tribute to your first home together in married  life, or the family home you built with your husband/children, or whatever favorite abode you had in your life.

I laughed.

Because we've had lots. More than our fair share, really.

In our thirteen and a half years of married life, we have lived:

  • in a converted garage, attached to my in-law's home
  • in a small 2-bedroom "married student" apartment while The Chemist finished his BS degree
  • in a larger 2-bedroom apartment after he graduated
  • in an even larger 3-bedroom apartment in time to make room for The Artist to join our family
  • in a very nice 3-bedroom rental  house
  • in our first ever, very own 3-bedroom house that we owned
  • in a small 2-bedroom + office rental house when The Chemist started with the current employer
  • (in a 2-bedroom hotel suite for a month, but we debate on whether to count that or not)
  • in a 4-bedroom, 10th floor apartment 
  • and now in a 3-bedroom rental home 
Nine homes. Plus the month-long hotel stay that The Chemist says doesn't count. In less than 14 years. I think you'll agree, "New Home" has sort of been a theme in our life thus far. 

"New Home"
the movement suggested by the pinwheel was an obvious choice for our nomadic lifestyle
and the red at the corners a tribute to The Chemist, who holds us all together each time we move

In fact, The Artist used to ask when it was time to trade houses again. He also offers that, still, as a possible solution anytime we complain about any aspect of whatever house we live in at the time. Too many ants in the summer? Why not move. Needs painting? Why not move. Not that we've ever moved for silly reasons like that, but he's developed the opinion that houses are not permanent things. 

I'm not so fond of that attitude, and wonder if we've not messed him up for life, teaching him that houses change, no big deal. 

On the flip side, I console myself with the very desirable truth -- that what he has learned instead is that family is what makes a house a home, not location. That family is permanent and nonnegotiable, even if living quarters change on you. To meet change head-on, unafraid, because the family will be together no matter what and that's the part that counts. 

I do still hope that one day we'll settle down, that one day our record length of time in one house will be longer than three years. But I'm glad the boys know that stability comes from family, not from the walls around us. And that is worth memorializing in the quilt, for sure. 

How many times have you moved in your adult life? and are you happy with that number?

4 comments:

  1. I have moved 25 times, nine of those before I was 18.

    When I think back about it, yes I am happy. None of them were all that traumatic, and most of them were to move on into the next great adventure. The last time especially, since moving to Brazil not only fulfilled a life long dream of living outside the US, but meant that I finally, FINALLY got to live with my new husband after three years of a long distance relationship.

    I love the newness of moving, and I get restless in one place for too long. My second home as a child, and my third home as a married adult are the record holders. I stayed in each for almost exactly 5 years. For me, the idea that I may never live in one place for longer than that makes me really happy! Bring on the adventure!

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  2. Dear Reader,

    We have moved 12 times in the past 10 years.
    San Francisco, California, Dallas, Texas, Boston, Massachusetts, Miami and Tampa, Florida and Rhode Island.
    I hope we don't have to move again, unless we move back home to Sao Paulo, Brazil. :)

    Ray

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  3. At Adventurer's age Princess announced I'm Five and I've moved FIVE times - that is enough. Wookie & I have been happy to be settled in a our 'long term but temporary' house.

    I like the block - pinwheels are so fun. I've just asked for a cushion cover with one from a quilting friend who is doing a PIF for me :happy dance:

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  4. Tao - glad to hear that your moves weren't traumatic and hopefully my boys will grow up believing the same!

    Fairytale, Mrs.W - thanks for sharing that the other side can be good, too. We hope our next home will be our settling down/stay in one place home but boy it will be strange for us!

    Mrs.W - what is a PIF???

    Ray - I do hope you guys get back to SP, but I hear you on wanting to not move too many more times. Wow - 12 in 10 yrs is crazy!! At least ours is fewer places than years, that has to be good.....

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