The quote I posted a couple of days ago ...

"Let go of your need to have more. When you stop needing more of everything, more of what you desire seems to arrive in your life. Since you're detached from the need for it, you find it easier to pass it along to others, because you realize how little you need in order to be satisfied and at peace." - Dr. Wayne Dyer

reminds me of the quote, "where your heart is, there your treasure will be."  It is so easy to get caught up in things, the new TV, car, house, etc.

I was raised frugally.  I had very few name brand items, never had a car of my own until I graduated from college, and the car my parents let me drive was an 84 cavalier hatchback with no a/c.  It was kind of cute, but when my husband and I began dating, that 2 hour trek from my college to his house resulted in a very sweaty me.  I stopped going on family vacations in order to work to save for my next year of college, so it's been 20 years since I have been to visit my relatives in the northeast.  Thankfully some of them came to my wedding or my siblings weddings.

Anyway, my Mom has called me her "yuppy daughter" twice in the last 6 months.  The first time hurt me because it sounded so matter of fact and critical.  I KNOW my family, I know that joking and sarcasm are a fluent dialect of our English language, and I KNOW she did not mean to hurt.  But when I heard yuppy, I heard "snob who is focused only on outward appearance."  Gee, thanks, Mom.
The context?  We were house hunting, seeking out the area with the best schools since my ambitions to home school our children have waned, at least for now. And when looking at the area on which we honed in, well, it apparently has a snobby reputation.  Fortunately, we bought our previous house before the market peaked and sold it before it crashed, and the difference was in savings for 18 months.  I really don't think it's the result of anything we did or did not do, I have friends who have had to file for bankruptcy.  God-loving, grace-filled friends.  It doesn't seem fair at all, it is what it is.  But it makes me want to apologize, but then, there is no apology needed. Our situations are not always products of our choices.   God's greatest blessing is not in THINGS, it's in RELATIONSHIP.  First and foremost, relationship with Him through the gift of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ, then relationship with other people.  Things will pass away.

Yesterday afternoon, I called Mom and asked her to consider coming a day or two early for their upcoming visit.  We have space.  More importantly, the grandkids haven't seen them since Thanksgiving.  The last time they came, they left less than 24 hours later.  Oh, there was a circumstance that caused them to have to leave so soon, but try explaining that to your 4 year old.  All she knew  was that Grandma and Grandpa left without spending much time.  And she wanted more time with them.  The car accident I had last summer during our visit was a blessing in disguise, because we "HAD" to stay longer while the car was getting fixed.

Mom also dropped the "y" word in our conversation again yesterday.  Jokingly, of course, as we do in our family.  I pointed out that my parents did the same thing when we were young... moved us to a so-called snobby area to get us into the better school district (and closer to Dad's work).  Our home was not in the most expensive neighborhood, but the kids at church ribbed me for living in "Snuburbia."  She went on to say she is glad we are "doing better" (financially, I suppose), and I know she did not mean to be critical in her assessment. And more importantly, I think they are going to come a couple of days early when they visit next month.

We bought this home so we would have room for family to come and stay without having to pay to stay in a hotel, hopefully the whole family at one time (well, grandparents, us, siblings, and nieces and nephews at the very least.  Our extended family is huge, we probably can't fit EVERYONE, but we can try!)  We did not set out to buy something this big, but it's what God provided based on the market when we were looking. 


My point in all this is that while as the previously posted quote points out that our goal should not be to have more, there are other heart issues.  Just because someone lives in a "big, big house" does not mean that is their ultimate goal.  Those who have less are often just as guilty of judging and name calling as anyone else, intentionally or unintentionally.  And now, as we HAVE this material blessing on our hands, it's our privilege and duty to try to use it for God's glory.  Welcome family and friends with open arms and hearts, being gracious hosts. (Hospitality is NOT my spiritual gift, and I am not Martha Stewart or Rachel Ray).  Hopefully we'll teach our kiddos that anything and everything we have is by God's grace, and we should be thankful for it and not take it for granted, no matter how much or how little it is.

