moving towards normal

i have never been what you might describe as normal. i know, i know. there is no such thing as normal. well, let's just say that i have been even less normal than your run of the mill less normal person. what do i mean? well, when you take into account what normal families do, how normal kids grow up, what normal people do for careers, then we can all agree that i just am not normal. what? you want examples?

well. i have never been to the Grand Canyon but i have been, thanks to a dad who traveled much because of his job, to Bali and Egypt and many other countries around the world.

most people took a car when they went to visit family. our family got into my dad's 4-seater plane.

most people, go to school; fall in love; get married; buy a house; have kids. i went to school, fell in love, got engaged, got unengaged, got engaged again, got married and went overseas for 12 years.

the whole house in a neighborhood where couples walk their dogs at night has never been a part of my adult life. rather i have lived in 400 square foot apartments in urban cities across the ocean surrounded by 11 million people speaking a different language. i didn't own my own car. i hung my laundry to dry. i walked to the store daily for my food. that has been my adult life.

normal? i would say not so much.

well, things have changed. two years ago we moved back to texas. you have heard all about the struggle of a girl named Mentanna (not a very normal name either) trying to fit back into a normal american life. well my friends, my patient readers, i have a very large step and milestone to report to you......drum roll please.....

this vagabond has bought a house.

go ahead, pass out. (i just did). gasp. roll your eyes. whatever you need to do. i need to get a paper bag and breathe into it for a moment.

it feels weird. it feels grown up. it feels rooted.

there is an entire story about how all this came to pass. it is one of those "wow God did that?" stories. i want to tell you about it but right now i have boxes to unpack and things to sort. my life is in a crazy spin and i'm not sure when it will slow down again. partly it is because we moved. partly it is because we went on vacation to disney world. partly it is because.....well there is another huge reason but that is another post for another time. i have to keep you guys eager!

so here's to submerging myself more deeply into normal life! and here is a small glimpse into my new digs.