Homecoming

Last night, Matt and I took out the collection of cards and notes we received last year from friends, family, and community members.  It was a heart-warming way to mark the one year anniversary of the loss of our home.  We've been living in our beautiful new home for one month, and somehow, to look back on the past year still seems surreal.

On the day we moved into our new home, I had a chance meeting with one of the women who rescued our black lab last February 23.  Audrey and her daughter Karen were on their way to work, when Karen spotted Grete running aimlessly and looking like a mess.  An animal lover, Karen hopped out of her truck and followed Grete until she could convince her to come.  It wasn't until she got close that she could see and smell the evidence of a fire, and quickly realized where Grete must have been.  She flagged down an animal control officer on the way to the scene, and he told them to take Grete to Westgate Pet Clinic.  Audrey, once again on her way to work, could tell the story like it was yesterday. 

Last Wednesday, I was telecommuting from home when the doorbell rang.  When I opened the door, there stood the sweet, petite, Mrs. Paul Hartig.  Mrs. Hartig introduced herself and said "You don't know me, but my husband and I were very distressed by what happened to you, and have been watching the progress on your home this year."  She handed me a package wrapped in Christmas paper and said she had hoped that we would be in our new home before the holidays.  She also handed me the clipping from the local paper with our picture, which had hung on her refrigerator all year, and said she thought maybe we could use an extra copy.  It doesn't get much sweeter than that.

One year later, kindness still abounds.   
   

 

Happy New Year!

Today we made a paper chain to count down the days to our move.  The house is scheduled to be ready for us to move in on January 20, 2011, and we plan to move in that weekend.  We decorated our paper chain with the things we are looking forward to the most - hanging out in the new family room, riding bus 43 to school, Arden Park, walking to the grocery store, and much more. 

It's overwhelming to think back on the past year and everything that has happened.    Last spring we talked about getting used to the "new normal," and we're preparing to do that again, but this time it should feel more normal than not.  Our exhaustion will turn to relief, our stresses will seem more minor.  The insurance process will still be ridiculous, but eventually it will come to an end.  Our losses will become less difficult as we appreciate what we have.  We'll move on, stronger in our resilience and our relationships with each other.

There will still be work to complete on the house after we move in, and we'll  be anxiously awaiting the construction of our neighbor's new home.  No matter the driver, the process of building a home is an exciting one.  This video recaps the process, from a hole in the ground to a nearly completed home. 

Here's to a new year!  Cheers!  

Truly Exceptional

At a recent workshop I attended on customer experience, our speaker pointed out how Starbucks has managed to create an amazing "third space" that we've all come to rely on between home and work.  If you are a Starbucks or Caribou addict like I am, you know what she means.

A few months ago, I was going through the drive-through of my "third space" when something truly amazing happened: the driver in front of me paid for my drink!  I was blown away.  In fact, I was speechless and dumb-founded.  I drove to work and told all of my coworkers.  I posted it on my Facebook page.   I really couldn't believe it.  And it made my day.   

But then I started wondering, what is wrong with me?  Why did this one small act of kindness, given all of the exceptional generosity and unexpected support we've had since February 23, put me into a tail spin?   

"Exceptional becomes truly exceptional when it becomes the rule."  Linda Ireland made this comment about the customer experience, but I love the broader meaning it has.  My Starbucks friend didn't know if I was having a bad day, or a bad year, but she chose to be generous - just because.  Generosity can be the rule, with or without a reason for it.  It can be a gift, or as simple as a smile.  It's listening, or asking how you can help.  It's being patient with each other.  It's something I've relied on this year more than ever, and it is truly exceptional when it is present in your life.             

Progress

The recent progress on our house has been exciting to watch. The interior walls are in place, the windows are in, and a crew was working on the roof shingles today. It is really starting to look like a house, and we can't wait to live there. Annika and Marit like to explore inside the house and are curious about the whole process, wondering, "Isn't our house going to have a door? Are we always going to have to walk up a plank to get in? Are we going to have to use that dirty tub?" For Matt and me, it is fun to see the designs we studied on paper come to life, albeit with some surprises. It is a big house - no doubt about it - but it is beautiful and we can't wait to move in and invite you all over!

Edina Sun Current, August 26, 2010

http://mnsun.com/articles/2010/08/27/edina/news/ed26augustsons.txt

Worst-Case Scenario?

We’ve done two interviews in recent weeks – one for our local paper and one for Minnesota Monthly. It has me thinking again about how surreal the past six months have been. Is it really possible for a house to blow up? How could that happen?

I used to have a couple of books from the “Worst-Case Scenario Survival” collection (Joshua Piven). First, there was the “Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Parenting,” which includes topics like how to deal with a screaming baby on an airplane, how to discipline an imaginary friend, and how to tell if your child was switched at birth. Later, I was given “The Complete Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook,” which includes instructions for how to fend off a shark, how to deal with an alligator near your golf ball, and at least 200 other crazy scenarios. Most of the scenarios are hilarious and many of them are marginally plausible, but I don’t think they had a scenario for what to do if your house blows up.

Someone close to me said shortly after the accident, “Jen, this is probably the worst thing that can happen to you next to somebody dying.” Unfortunately, several people in my life are currently dealing with the sudden loss of a loved one or the agony of chronic illnesses, and the emotional toll these experiences cause cannot be matched. It makes our experience seem exponentially easier on the heart. Our emotions are still high from the stress of it all, but we have to put it into perspective. Sadly, it could be worse.

On a lighter note, we took our local reporter out to the site to take some photos. While we were there, I found an odd little toy that must have surfaced when the dirt was filled in around the foundation – our Kevin Garnett Celebriduck. A give-away at a Timberwolves game circa 2003, I originally saved it thinking it might be worth a few bucks on eBay some day. That thought subsided when we needed bath toys for Annika, but now, I wonder what a Kevin Garnett rubber ducky that survived a house explosion might be worth!? Must have been made of gold!

Breaking Ground, Finally!

I’m hoping there’s a way to add music to this blog post, because we’re CELEBRATING! The rebuilding project begins tomorrow. Finally! Sorting out the budget was complicated and left us in a holding pattern for almost two months, but we’re able to move ahead now. Our builder, Judd Stattine, has been very patient with us, and gone above and beyond to respond to the requests of our insurance adjuster and the city. The same can be said about our architects, Tim Quigley and Bob LeMoine. We feel very lucky to be working with this team.

I had grand ideas about planning a ground-breaking ceremony and inviting all of our friends and neighbors to celebrate with us. I’m now thinking it will be more fun to celebrate with everyone when we are settled back in our new home. But there definitely will be a toast or two this week!

The first week will be focused on clearing and excavating the lot, and the foundation work will start after that. The current timeline runs through mid-January, which obviously misses our goal of moving in by Christmas, but at this point we are just thrilled to have a timeline. Here’s a sneak peak of what the completed home should look like! Can you name that tune?