a slice of our life

I'm not sure what I was thinking when I moved back home a few weeks ago.  I was miserable, overwhelmed, depressed.  I think I expected us to magically transition back to trailer life without the inevitable, and difficult, adjustment period associated with re-learning how to live without the luxuries of a complete house.  Luxuries like a bathroom down the hall, a kitchen with a working sink, and carpet.  I can say now, several weeks later, that we have re-adjusted to trailer life, and a good dose of humor now and then is helping me get through the final few months of the life "in-between."

Today, I offer up a little "slice of our life." Unedited. Real.

Several months ago, I wrote about how I would need to find humor in our circumstances in order to maintain my sanity. How true that has been. So, it is in the greatest humor that I share the following pictures of our current, humble abode. (If I fail at making this story seem funny, please just laugh periodically anyway, it will make the experience better for both of us.)

Mia's bed occupies the table area, so we must get creative during mealtime. On the menu: macaroni and cheese. And yes, my two year old still fits in a Bumbo chair. Sort of. For the record, I pulled out the Bumbo chair for Mia to use, but big sister has yet to let her use it.

I love how the picture makes Laci's room look so big. Having a real chair has come in handy, I will admit that I consider it quite a luxury.

And up in that dark end is our master "suite", which is precisely the dimension of a queen-size bed plus one foot clearance on three sides. We are cozy.

It also stands to be mentioned that we do not have running water or use of the holding tanks at this time.

Power? Yes.
Heat? Yes.
Toilet, sink, shower? Not so much.

We do have a full bathroom out in the shop, which is quite nice, if a bit far from our bed. Not such a big deal now, but about four months ago, I was NOT enjoying my frequent nighttime trips to the potty. Such trips included trying not to make the trailer shake and squeak too much as I awkwardly squeezed my nine month pregnant body around the edge of the bed, lumbered down three steps from the bed, opened the trailer door (with the really loud latch), lumbered down three additional steps to get out of the trailer, waddled barefoot across dirty cement (unless I could actually find my slippers in the semi-dark), climbed over a baby gate, walked another 30 or so feet, and hopefully landed on the toilet before my bladder surrendered completely to the pressure of an almost full term baby. Did you get all that? So yes, much better now without all that weight on my bladder. Much better.

And the cooking situation? Some of the food is in the refrigerator out in the shop, some is in the trailer, the stove is in the trailer, and dirty dishes must be toted back out into the shop to be washed in the utility sink. Dishwasher? Meet my left and right hands, and also Ryan's left and right hands.  They are reliable dishwashers, but a bit pruny after a job well done.

A typical meal might have me in and out of the trailer a dozen times, especially when I forget things. Oh yeah, I need water. Oh yeah, I forgot the cheese. Oh yeah, the pan is next to the sink from last night. I think you get the picture. Hence, the simple menu of macaroni and cheese. Although, the act of draining pasta noodles is somewhat precarious as I carry a heavy pot of boiling water out the trailer, down the stairs, and across the shop to the sink. I have not burned myself...yet, but this adventure is not over, and I foresee future pasta cooking, so we shall see.

Now, just because I feel the need for a little pat on the back, I will say that I have made several full dinners in this arrangement, although none since Mia was born. And while it wasn't convenient in any way, it is almost always worth the effort in the end. I love having dinner together as a family, and being able to feed my family "real" food. And just this Sunday morning, I made pancakes for breakfast. Pancakes from scratch of course, because my mother spoiled me with pancakes from scratch growing up and I can't eat them any other way (and pancakes from scratch are really very simple, if you're wondering).

At night, we are all cozily tucked in bed. (No, these are not pictures of our bed, but of a make-shift cozy spot created by Laci so her Daddy could read to her). No body is more than a few feet from another body, which makes nighttime feedings with Mia a challenge at times. Lucky for me, she doesn't wake too often and Laci has learned to tune out the obnoxious creaks and squeaks of the trailer floor. The upside to the creaks and squeaks? It is impossible for Laci to sneak out of bed. But can I just say that seeing her little butt running back to bed after I've caught her tiptoeing across the trailer is just about the cutest thing ever?

You might remember that outside of the trailer, we have a full living room setup with tv, couches, dining table, rug, toys, the works.  However, the approximate temperature of the shop is within three degrees of the outside temperature, which has recently taken a turn towards chilly. It was a frigid 48 degrees the other morning as I made my morning trip to the bathroom. I know for a fact that Laci does not mind the temperature, whether frigid or blazing, but Mia and I prefer more comfortable temperatures, so we have not been enjoying our, shall we call it, "great room."

One of the interesting parts of living semi-outdoors is that we are not alone. We have daily encounters with large, hairy spiders, various flying insects, big, black, stinky beetles, and just last night, one little tree frog who was seeking refuge in our bathroom. Aside from the wildlife, the never-ending spider webs, the less than comfortable climate, and the solid layer of dirt on every surface (despite my sporadic efforts at cleaning), it is pretty comfortable.

So, please excuse me if I haven't invited you to dinner recently. Soon, I will have a real house, one that I will appreciate ever so much more after being without one since March, and I plan to have friends and family over as often as possible. Because a house void of laughter and friendship is just a house, and more than anything, I want our house to be a home.

And speaking of our home, here are some recent pictures of the progress. Just this weekend, our front door was installed and I can't tell you how much it lifted my spirits to see some real visual progress.  And while we tried to save money in some areas, we did not skimp on the tub.  At this time next year, it is likely I'll be soaking here:

In this:

Please believe me when I say that I know how blessed we are to be able to build our own home. There is nothing like living without a house for several months to make you appreciate the fact that having a house is truly a luxury.

And if you know me well enough to know where I live, you can expect an invite over, just as soon as we can. I can't promise much in the furniture department, but I can assure you there will be plenty of food, a warm fire, and laughter. And a bathroom just down the hall.