Adjusting

Boy oh boy, the past few weeks have been crazy. Thankfully nothing horrific to deal with, but it seems that we've been hitting multiple "bumps" each day, and we're all worn down from dealing with it all. And frankly I'm looking forward to the day when I can hop in the car and drive off somewhere without first consulting my GPS!

So here are some random bits from the past couple weeks:

• People are *SO* friendly in this area! I've had little chats about our relo with everyone from the grocery clerk to the customer service person at the water company. Oh, and no more bagging my own groceries (and I don't even have to push the cart out to the car myself)
• God created an amazing world. OK, so this isn't exactly something I just learned, but I'm being reminded of the incredible diversity as I check out the plants and animals around here. We actually live about a block from a huge bird sanctuary that hosts an international birding festival each year. Any birdwatchers wanna book their room now? :) If so, when you arrive you will be required to help me figure out which bird sounds like a car alarm. And no, I'm not kidding.
• Our son tried to use the pool net (approx 18" across, with a 4 ft pole) to catch a gecko (ranging in size from about 1-3"). Comedy at its finest! He's really determined to capture himself a pet.
• While shopping at Wal-Mart, I was approached by a young Mexican woman who asked if she could work for me.
• NO ONE does their own yardwork around here. Within three days of moving in, we had at least 8 different people leave us flyers/business cards about their services. We decided that rather than plunking down $100+ each month to pay someone else, we'd invest in a decent mower, etc.
• While hubby was mowing our yard last weekend, someone stopped and asked what he charged. He told me that he really wanted to tell them that he was sleeping with the owner, but thankfully he refrained!
• We checked out a church last week. While it was nice to worship with other believers, I don't think that will be our new home. We're very excited about the church we're planning to go to this coming Sunday (which also is the one with a MOPS group!)
• Yesterday while running errands, I happened to drive by the library, so I stopped to check it out. There's a beautiful courtyard outside with a fountain and some nice statues, and I was very excited. I walked in, and it seriously felt like I was in a mausoleum. It was oppressively quiet, and when the kids were asking me a few questions (not loudly, either, I might add) we all got the death ray glare from the librarian at the desk. I was surprised by how few books there were, too. And no more movies and video games from the library (our old one had racks and racks of DVDs, broken into adult and kid sections, while this one had about 30 total on the shelf)
• I got carded buying a bottle of wine. At Wal-Mart. No more state stores!
• Last night we had the 4th technician from the cable company out to our house. I think we finally have everything hooked up now, including phone and internet access. No more trips to BK to check email!
• There are still stacks of cardboard boxes sitting around as I make up my mind where things will go. I've already rearranged the kitchen cupboards once.
• We'll be going to get our TX licenses this afternoon - I think that's the list thing we need to get done to make our transition complete. I'm swearing off completing government forms for at least two weeks.
• We love our pool! D's favorite activity is taking running leaps into the water, while A prefers to splash around in "her" pool (the unheated hot tub :)
• I'm lonely. And while I can call up friends, somehow it's not the same knowing that they're 2000 miles away. Would appreciate your prayers that I can connect with 1 or 2 women fairly soon.
• Our son seems to be having a pretty tough time, too, and has been acting up in a few ways. Once again, would appreciate prayer that he can make some friends soon as well as for wisdom and patience as hubby and I address his behavior.

Enough rambling - off to do something productive!

May the God of your hope so fill you with all joy and peace in believing [through the experience of your faith] that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound and be overflowing (bubbling over) with hope. Romans 15:13, Amplified

Whew.

Well, it's official - we're Texans (OK, so we'll probably never be considered natives, but that's where we get our mail!) Friday we sold our house in PA, then hit the road for our "rich but homeless" weekend. Ever spent thirty hours driving with a 4 and a 6 YO? I don't recommend it ;) Seriously, though, they were actually very good considering what we were asking of them, but let's just say we were ALL happy to arrive in our new hometown last night.

We actually pulled in about 7:30 PM, so we made pretty decent time. We had dinner, then all crawled into bed. Had the walkthrough at our new house at 9 AM, then promptly signed over all our "riches" and are the proud owners of a house in south, SOUTH Texas. It's 101, and I'm currently sitting in Burger King (free Wi-Fi *and* and air-conditioned play area) while the kids burn off some energy, waiting for all the wire transfers to clear so that we can get the keys to our new abode. It's been interesting seeing the difference in the processes here vs. PA - I know some of it is just regional, but so many little details are handled differently due to the various state laws.

I have a few pictures I'd love to share, but I have no idea where our card reader is. The truck with all our earthly belongings should be here on Wed or Thurs, and in the meantime we'll be camping out on the floor and swimming in our glorious new pool. Hasta la vista! (To quote our daughter, "That's Spanish, you know!")

Progress...

Can't believe it's been almost a month since I posted - sooooo much happening. The packers came yesterday and began dealing with all our earthly possessions. I think I'm developing an allergy to cardboard. Oh, and I miss having a couch! In one week, we will officially be homeless (for 3 days ;) and en route to our new home in TX. Still much to be accomplished, and I've not been sleeping well so it's all seeming a bit daunting right now. I know that God will get us through this crazy time, but there is still that human part of me that so easily gets overwhelmed. Hey, just the fact that we sold this house is a HUGE testimony to His faithfulness!