I pray that we will not feel the need to fill the house with things (as so-called yuppies might, I guess), but with the intangible: love, laughter, faith and the joy of living.

Tackle It Tuesday


It's been a while.  I am not going to tackle these things today, but am posting the pics as a reminder of a couple of the bigger projects I want to tackle this Spring/Summer.

What are your favorite do it yourself landscape and garden sites?  This space has so much potential to be a retreat where we can read a book, sip a smoothie,  etc.

Another view of the swing area.

This bench was in our front yard, but the extra stroke of trim paint from the windows in addition to the need for TLC just got on my nerves.  It's probably going to happen before the swing retreat area.

****

My actual tackle list for today is much more mundane, for the most part:

1) wash, dry and put away dishes in the sink

2) take a shower

3) wash the sheets from Bear's bed and the guest bed

4) sweep and "shark" the floor- kitchen and downstairs, at least

5) the big one- fill out paperwork for Bear's Kindergarten registration and go to the open house tonight.

And apparently little mister who just sat on the potty but did nothing has now done something in his diaper.  Oh, joy.  So changing diapers is still on my tackle list.

5 weeks

We've been in our home 5 weeks.  Kate blogged that this was 5 year old Lucy's first day at home since February 19th.  While they were beginning the hell of Lucy's health problems, we were moving out of our cramped apartment and into our dream home.

I have been so touched by their story.  I don't know them, although I think we attended the same university.  Perhaps it's because Lucy is just a few months younger than Hannah, maybe because I had a small cancer scare personally a decade ago, but Kate's faith through the journey she's been handed has been such an inspiration.


It's crazy that 5 weeks can mean something so different depending on your situation.

Here's the link to their blog if you want to follow, and pray along:

garden envy

I am trying hard not to cover my neighbors.  For my kids? I want to get them a swingset.  For me?  I want dirt.  Yes, I covet my neighbor's dirt.

There is a house down the street with a 3 tier garden into the slope of their side yard.  And brick walkway up the center.  Framed by posts, not railroad ties but those other landscaping posts. 

We met the owners today.  And several of the neighbors who were just hanging out in the yard with them.  The dad/husband is the one who almost ran us off the nature trail when he gave his daughter a ride on his wife's Spree scooter.  Not really, but I had to give him a hard time about the "no motorized vehicles" sign that is posted.

Anyway, the problem with my garden envy is that I want the end result but I'm not sure that I'm ready to commit to the work that a garden requires.  Maybe I'll just go buy some large pots and grow cherry tomatoes in them.

"Let go of your need to have more. When you stop needing more of everything, more of what you desire seems to arrive in your life. Since you're detached from the need for it, you find it easier to pass it along to others, because you realize how little you need in order to be satisfied and at peace." - Dr. Wayne Dyer

One of my sister's best friends posted the above quote in her Facebook status today, and it really hit home with my thoughts lately.  I'm trying to gather my thoughts in greater detail, but I wanted to share somewhere where I can go back and reflect on it, not just in the passing of my ADHD status updates.

Think Spring

It got colder again today.  A front came through last night and took away our warm Spring-like weather.  Nonetheless, I can't help but be encouraged by the renewal and new growth in my yard.

Little Buddy stepped on tulip #3.  Maybe it will grow and bloom next year.  I planted these a few weeks ago.

Last weeks yard project: white flowers are "candytuft",  I can't wait for the purple pansies to take off.  The carpet of creeeping phlox on the left is compliments of the previous owners.

Anyone know what this could be? I am guessing daisies or black eyed susans or something, I don't know.

These mini pansies, aka johnny jump ups, were growing in our grass, so I dug them up and put them in the flower bed. 

mystery lillies... I hope they are pretty!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

brushing off the dust

Unpacking is a long process.  I want to find the "perfect" place for everything, but I only want to do it once.  So I took about a, oh, 2 week break, and did not unpack a single box.  (In my defeated perfectionist manner of not accomplishing much, of course... we actually have options for where to put things and it boggles my easily confused mind.)

