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As I write, I am bundled and enjoying the peace of the newly instituted quiet hour at the Theisen house. As temps have plummeted to negative 45 with wind chill, all five of the kids are under our new roof. Joe is taking a J-term course and needs a quiet place. The house has plenty of space with nooks and crannies, and when the construction is done, I may be hard-pressed to even find the kids. It’s likely that quiet hour could be lifted. But for now, our scarce outlets and meager 60 watts of electricity have driven the Theisen clan to a smaller and central portion of the house. I am convinced the placement of the outlets was perfectly logical in the late 1800s. Nevertheless, our current lifestyle has forced us to get creative. Grace and I are starting to feel like it’s perfectly normal to blow dry our hair in the kitchen since not one of our bathrooms has a power source yet. Jon staged a charging station in the library which has resolved some of our issues. I happily tune out the kids’ arguments over whose turn it is to charge. Most days, I can find any one of my children lying on the tile floor of the dimly lit room tucked under a blanket waiting for their device to charge.
The furnace is old, the sinks are old, and the floors are old. Asbestos lingers in the basement and every window needs replacement or repair. As I don my stocking cap for bed each night, I realize this 19th century custom was not a fashion statement but a necessity.
Needless to say, once again, there is a lot going on in the Theisen home. I won’t pretend it’s been all rainbows and butterflies. Surely we’ll face more tough moments as we navigate our way through this colossal reconstruction. As difficult as it has been, I know we are exactly where we are meant to be. I’m delighted my kids have space to play, create, or just be and are only a short walk to any of their neighborhood friends. I’m equally thrilled to be ble to hop on any of the nearby running trails. I look forward to utilizing them as soon as we get our deep thaw. This old house is our home. Let the reconstruction begin.
This issue is dedicated to the reconstruction of women’s lives, both literally and figuratively. We women endure much and continue marching on. We’re excited to share stories with you highlighting all the different ways our lives can destruct and reconstruct. Read an interesting piece on a home remodel—something I can definitely relate to. We learn how a women used the heartache of loss to transform her life through running to honor her nephew. You’ll be encouraged to pull back and simplify, as you remember to enjoy life; and don’t miss out on this issue’s mouthwatering winter recipes.
As I remind my kids (and myself) daily, we are on an adventure. I challenge my readers to find adventure in reconstructing that area or areas of your lives you’ve been just waiting to change. To reconstruct something simply means to build again. What better time than now to build a life that works for you? The journey continues: faith, family, friends, fitness, and finance.
– Jen Theisen
Publisher & Editor-in-Chief
