Getting Back to Normalcy.... I Think.

So it's been just over three months since our house fire.  We have moved out of the hotel, and back into the basement of our house, bigger than the hotel, yes.  Comforting to be back all together, definitely.  Depressing, a little.  Heading upstairs each time we need to use the bathroom facilities, only enforces the fact that our house is is shambles, gutted, and empty.  The good news is, construction permits are being obtained this week, so we are hoping that by the beginning of next week, construction will finally start.

  With the humid weather upon us, we are thankful that the basement is cooler, but no AC, makes for lazy Summer days.  We can't put in a new thermostat, as there is no insulation in the house to hold in the cool central air, so why bother?  We bought a couple of small window fans to move around the air downstairs.  It's like we are camping out in our own house.  Slowly getting back into a routine, only I realized today that, I have a feeling that it will soon be up in the air once again once the construction actually starts. 

I'm still working on our fire checklist, and need to know's for everyone,  I was waaay off when I said I would have it finished in a week or two's time.  Once I realized just how much information there was, I was shocked myself, at what we have been through, and just how many things we didn't know.  I will be getting it up, but can't say for sure how much longer it will take. 

I can say this with certainty... We have become closer, and more thankful of little things than we have ever been before.  I am a believer that everything happens for a reason, and the reason for this.  We, as a family, as individuals, needed to be smacked up side the head, and have our eyes opened, and become thankful for what we had and have right there in front of us.  Material items are just that, material.  Material items change on a daily basis, what was new last week, is old today, a newer, better version of something will always come out.  Be thankful for the material items that you can save for and buy.  New isn't always better.  These items can always be replaced.  I will say that once these items are gone from your life, you begin to really think about what you need, and what makes you happy, and just how many things you possess that you really never use.  I was amazed when going through all of our charred belongings, just how much "stuff" we had, and never used. 

We have a new found love of antiques, items that hold a story, items that have traveled the world, have been held by people who had their own stories to tell and never did.  We have been making decisions on what items we want in the house once it is finished, items that will be used, items that have stories.  We are reusing and recycling where we can.  Yard Sales, antique stores, and thrift stores is where we are doing much of our shopping, looking for that just right item.  Saving hundreds, if not thousands than we would have before this happened to us.  We are however looking at these items as just that, items.  We are enjoying the hunt for finding them as a family, spending the quality time together, as we should have been all along.  I guess everyone needs a good smack up side the head every once and a while to open their eyes, and really see the bigger picture. 

As these are still items, what we are treasuring, is each other, our pets, and our lives together as a family once again.  We are making healthier choices, becoming more active as a family by doing things together, laughing more, talking more, using imaginations to enjoy the days, and coming up with new ways to entertain ourselves.