Tonight, hubby decided to be my motivator.  We moved some boxes around, setting them in their target areas, and even unpacked some boxes... old boxes.

My boxes were books.  For now, the books have been added to the bookshelves at the bottom of our basement steps.  Some WILL be moved up to the guest room, because you cannot have empty book shelves in a guest room when guests will be coming for a night.  It's just fundamentally wrong.

Hubby unearthed a box of keepsakes from his childhood.  A broken toy car.  A train car.  A ceramic puppy with fabrics glued on.  His high school diploma, and a photo of him in his first work uniform. (He was such a cute kid.  No wonder our kids are so cute.) A crocheted blanket that his Mom will have to tell the story behind.  It has holes in it... I wonder if I can make a patch to sew over it on both sides, and salvage it for Bear?

In my boxes, along with some devotional books, Christian Fiction and Bibles, including my very first Childhood Bible, the duct-tape covered Bible from my teenage years, and THE Bible which held my engagement ring when Hubby proposed to me, were Laura Ingalls Wilder, Anne Shirley, Black Beauty, C.S. Lewis, Jo and the Little Women, The Scarlett Letter, and more.    One of my favorite finds was a hymn book that our friend Jodi gave me for Christmas in 2001.... no music, just the words, so it's really poetry.  It is going to be set on the piano. Tonight. I had wondered where it was, and I am thankful it was exactly where it should have been, in a box of treasured books.

I've wanted to be settled for, oh, 2 years now.  Plus some, but especially 2 years.  Being content amidst uncertain conditions of sorts is hard for me.  I am a worrier, and I wanted to know where we would settle down.

It looks like we are there.  When boxes from childhood have been "unearthed", I think it might be safe to say we've found our earthly home.

lesson learned... (TMI ALERT)

Never let your 3 year old watch you pump breast milk for her baby brother.  2 1/2 years later, it will suddenly and randomly come back to haunt you.  She will think it was hilarious, and make gestures like a milking machine around that part of her body, complete with the sound effects she remembers from the pump.

But really, having her bang at the door was not exactly helpful to the production process, I didn't think I had a choice at the time.

Lord, have mercy.

my other addiction is returning


The last 2 days have been gorgeous here in the South.  Yesterday was slightly chilly, but turned out to be really pretty.  Today was awesome.  So, after lunch, the kids and I ventured about 4 miles away to a local nursery.  I had a $5 off coupon from the paper, a gift in mind to purchase for someone, and simple ideas to spruce up our flowerbeds.  I ended up leaving with a flowering bush, a flat of deep purple pansies, and 2 candytuft plants.  I just realized they are a ground cover, I hope it doesn't spread TOO quickly, I have other things I want to plant.  Though I bet they will look pretty next to the already present pink creeping phlox.

Bear came up to me with her hands behind her back while I was checking out.  "I have a surprise for you mama."  They were a seed packet of some other flowers, statice.  I know it's early, but I planted them too.  They were $1, I could not resist.

While I planted, the kiddos wasted a lot of water.  I mean, they tried to help me water.  And they played with their chalk, and water.  Why is it that a 5 year old girl will slime up her arms (halfway to her elbows) with pinkish red chalk paint stuff but will not touch a worm because it is slimy?

4 of the 6 packs were planted in the mailbox garden, the other two along the front of the flowerbeds on either side of our front door.

We obviously need fresh mulch, and there aren't a lot of blooms on the pansies yet.  The tag for the candytuft said it attracts butterflies.  (It is the lonely little one above the top row of pansies. The other side of the bed is kind of a mirror image.)  I hope so, for the kids' sake!

