Upside Down to Rightside Up

As of yesterday we have lived in our small apartment for a whole year. Just over a year ago we drove off in a big truck and our car, leaving British Columbia to start I guess what could be called "a new life" in Minnesota. Gas prices were the highest they had been (and we had a diesel truck to boot). We drove 2000 miles in 2 vehicles with 2 small boys. After spending our last night on the road at my sister's house in the northwest suburbs, we drove down to an apartment building that we had only seen in pictures to get our keys and start unpacking.

In some ways, it's hard to believe it has been a year already; in other ways it feels much longer (I guess most of life is like that). It hasn't been the easiest year: starting over finding new friendships, a new church, new work. It's still difficult living in a slightly-cramped apartment with one vehicle. But right now we're doing the things we need to be doing for our family, our marriage and ourselves. And sometimes making things better means making some sacrifices. At least for us.

And of course, it hasn't all been sacrifices. All in all, it's been a rather good year. We're better able to deal with whatever comes our way.

Anders and I planted a garden in a small patch on the side of our apartment building this weekend. I'm a start-from-seed kind of guy. I like to be a part of the process, knowing that each little seed I place in the ground holds within it to become a plant with the potential to bear fruit. Of course, we'll have work to do along the way--watering and weeding, pruning and picking. But that's the way to get good fruit (or veggies in this case). You have to work at it.