So many of you have been asking me for a few more details... Without getting into too much detail, I will say that our living arrangement needed some adjusting and so rather than stay in the desert and change housing we went for a bigger leap. And as for the girls and their part in all of that decision making process- I did consult them. Since we were at the school we were at because of their desire to be there I thought it only right to see what they wanted to do. Now I know many people take issue with this thinking that is the adult's role, but I did ask. And they were both ready for a change. I was clear that if we left Arizona it would mean leaving all their 'things' behind except one doll and one game and a suitcase full of clothes. I was also clear that this included recent Christmas gifts that they were really enjoying like their new carrom's board. The house we were living in with grandma was large with a huge loft upstairs dedicated nearly entirely to their American girl dolls.
When they do voice over for one of our dvds they choose the form of payment that they would like to receive. In the past it has been trips to Disneyland (when we lived nearby) or Legoland, but in recent years the payment they've chosen is an American girl doll and one extra outfit. With grandparents helping increase the load as well, they soon ended up with loads of goods from this company of marketing gurus. They had the closet full of clothes, beds, desks, laundry rooms, kitchen tables- you name it. When it came time to leave it all behind they had no problems whatsoever. It was truly one of my most proud parenting moments to watch them give all this stuff away to their cousins. They were running around the loft adding more and more stuff to the bags picking out the things they thought each cousin would like the most. Their favorite books, games, dolls and outfits all given away in joy. And I gave away the $600 Waldorf castle too! That was the hardest for me to just let go of. No thoughts of selling or trying to get some money back- just joyfully giving it away to my nieces who still have years of enjoyment ahead of them. They both agreed that they'd much rather live at the beach than with their stuff. Amen to that!
It's amazing how much power we can let all that stuff have over us and how truly liberating is to just release it all! I am so grateful they chose the way they did! Now I'm swimming laps with fish swimming by me rather than in a chlorinated pool at the YMCA. Sooo worth the trade.
And as for friends... they've been doing more writing since leaving school than they ever did while in school. With emails going back and forth their writing and spelling has already improved since leaving. I think in many ways they feel the same way about friendship that I do and that it not something that ends when we move to a different physical location. Friends are something that we carry with us always in our hearts.