I bought and planted some tulips and hyacinths last week, or the week before.... I know Buddy has already crushed one of them so it won't be blooming, but perhaps the leaves will soak up enough sun to make a new bulb for next year.  Could he please not walk on the flowers he is trying to help water?  Especially the ones that are in limited quantity?

I also planted some acidanthera bulbs about 2 weeks ago, which I loved at my old house and vowed to plant again.  Prophecy fulfilled, I hope they grow.

We're definitely enjoying the new place, inside and out.

a visit to the past... and looking ahead

We drove by our old house this weekend.  It wasn't like I expected.... or maybe it was.  It looked like someone else's home.  Which it is.  They had chairs on the front porch, patio furniture out back.  The flowerbeds hadn't changed much, I think they must have pulled out the yellow rose bush, but they certainly had not added any bushes or shrubs.  The butterfly bush has quadrupled in size, and the yellow spring-blooming shrub whose name eludes me even though they are out in full force was also taller. Forsythia.  It looked lived in, cared for enough.  Perhaps because we've finally moved on, moved into OUR new home, perhaps because 6 years is a relatively short time to live somewhere, I did not want it back. Did I want to see my friends from the neighborhood more often?  You bet.  In fact, we had a miscommunication, our dear friends thought we were staying with them when we had not planned to, so we cancelled our reservation and DID stay with them.  Except for the onset of my allergies, the visit was wonderful.  Dinner at one of the nearby restaurants (I think the food at Las Palmas on Nolensville Rd. has improved, it was more flavorful than I remember), the girls dressed up, the boy chased the girls, played with tinker toys, and squealed at the cats in the backyard.  This time followed a birthday party for another sweet friend, so the whole day was just that... sweet.  Driving back home on Sunday, in between my hacking and sniffling that prevented us from visiting our old church and seeing more friends, we loved that it took less than 3 hours, more like 2 1/2 from our old house to new house.  So maybe our friends can come visit us here more often, too.

I think Bear remembered the neighborhood once she saw it.  I am not sure if the walk home from the restaurant with her friends and the Daddies jogged her memory further.  But she was so glad to play with her friends again.  And I was so glad to sit on the couch with a crochet project while my friend knitted. (We must be getting old.)   Buddy loved our friends' cats and their Bradford Pear tree in full bloom (hence my allergies).  Both kids loved their carpet, and Bear proclaimed that we only have hard floors in our new house. (Which is true, except for an area rug in the family room and occasional throw rugs.)

I remember how excited and anxious we were to buy our first home.  It was newly built, we got to pick out the fixtures from the builder's spec model, choose upgrades as we desired or could afford. (There were not too many, thankfully they included more than other builders at the time, like a fireplace which we rarely used and 4 ft wide shower in the master bath).    The yard... tiny. Steep.  Remember the posts about the cliff where the developer cut away?  Well, it hasn't gotten any flatter.
The mortgage... ah... we paid extra on it while I worked, before we had kids.  In spite of the dropping market, we had an offer within 4 weeks of putting it on the market in '09.  An offer that did not fall through.

I look back at the hand of Providence, how God has provided for us since we were married, and I am just thankful.  We did not do anything to earn or deserve such favor... before the house, there was the 2 bedroom apartment on a pretty hill.  Before THAT, we lived with Hubby's parents, and they became my friends and mentors in a way that few get blessed with.

And now.  Here we are.  The kids call it the "big, big house."  Which it is.  Bigger than I ever dreamed or expected.  With some amenities I would trade in a heartbeat.  Well just one.  I prefer to walk barefoot on carpet, now I have to wear my socks all the time.  But the bright side is the hardwood is better on allergies and easier to clean when your 2 year old pees on it.  We have new neighbors to get to know, though they will not replace our old friends, they will be added to the list of people God has placed in our lives "for such a time as this" (whatever "this" entails).  This home has a history, it was someone else's, it has some quirks, but also a lot of character.  We did not get to choose every detail, but someone, 18 years ago chose a lot of special touches for themselves, and then they did their best to get it ready for us when it was time to say goodbye.

