In grown-up land, it didn’t seem like that big of a deal. It was a change, but it wasn’t drastic.
A new house, with more space for the kids to spread out.
Same town, same friends, same schools.
Just a slightly different address.
We’d moved before but it just didn’t click in my mind that with the last move being about 4 years ago, the kids were younger and didn’t even flinch with the change.
For the most part, the kids are fine… except for one, my one who finds comfort in his routines and likes the familiar.
One of his brothers came to find me to tell me that he was crying. He was hiding his head under his blankets and burying his head in his pillow, so the sound was muffled.
I hugged him and rubbed his back and listened to him tell me that he missed his old house and his old room.
Tried to reassure him that he would like this one just as much, maybe even more, but the change overwhelmed him.
He eventually fell asleep but when he woke up the next day, he was a little solemn and calmly informed me, “Our old house was a piece of my life puzzle.”
I paused, a little impressed by his wisdom and a little curious as to where he’d heard that phrase. But then I told him “It was. But the new house is another piece of your life puzzle.”
“It doesn’t fit.”
A week has gone by and he’s adjusting. I think maybe he’s figured out this piece does fit his life puzzle after all.
But he did get me thinking… and googling to see if I could find where he heard that phrase (I haven’t come up with anything yet, but if you’ve heard it in a show or movie… or maybe a youtuber… let me know, I’d love to see the reference).
Though no matter where it came from, I understand how he’s feeling. How upsetting it can be when something that has been such a large part of your life puzzle comes to an end. How much it feels like something is missing. And how awkward it can be to add a new piece, even a pretty new piece can feel like it’s not a fit at first.
But eventually, we can see how it does fit.