the woods are lovely, dark, and deep

Our girls lovingly call this place "the colorful forest",

and it is.

With woodland spryte leading the way,

and stoney path underfoot,

 

the woods are open before us.

Here is nature in delicate balance.

A cool, damp, spicy Nirvana?

Or nature's playground?

Only occasional signs of civilization,

surrounded by signs of another kind.

We'll be eager to return.

Georgia on my mind

The Republic of Georgia; the basics

Population: 4.7 million (84% ethnic Georgian)
Size: about 27,000 sq. miles (slightly larger than West Virginia)
Capital: Tbilisi 
Language: Georgian or Kartuli (Russian and English also in use)
Religion: Orthodox Christian (over 80%)
Climate: Humid subtropical to continental (in general, hot summers and relatively cold winters)

mind's eye view

Think of any month of the year. What do you picture in your mind?

This is what I see: the months laid out in order horizontally, but instead of stretching off the table, they fade away to a hazy future. I think it originated with the calendars my mom posted on our bulletin board in my childhood. The summary of months for the year must have been right at my eye level.

I decided to create this calendar that matches up with my mind's eye view for the purpose of tracking the many details related to our move. Today I'm feeling optimistic and organized.

modus operandi

Since June we've tried to set aside time each Saturday to work on projects around the house. It was my husband's idea, and I have to give him credit for that because the truth is we have very different styles when it comes to work.

I have what you could call a marathon approach: get it done at any cost and if that means cancelling plans or staying up late, so be it. And sometimes there's a bit of procrastination involved.

My husband is more measured and prefers to start earlier in advance, working in smaller increments, in piecemeal fashion, but in balance with the rest of his life.

We've had to learn to work together, and there are moments when we passionately disagree on the method, but, encouragingly, the work is getting done. This image unwittingly captured just such a moment. Today he scraped peeling paint from the porch ceiling while I cleaned up the front yard.

the abundant life

“Both abundance and lack [of abundance] exist simultaneously in our lives, as parallel realities. It is always our conscious choice which secret garden we will tend … when we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that’s present—love, health, family, friends, work, the joys of nature, and personal pursuits that bring us [happiness]—the wasteland of illusion falls away and we experience heaven on earth.” ~Sarah Ban Breathnach

I love this perspective on abundance: "the wasteland of illusion falls away and we experience heaven on earth". As I prepare for our journey, I'm starting to feel the full weight of the decision we've made to uproot and reestablish. There are thrilling manic highs each time I complete a project I've put off for years, debilitating lows when I'm overwhelmed by the endless needs and expenses, and bouts of distraction and daydreams in between (although I can hardly envision the future). I believe that tuning in to the abundant reality surrounding me is a positive turn, so I share this passage—primarily as a reminder to myself—as an ideal during an unusual time.

creating a timeline

After over a year of waiting, we finally received a firm departure date. On 7 January 2013 we are moving to the Republic of Georgia. The amount of preparation required for 2-3 years of life abroad is overwhelming. I'm creating a working timeline and spending every moment of baby's naptime on the clock, so to speak. My days are filled with passport applications, rental licensing and lease agreements, doctors visits, and endless forms, faxes, and fees. Today marks the start of the 90-day countdown.