Little Man probably won't remember the first house he lived in, or the apartment, and his Big Sis might not, either.  However, I am pretty sure they will make some memories in our new home.

This family's story has touched my heart... pray for Lucy.   She turned 5 yesterday, spent her birthday at St. Jude's.

Wow, time flies!

We have been in our home for 2 weeks plus a couple of days.  Two weeks in which hubby has not had to travel, his commute has been relatively painless, we have unpacked a lot but still have a way to go, and hubby has turned into Mark Stuart, a male counterpart of Martha Stewart.  Ok, not really.  But he decided that before perfecting the TV/stereo set-up, we should paint the family room.  I did not disagree... there were severe fading spots, shadows of picture frames past, all the way down the main downstairs hallway.  Rectangular ghosts, if you will.  We also decided the kitchen has too much going on in it and are painting it one color instead of the two mismatched colors.  The tile and granite have very distinct patterns, and the walls fight them for attention.  It's not working for us.  We're slowly finding fixtures that suit our style/taste, as the early 90's brass does not....  but also trying to be frugal and strategic in using coupons, etc... 

The neighbors seem friendly.  One of them is building safety gates for the top and bottom of the stairs on the deck.  The deck, as great as it is, is a safety hazard when you have a 2 year old who thinks himself to be Buzz Lightyear.  We almost didn't look at the house a 2nd time because of it, after little Lightyear's episode at the park in November.

We had a tornado warning last week.  The kids and I simply went to the basement, cranked up the radio, and played.  I opened the blinds to be able to watch the clouds and listen for sirens.  We have also discovered that earthworms seek shelter from the rain by creeping between the doors and onto the blue and white floor.  And if they aren't cleaned up prior to the wild stampede and little tikes basketball fun, they get smashed.  It took us a couple of days to figure out what that red mush was on the floor.

I have cleared some brush out of the flower beds and planted some bulbs... white hyacinths, purple tulips, and my beloved acidanthera.  I could go crazy with this yard.  The neighborhood is well established, but our yard has almost no trees, except for a birch that is so close to the house it will threaten the foundation if we don't remove it in the next couple of years.  I don't mind not having so many leaves to rake, the trees in the surrounding yard are very pretty, but a little vegetation would be nice.  I want a veggie patch, as veggies are expensive and not impressive at the grocery stores.  That may or may not happen this year. I have garden envy of a house down the street that has a 3 or 4 tier vegetable garden built into their hill.

The extreme amount of space we have been blessed with means that taking our time to unpack is easy... out of sight, out of mind, until you want something and have to dig to find the box and then open it up.  We tripped over everything and each other in the apartment for the past 18 months.

The previous owners took their fridge and washer and dryer, so not only did I get a new house for Valentine's Day, I got new appliances.  Unfortunately, Lowe's did not live up to their next day delivery advertising... we ordered them on closing day (Valentine's Day), asked for them to be delivered the following Saturday, and they did not arrive until Monday morning.  Thank God for hubby's parents good cooler!!!! They are working great so far.

Perhaps eventually I'll get back into the blogging groove.  I am thankful for those of you who stick around, or drop by every once in a while to see if I am still here. But for now, we're getting settled into our new place and loving it.

getting closer

And what am I doing instead of packing?  The usual, of course.  Either playing online or crocheting.
I am happy to report that the house should be ours in 2 weeks.  If all goes well, we should be moving in less than 3.
\
Part of me is ecstatic.  And part of me is anxious.  Because that's how I roll.  The house... is huge.  Plenty of room for guests.  Lots of wood flowers that are pretty and I am scared of ruining. (Most of them are brand new).  Two staircases inside, one out, a deck, a basement for those tornado watches, plus a tile-floored room that will be great for the kiddos toys and art and craft projects.  So much potential, being almost 2 decades old it does still need some maintenance. 
HAve I mentioned the kitchen?  Thank you God, for a granite Island, stainless sink and brand new dishwasher.   It has a backyard that slopes down then levels out.... prefect for sledding, next winter, I hope.  (Winters are short down here.  I suppose we could get some snow after we move in.)


