Moving day and more changes

Beautiful Blaze has a new home at our home.

We moved furniture from my parents' house over the weekend; we only took the things that Kim and I each will have in our homes. At some point down the road, we will have an estate sale for what is left. 

It's interesting how a person can be stressed out before that knowledge reaches consciousness. That's what happened to me, I guess. I've had a couple of nervous habits since my childhood. Every once in awhile, they reappear, usually under extreme duress. When I find myself engaging in any of those behaviors, I know I'm stressed. I've never been a nail biter, either, but I chewed off every nail on my fingers Saturday.  I cussed like a sailor all day Saturday, too. That's indicative of hidden anger I'm harboring. Why, I don't know. I suppose I'm still just not quite accepting this whole situation ... 

By Sunday, the chronic migraine I've been carrying raged. 

Mom and Dad's house looks sad and empty. I have no words to describe the void I feel. While Kim and I decided we would view taking more treasured pieces of furniture out to have in our own homes as honoring and remembering our parents, the sadness remains. These changes are yet more reminders our parents are gone. 

One piece of furniture I brought home used to be in one of my auntie's houses in Childress. I now have it in my dining room, displaying my parents' china. My mom had the china stored, but I'm bringing it out for two reasons. One, I think it's a beautiful symbol of my parents' long, hard-fought and rewarding love relationship. Two, the china Dorsey and I had — though fine dining rarely occurs in our home anyway — used to belong to him and his ex-wife. I know. Weird. There hasn't really been anything "normal" about our relationship. :-)

The cabinet, the china, crystal and some cut glass pieces.
If you can see the salt and pepper shakers in the front,
those were painted by my great grandmother. 

I also brought home a hope chest that had been in the family, which I will use to store my dad's keepsakes. You know, things like plaques, newspaper articles, awards, memorabilia, objects significant to him ... 

Dorsey and I swapped out our kitchen table and chairs for my parents'. And I brought Chloe's kitty things over, too. 

As you can see, Chloe is happy to have her throne back.

Kim and I divided up the family quilts from my dad's side of the family, and other things, of course. Kim took quite a bit of the furniture from the Childress family. 

Everything we left is still in the house. Everyone has said, "Don't get rid of anything. You might regret it later." Anyone who has been in our position has advised us to wait until much later to make final decisions.

We will. The rest of the things will remain so that if we change our minds about something, it's still there. No hurries yet. 

Last but not least, I finally brought Blaze over to our house. Blaze is the beautiful orange kitty my parents had been feeding outside for several years. I didn't want to disrupt his little life, but decided it was time because he had to be lonely. When Socks reappears, I will bring him over, too. Yes, I truly do fit criteria for Crazy Cat Lady. 

So the journey continues. I'm still hoping and praying God will allow Mom and Dad to pay me a visit.