We've moved. Again.

Last month, after we buried my brother-in-law, after my alcoholic friend's visit turned into jail time, after life began to unravel a bit, we packed our things and moved.

Helloooo South Dakota.

Did you know that moving has been rated as one of the top stressors in life? It ranks higher than divorce. 

True story.

Some friends of ours were given the opportunity to move closer to family for a season, so they invited us to join them.

We said Why not? and made plans to move up. Through some job leads from friends, Ethan secured two jobs here before we left Missouri. Today we are sharing a home with over 3500 square feet of living space, along with a basement that has been converted into a play area for the girls.

I met Chelsey a couple years ago in Alaska. Her family drove up on vacation, then decided to stay. I was one of the first friends she met there- she had 5 girls, I had 4, so we got together for a playdate. The rest, as they say, is history. Except now, she has 6 children - her little guy was born in Alaska. 

Who knew that two years later we'd be sharing life together- Crazy, huh?

Two families- 14 people- have chosen to share life for a season. 

We work. We play. We do school.

This is what it looks like when we show up for the homeschool co-op with all our kids:

No lies here - it was very challenging the first few weeks. Mostly because visiting friends is different than living with friends. Children can be territorial- that's my toy! My sock! My stuff! We have 10 children between our families, ranging from 9 months all the way up to 12 years. Navigating conflict is a constant around here, as we help our children learn to be more deliberate about being kind. As Moms, we are the go-between for a lot of issues, but we are learning to be gentle with little hearts, and give space for one another when it is needed. 

Overall, it has been a great experience. We are 6 weeks into sharing space together, and it feels as though we are hitting our stride, getting used to the routine. I think it has taken me that long just to get past the trauma that was the end of September. (See the first paragraph for reminder.)

We will be sharing a place for the next six months (at least) and after that, we will have a better idea of whether South Dakota will be a long term decision for us or not. 

In the meantime, we are growing accustomed to making meals for 14, homeschooling sweet girls, and keeping Bubba (our only boy in the bunch) from pinching his fingers in doorways. He's only 9 months old, but he's been walking for a month now. I sometimes tease my friend - This little guy is the son I never had! 

PS. Our first thought before moving was What about Bob? (Bob is our cat, in case you didn't know.) Our friends have cat allergies, so he would not be allowed to stay indoors. A family near our new town had offered to take him, but when Ethan called back for details - when/where to meet, etc., it ended up falling through. 

So, in answer to my children's tearful prayers, we are keeping Bob. Although he is de-clawed and has been an indoor cat all his life, he is thoroughly enjoying the outdoors. He especially loves to hang out on the porch, where the girls go out in the mornings to love on him. Ethan is in the process of building a palatial dwelling for him in the backyard, complete with a heat lamp. I'm sure Bob will be happy to see that get done, since it's getting cooler around here.

Anyway, that's the latest news here.

If you want to follow our shared living experience, you can check out the SMITRI Chronicles on Facebook. Sounds like a character from Lord of the Rings (I know), but it's actually just a combination of our last names.

I'll write again when I get free time.

hahahahahahahahaha - free time!

That's a joke. Feel free to laugh. 

I do.