I've felt in limbo for so long that I don't know if it's possible for me to ever feel settled.

I am going to miss the friends I've begun to make here, Bear will miss her friends at PreK and the others we've gotten to know.  Please come visit.

The good news?  We have friends in East TN who we will get to reconnect with, including my Aunt and Uncle. We'll be closer to friends we left in middle TN, and conveniently  located not far off the interstate on the way East to Gatlinburg.  Who needs a rest area when you can stop at our house? 

Hope I am not speaking too soon

It's not ours yet.  But I had to share some things that hit me about this particular home.  One thing.
We have been looking for a home with a level lot.  This one is sloped and levels out.  As we approached the city where we'll be moving, we noticed an increase of snow on the ground.  Roads were clear, but there was a definite dusting.  When we got into neighborhoods, snowmen were standing tall.  Even though most of the snow had melted by early afternoon, proof remained.


We walked through this particular home.  The layout is practical.  Not overly open, butWe had seen it 2 weeks before, liked it ok, but questioned if the sellers would negotiate.  We'd been through making an offer and walking away once so far.

This time I began to see myself and my family there.  Holding our hands as we walked down the steps from the deck to the back yard.  The kiddos ran down the hill to the level part of the backyard with sheer glee.  Freedom.  As though they hadn't run like that in years. (They have, don't worry, but usually it's tormenting the neighbors below.)

And I had flashbacks.  Memories of being close to my daughter's age, rolling down a similar hill in the first neighborhood that I remember.  Sledding down that hill in the snow. Building a muscular snowman in the front yard and snow forts in the bank in the backyard.  And igloos.

So, the snow is rather infrequent and will probably never hit the amounts I saw during those early years of my life.  But when the occasional winter storm hits, I'll be ready.  Ready to take pictures of my children playing in the snow and tumbling down that hill.  I may even buy a sled on clearance at the end of this winter so we'll be prepared.  If there are any left.

Assuming we get this place, of course.

If the dress could talk

There was a little something unexpected hanging in one of the closets in the home we've put an offer on.  A wedding dress.  My guess is 70's era, it is long sleeved but reminds me a little of my Mom's.  It's in a clear plastic covering, and angled almost as though it's a good luck charm, a superstition of sorts.

You see, most everything else in the house has been removed, besides some odds and ends.  It doesn't make sense that something so special would be left behind forever.  Unless, of course divorce was the culprit of the house sale, but we know that the family has relocated.

We also know that the sellers are the original owners.  They have taken care to prepare what was their home for eighteen years by updating the kitchen and laying hardwood floors throughout.  There are hints about their interests practically within the walls.  One bedroom has built in bookshelves, and flourescent lights, as though it was used as an office, or perhaps a craft or sewing room.  The basement is very utilitarian.  Industrial tiled floor and cabinets indicate somebody was a handyman.  Before you get to the former workshop, their are built in bookcases at the bottom of the steps into the basement.  There's a country-ish wallpapered bathroom down there as well.  Dated, perhaps, but in conjunction with the weathered bench out front and the rabbit figurines in the flowerbed, the fall themed flag hanging above the garage.... this was someone's home. For a long time.

I remember being offended at the first offer we received on our first home.  We countered and eventually closed the deal.  I remember saying goodbye that last time, to the place where I returned after my babies were born, the neighborhood where family, neighbors, and church family welcomed them and encouraged me while I faced the first few weeks of parenthood with my husband several hundred miles away.  I remember planting daffodil bulbs and rose bushes, digging my flowerbed around the mailbox.  My first neighborhood was filled with friends who saw us grow from being newlyweds to parents.  It saddens me to think that my daughter already only remembers bits and pieces about her first home and its surrounding community..

