Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Normal has returned

The final project in the restoration of my home was completed today.  It feels good to have the walls and ceilings and windows sound again.  It's good to have this all behind me.  I still have to finish putting a few of the odds and ends back into place.   But, for all intents and purposes, normal has returned to my house.  This experiences held so many lessons for me.  There is nothing like having your home, your sanctuary, invaded.  It teaches you about yourself and what you can do.

I've learned I have a strength I wasn't sure I possessed.  I'm strong enough to carry five gallon buckets of water from the attic to the bathroom all night long.  I'm strong enough to deal with insurance companies and mortgage companies who don't want to give me my money.  I'm strong enough to push my son to take action when he is paralyzed with fear.  I know I'm not the person saying quit, but the person saying persevere.  It's good to know.

I learned I'm the person who trusts my husband.  I don't have to double check his work.  I know he will do whatever is necessary to get the job done.  He spent hours (I'm not kidding or exaggerating in regard to this) on the phone with the mortgage company.  They did not want to give us our insurance money.  I think my husband learned to have confidence in me, too.

I learned I can make decisions, and then be satisfied with my decisions.  I know this may not sound like much, but for me it is.  I have a huge fear of not being to make decisions in my life.  I observed my mom and her mother, my grandmother, have difficulty making decisions in their lives.  I've had a few experiences in my life with buyer's remorse and it scared me.  I don't want to be the person that cannot make up her mind.  This experience offered opportunity after opportunity to make decisions and choices.  I rose to the challenge.  I made decision after decision without hesitation.  There are some things I'm happier with than others, but, you know what, it doesn't matter to me.  I'm not fretting over the roof being a bit lighter gray than I'd hoped.  I'm not upset the window is a half an inch taller than it should have been.  It's done.  The fact of the matter is, nobody but me will ever know the difference.

We've still got a few trees leaning this way and that way.  They will be taken care of in due time.  Normal has returned.  Life is good.

10 comments:

  1. Learning to be satisfied with one's decisions--that's a tough lesson! I'm always second-guessing myself. Congratulations on the return to normal. Love the pic from Young Frankenstein!

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  2. Decisions successful acted upon = satisfaction! What an affirming post...

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  3. Great news friend!!  I'm sure you are highly relieved.  

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  4. Yeah! Without chaos, how would we be able to judge what normal is? 

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  5. Congratulations - I imagine that is a wonderful feeling. 

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  6. Excellent! I  know how it feels to have contractors in my home. ay ay ay! It feels great when it's over. And you are right, the small details don't matter. there are more important things in life. Like health.

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  7. big smiles...i am glad you feel this...and that you recognize what you learned through this as well...

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  8. I feels good to get things done

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  9. There is nothing like having your home, your sanctuary, invaded.  It teaches you about yourself and what you can do.

    this made me cry. there is a chance we might have two little boys coming to stay with us for a longer period of time, and this terrifies me. having my sanctuary invaded. i hope i can be strong like you.

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