Oh my God. I feel like I did after labour. The details of the event, the sensations and the duration became a little fuzzy after I held my new baby girl treasure in my arms. The yellow sun shone on her teeny first-breaths face and I forgot all about the months it took to get to that moment.
This is a little like that. The yellow sun is shining on our faces now, sunny Santa Cruz sun. And if I don't try too hard to remember, it feels like we simply appeared here, in our new home, neighbors with my parents, smelling salty air. Nothing before this moment.
Of course a lot happened.
I have never summoned a tidal wave of cooperation like I did to get us to this place. Years and years of dreaming. Months and months of planning. Ages working with Xi's mom and teacher. Months of figuring out details. Months of brain time simply thinking about how a family actually goes about living in two places. Then weeks of looking for just the right renters - folks that would love our fat, attention loving Nimbus P Thundercat, folks that wouldn't shrink from the idea of seven chickens, folks that would be thrilled to live in the home we love so much. Then days and days of packing. Packing things to bring: Feeleez, shipping supplies, workshop necessities, Fairy Food, clothes, Henry, and barest essentials. And packing things to stash in our basement: precious dishes made by friends, boxes of "special things" from the girls' rooms, winter coats, sweaters, boots, and Stella the giraffe. Packing until the very last minute, thighs aching from actually running up and down the stairs.
Sometimes at night, starting years ago but again just last week, I'd think about the moment our car would pull away from the house and point it's nose westward. West toward my Dad, my mom, my Grandmas, my aunts, uncles, cousins, west toward redwoods, and seaweed, and eucalyptus, west toward yellow sun and nostalgia. I'd drift off to sleep imagining what that would feel like. Unbelievable.
Almost.
Because it did happen. It actually happened.
We whooped.
Then we drove over 1500 miles. We actually had a great time. We drove to Bellingham to friends and a workshop. Then we drove to Portland to Em and Seth and Kenya and a fireplace and deliciousness. Then we drove here.
Our place. Next door to my Dad. Same town as almost every other member of my extended family.
Pinch me.
It's just fucking awesome to tell you the truth. Within a day we had things fairly well set up, including making ourselves comfortable in an attic room that my Dad had set up with old familiar rugs, desks, and toys. Hello ideal homeschooling-work-from-home setting! We've got Feeleez headquarters settled and Nathan and I type away while answering questions from our schooling girls.
That first day my mom came by with fixins for lunch. Did you get that? My mom came by with lunch. I have never ever been able to say that sentence before in my entire adult life.
This morning Echo woke up and promptly lost her tooth. She scrambled to get pajamas on and dart across the driveway to show her grandpa. He made oatmeal, celebrated the tooth, and got out the pastic horses for Echo to dive into.
Oh how my heart is happy with these vignettes.
Can you feel it?
yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay, natalie!!! just, yay! you have been working so hard and dreaming so long and you have Finally Made It! how stupendously, freaking AWESOME!!!! happy for you!
Posted by: shadymama | 01/24/2014 at 04:17 PM
YES YES YES I can feel it!!!!!!
Posted by: Lauren | 01/24/2014 at 04:19 PM
Welcome back to town!!!
Posted by: Colleen (Hutchinson) Franklin | 01/24/2014 at 11:13 PM
YAAAAY!! Congrats you guys!!
Posted by: Kristin Hasselblad | 01/24/2014 at 11:20 PM
So happy for you. Enjoy it! You deserve it! Xo
Posted by: Erika | 01/25/2014 at 09:50 AM
I can totally feel it! Whatta dream!! Thrilled for you! Huzzah, huzzah. Deep-down-in-your-bones happiness. Enjoy ....
Posted by: Jennifer | 01/25/2014 at 10:42 PM
yes!
Posted by: 6512 and growing | 01/27/2014 at 06:09 AM
Happy for you, and jealous! xoxo
Posted by: Amy in Oregon | 01/27/2014 at 03:15 PM
You're here?! I don't even remember where I came across your blog, but when I first read your writing, it felt like "home", so I immediately subscribed. I think it was many, many posts later that I learned that you're from my hometown...And now you're back! Congratulations!
Posted by: Tauna Grinager | 01/29/2014 at 02:48 PM
Thanks everyone! It feels so awesome to share this with you. I can feel your love.
Posted by: Natalie Christensen | 02/04/2014 at 01:24 PM
Yep, we're here! I do think that Santa Cruz folks have a certain way about them that other Santa Cruz-ans can identify. Even through words on the internet! Thanks for the warm welcome!
Posted by: Natalie Christensen | 02/04/2014 at 01:25 PM