The Challenges of Returning Home....

It's been two weeks since we returned to Washington State and moved from our 17 foot trailer to a slightly larger hotel room. For reasons I won't mention here the renters are still in our house, so we've been improvising until we can finally exclaim "We're home!!!" Patience is a virtue and we've all been working hard to make lemonade out of lemons. To give you a better idea, here's a glimpse of what our current normal looks like:

- During the week, my husband gets ready for work early in the morning and takes the dogs out before he leaves. (So thoughtful!) We take the dogs outside several times a day to go to the bathroom, always cleaning up after them like any responsible pet owner should. We can't leave them alone in the hotel room for long in case of barking, so they come with us everywhere we go. We take turns staying in the car with them for appointments, shopping, etc. because the car might get too warm otherwise.

- I make sure the kids are ready for school and drive to our neighborhood. Our daughter goes to a friend's house so she can take the middle school bus while I drive my oldest to the high school. The middle and high schools start within minutes of each other, so timing is an issue. After my oldest is dropped off, the youngest and I drive back to our neighborhood to wait for the elementary school bus. I could just drive him to school and wait there for an hour, but taking the bus helps him get used to the route so we don't have any issues after we return home.

- After the bus pulls out I try to get things done with the dogs in tow. It may be a hassle but you have to admit, they ARE pretty cute.

- After school, the dogs and I pick the oldest up and drive back to our neighborhood to meet my daughter. Then we wait for the youngest.

- From there we all return to the hotel room and do homework. The kids can work in the room but if it's too loud or they need to spread out they can go down to the lobby and work at the common area tables.

- Next we make/get dinner. This is usually something that can be cooked on the stove, microwaved, or brought in due to lack of an oven and storage space.

- Somewhere in there my husband returns from work and we eat together and relax.

- Then comes bedtime and we repeat it all the next day with slight variations. Sometimes our kids plan to see a friend or two after school, which is nice because it gets them out of the hotel for a while. Seeing friends and going to school helps them reclaim a small sense of "normal" while we wait for the real thing.

- Over the past few weekends we've had some amazing friends who've hosted the kids at their houses, which was great for our son's 16th birthday. Otherwise we generally drive around or hang out at the hotel. We can't really prepare anything for the house just yet because there's no place to put it. Even the kids' school gear had to be replaced because everything we have is currently in storage. I'm just hoping the weather doesn't cool off too quickly because our cool-weather gear is in there too!

Even though our homecoming date is still up in the air, we really are thankful for the small things that have made this transition time bearable. Fred Rogers once said "When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.'" She was right. We've had so many people step forward and offer help during this time and we're grateful for each one of them.

I'll keep this blog updated until we're home again, so please say a prayer that that will happen soon. My birthday is this weekend and you can guess what I'll be wishing for when I blow out those candles!

Hope you're all having a great week! Stay safe out there!

- Jen