If that dress could talk, would it tell stories of the children whose feet grew from pitter patters to stomps as they went up and down the stairs and down the long upstairs hallway?  Would it recount conversations about plans to install those built in bookcases, arguments, perhaps, about what project to tackle next?  Tears as children were sent off to college somewhere?  Family holidays in the dining room and kitchen area with that big island.  Where did they play monopoly or cards?  Was there a piano in the living room where I hope to place my grandmother's piano? 

I know I should not get attached yet.  I know that it is entirely possible that we may go through all this negotiating and walk away empty handed.

How can you put a price on memories?  On a home that has experienced all the love and changes, on walls that have so many stories they could tell if they could even speak.  Just a house, to some.
They were surprised by our "low" offer, surely, I hope not insulted, though as I think about it I would not be surprised if they were.  We did our research and tried to be fair based on comps, etc... We have our budget, we have saved in hopes of finally purchasing a home that we can stay in for a long time, and we had to remain objective in the process of formulating an offer.

However, that aged wedding dress which has been hung with care reminds me that once upon a time a young family built their dream home, then stayed for a long while, unlike so many of us who have had to be more transient. I hope that negotiations will succeed, and we'll get the chance to make as many priceless memories there as surrounded that dress.

big sigh.

it has occurred to me that as ready as I am to be out of the apartment, we have never regretted our choice to rent first here.
praying for the perfect house to come along, but willing to rent if need be.  it's not like half our stuff is not in storage already.

Pardon my rant

We've had people suggest we can "just rent" until we find that perfect home for us 5 hours away.  I agree, sort of.  At least, to their face.  (We've been looking since October, it's not like we just started this house hunt.)  What I really want to say, is a little bit more like this:

Are you volunteering to pack and move our stuff or pay for the expense twice?  This is not a company paid move.  It comes out of our saving account and takes away from the amount we could invest into a home.   You are welcome to come bring a team of movers or finance both gigs if you would like, but I am not doing this twice if I can help it.  Furthermore, packing with a 5 year old and 2 year old is not easy.

Have you been living in temporary housing situations with half the personal space you are used to for a year and a half?  No?  Then don't tell me I should continue doing so.  Unless you've been living in barracks and fighting for our freedom, or you too have been in an uncomfortable place with unrealistic morons who moved in below you and expect your children to sit still and not play because they are too loud, you really don't have a right to tell me that looking for another apartment is the best choice.  Although I will miss the maintenance help. (Our previous neighbor, who relocated across the country, never called to management to complain, so we can't be THAT loud.  Perhaps she is just a saint.)

The reality is that if we don't find a house that suits us, we will figure it out, we may rent a house or condo without neighbors above or below.  Because buying a home is a huge investment, and one we do want to be confident in.  But really, people,  especially those who don't know us well, it's not as simple and practical as it sounds.  So keep your "sound" advice to yourself unless it's requested.

I had to vent a little bit.   Don't take it personally any more than you would want me to take your well meaning advice as an insult to my intelligence.

Thank God for hotel points!

I think Hubby calculated that between our house hunting trips and the August trip to Memphis, we've used 9 free hotel nights.  So I am currently very grateful for his travel, though lately Bear has commented about how much she misses him when he is away for work.  Our future home base is en route by detour from where we spent Christmas, and we stopped in to view 3 homes today.  Each kiddo is sleeping with a parent because it just works better than way when we're in hotels.  I completely forgot to pack our swimsuits, but I did get to take a quick trip to the superstore by myself, and Bear and I split some hot chocolate from the lobby.  Those count as vacation moments, right?  Since Buddy got carsick about 35 minutes up the road from our first house to view, the kiddos got to help daddy do laundry.  I also got to show Bear where we get ice in the hotel since our fridge does not have any. :)  (The hot chocolate needed help cooling down to drinkable warm chocolate.)  This is not the first house hunting trip we've taken, just the first I have announced publicly.

