settling in

Our house, then rental we are currently living in, is beginning to look kind of awesome. As in: things have a place to be, they are put away, there are pictures on the walls and it looks like a home. The basement is the only room left with some organizing left to do, and it is really coming together. Our "Get 'Er Done" list is shorter and shorter by the day. we are finally at a place where I am feeling relaxed and like I can breathe and like okay, things are going to be a right now. And. We have even begun to decorate for the holidays. Home!

So we are ready to settle into a routine now.

Routine.

I have been lucky enough to manifest myself a wonderful group of women here who are fast becoming my friends. This is a group of mothers who are brought together by some commonality in parenting - but are diverse and wide in ways of being/doing, schooling, parenting, living. And I love that. One of the things I loved about living in intentional community was that there was such diversity in the parenting, but culturally we found commonality - children were treated with respect, compassion, love and caring. I have found the same in this group of women. And not just support for the children is here, no. There is so much support for the Mamas - plenty of Mama nights out together, and family events, and playdates. And so many shared interests! I have found personal growth advocates, knitters, crafters, folks who eat Paleo and traditional foods, sources for grassfed meats and raw milk, women to talk "woo-woo" stuff with.

One of these Mamas, who I know from our blogs and from our common parenting and such, her family has actually taken us under their wings, so to speak, and has basically been our host family for our transition into Portland. They have taken us into their home, they've given us tours, they've gotten to know us - they even invited us over to share Thanksgiving with them and their family. This Mama and I have become fast friends, and obviously she is one of my besties here already. It took me three years to have a bestie in BC - here, in two months I already have someone I feel I can confide in regularly. Playdates/Mama dates are in the works with other Mamas I have felt a connection to here already - and I have felt welcomed into the nights out with open arms - no awkwardness at all. It has been just awesome. I could not imagine a better welcome into a new city. Seriously.

One of the spontaneous upcoming events in this group is a Vision board party - next weekend, in fact. I generally like to make my Vision Boards on Aries new Moon, and get all that great 'ME' energy all infused throughout. And I can be flexible. It go me to thinking, this routine...I don't want my old routine back. I am in a new city, in a new chapter in my life. I am a blank slate, and I can CREATE what I want. SO what DO I want? I want to create a different kind o routine. A routine, yes, but one that is proactive rather than reactive. One that is infused with possibility and fulfilling my goals and living the life I WANT rather than living by default.

What an opportunity! Getting together with these awesome women and basking in his positive energy of creation, and creating for myself the routine I wish to have...making a list or a map or whatever I am called to do that incorporates all of the elements of this new routine I wish to create. Brilliant! And so I am joining this party. And building on these connections I am creating. I am SO excited about it. I already love it here. I am excited to see what else unfolds as we get to know more, see more, do more here.