I realized today that it's been well over a year since we had a "normal home life"; where we knew instantly where everything was, where we could make a mess and leave it that way for a while, where we didn't care so much what the cat was up to. It was early April 2016 when we had the old house staged and available for showings. For almost 8 months we lived in a showroom-like curated version of our house, and by the holidays, when we finally had a signed purchase agreement, we were in packing mode. Now, after nearly 4 months, we've been living ("exiled") in this dark one-bedroom apartment in central Bloomington.
As the long and winding road to our new house approaches its end, the anticipation of MOVING HOME is getting stronger. Having ¾ of our stuff inaccessibly stored is getting old, and the lack of direct sun in this apartment will make the light-filled spaces of the new house feel absolutely wonderful.
Maybe all of this will be worth it.