The chaos is about to set in.  When we are here, near the mountains and lakes, we are increasingly excited about the next phase and ready to find a place to settle.  When we get to our current hometown, I know the reality of leaving some wonderful new friends will set in.  Along with the need-for-meds-inducing-anxiety that may accompany moving.  I will also be reserving waffle fry boxes from my favorite restaurant. (Some of our friends were able to get them for us for our last move.  Last week, I talked to one of our favorite staff members and she said we could ask management to hold some for us here, too.  Whew.)

When it's all said and done, I hope Bear remembers the fun things like hot cocoa making in her jammies and robe, exploring different houses, and our other adventures in preparation for yet another big change.

Like you've always known them

About four years ago, I began blogging as a way to post pictures to share with the Grandparents.  I quickly decided a needed a place of my own, one where I could write about whatever I thought or felt at the moment.  I blame my sister in law for giving me the idea, though her blog is now stagnant.  I quickly found friends from my past who introduced me to other Moms like myself in so many ways.  Our situations were different, but we found ourselves discussing parenting, individuality, and whatever randomness crossed our minds.  Blogging became therapy during difficult transitions, my new friends like an extended family of sorts.

One of those friends moved to the area where we happen to be visiting, er, overstaying our welcome. (I hope it doesn't feel that way to our hosts, and that I am just anxious about all that needs to get done upon our return South.)  And she and her family came over last night.

It was wonderful.  To see someone you have laughed with and cried with in this virtual reality called cyberspace, to give them a hug or two as if you have known each other forever.  To find that they are as honest and real and fun to talk to in person, and that bond you share from communicating is not just imagined, a nd the pseudonym is easily replaced by her real name.

When it all starts coming together, it's still a little crazy.

Of course, with me involved, I think crazy is expected.  We have some big changes coming within the next 2 months.  No, I am not pregnant and delivering a child in record time.  No, we're not welcoming another adopted child into our family. (In case you missed, oh, wait, I have not blogged about it- my sister adopted an adorable baby boy about 2 months ago.  He is awesome.)

The kitchen I last posted about?  Will be a memory, Lord willing replaced by one with twice as many cabinets and storage space.  (I don't think that's too much to expect given the measurements of what I deal with.)

The teenagers playing loudly in the complex pool at 1 a.m. during the summer?  Will be the problem of the neighbor below us, who have lived here MAYBE a month and already complained about the resident elephants in our apartment at 7:30 p.m.  (I told property management that we were working with the kiddos, but I don't appreciate going onto my balcony and breathing in cigarette smoke.  Or my bathrooms.  Their smoke comes up through the walls.)

I will be glad to have a real mailbox again, not one reminiscent in size to the little cubbies we had in the dorm in college.

I will park my car in the garage, period.  Hubby can have the driveway until we get everything sorted through after the move.  I have to wrangle the munchkins, I get the parking.  Or maybe we'll get a 3 car.

I will send out "we've moved!" announcements.  OR perhaps I will just send e-mails and wait til next Christmas. (That looks likely at this rate.)

Grumpiness aside, things ARE going well.  Can't go into details, but God continues to show his faithfulness in all the details, timing is everything, and we know that He'll show the next steps (including whether to rent our buy once we leave the apartment.

The holidays are magical to kids.  There's a lot I could probably learn from them.  We have a small little tree, a cramped apartment, and my kids are loving the lights and decorations we put up, making treats to bring to our relatives, and dreaming of snow.  We live in central Georgia.  It's in the 60's on this first day of Winter.  But we are headed north, so it's not an unreasonable thing to get excited about.

One of my friends shared yesterday that she wants to bang her head against the wall.  I feel the same way quite often.  But I can only imagine how brain injury might impact this particular breed of crazy. ;-)

Another friend (Farm Wife)  reminisced about the multitude of moves she has endured in her lifetime... I may just have to think back on my moves, but I know it can't be as many as she has been through. :)