Yesterday as I was taking a break and doing a bit of blog reading, I came across the new "Salt" challenge on Prayer. What an encouragement! If you have a minute, check it out (and I promise you'll particularly like it if you're a bit crafty...)

So what else has been happening? Well, our son finished kindergarten. Our daughter learned to whistle - something her brother still can't do, and it's driving him crazy that his little sister can. Hubby was on another business trip to TX but and is now back home. Had all the inspections for this house (I swear, our township requires a certificate saying the certificate is valid!) and were amazed that we didn't have to spend a ton of dough "fixing" things. Once again, may I remind you that God is awesome?!? We've said the official good-byes to the few family members that live in this area. Friends have been helping out in so many little ways, and generally reminded us how blessed we are. Tons of other stuff, too, but frankly I just can't even think of them right now.

On a final note, how about some practical help. Check out this post for some little hints - I am definitely going to make a purse organizer (very easy, requiring only basic sewing knowledge or even glue skills!) and I am *SO* implementing the "sweater" organizer daily outfit plan for our daughter once we get settled into our new place.

Well, break time is over and I must do the final purging of our daughter's room before the packers start boxing up her trash (they packed my stash of grocery bags yesterday - how crazy is that?!) I have no idea when I'll post again - we'll be sans internet access for about a week, plus I have a hunch that I might be a bit busy once we arrive in TX.

Blessings to you!!

The hazy days of summer...

So what's up in our world? Well, our daughter got a new summer 'do (she's thrilled because there are fewer tangles and now her head isn't so hot) - when I asked if I could take a picture, she wanted to know if she could climb the tree. How could I say no? She cracks me up - such a girly girl (lover of all things shiny, sparkley, and pink) but is awfully rough and tumble, too.

The weather has been strange - dark, rainy, and rather cool. I think we're all feeling a bit wonky after being cooped up this week. Thankfully hubby comes home this afternoon, and then we're heading off to Knoebels and a strawberry festival. The kids know nothing of our plans, so it's just going to be a surprise when we bundle them in the car and start driving...

Well, I need to run and finish packing, but I did have to share one crazy thing I saw today. We were headed home after a couple errands, and I saw a mother out walking in our neighborhood, pushing her little boy (I'm guessing he was around 2 1/2) in the stroller. I could see he had something on the tray in front of him... and as we got closer I realized that it was a portable DVD player. Is that insane or what?! "Hey, Billly, let's go for a walk! Oh, you don't want to be bothered with looking around? Well, why don't you bring that movie you like so much!" Sheesh.

Friday Funny

Now that we've sold our house - and I no longer have to worry about keeping things immaculate to impress prospective buyers - I think I'll utilize these tips!

30 MINUTES TO A CLEANER HOUSE

You have company coming in 30 minutes. Your house is a mess. WHAT WILL YOU DO? Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the first session of Housekeeping Tips for Regular People. If you're a Martha Stewart type of housekeeper, this column is NOT for you. However, for the rest of you, this is your chance to learn 15 Secret Shortcuts to Good Housekeeping that your mother never told you.

SECRET TIP 1: DOOR LOCKS
If a room clearly can't be whipped into shape in 30 days--much less 30 minutes--employ the Locked Door Method of cleaning. Tell anyone who tries to go in the room that the door is intentionally locked. CAUTION: It is not advisable to use this tip for the bathroom.

Time: 2 seconds

SECRET TIP 2: DUCT TAPE
No home should be without an ample supply. Not only is it handy for plumbing repairs, but it's a great way to hem drapes, tablecloths, clothes, just about anything. No muss, no fuss.

Time: 2-3 minutes

SECRET TIP 3: OVENS
If you think ovens are just for baking, think again. Ovens represent at least 9 cubic feet of hidden storage space, which means they're a great place to shove dirty dishes, dirty clothes, or just about anything you want to get out of sight when company's coming.

Time: 2 minutes

SECRET TIP 4: CLOTHES DRYERS
Like Secret Tip 3, except bigger. CAUTION: Avoid hiding flammable objects here.

Time: 2.5 minutes

SECRET TIP 5: WASHING MACHINES & FREEZERS
Like Secret Tip 4, except even bigger.

Time: 3 minutes

SECRET TIP 6: DUST RUFFLES
No bed should be without one. Devotees of Martha Stewart believe dust ruffles exist to keep dust out from under a bed or to help coordinate the colorful look of a bedroom. The rest of us know a dust ruffle's highest and best use is to hide whatever you've managed to shove under the bed. (Refer to Secret Tips 3, 4, 5.)

Time: 4 minutes

SECRET TIP 7: DUSTING
The 30-Minutes-To-A-Clean-House method says: Never dust under what you can dust around.

Time: 3 minutes

SECRET TIP 8: DISHES
Don't use them. Use plastic or paper and you won't have to wash anything.

Time: 1 minute

SECRET TIP 9: CLOTHES WASHING (EEWWW)
This secret tip is brought to you by an inventive teenager. When this teen's mother went on a housekeeping strike for a month, the teen discovered you can extend the life of your underwear by two ...if you turn it wrong side out and, yes, rerun it. CAUTION: This tip is recommended only for teens and those who don't care if they get in a car wreck.

Time: 3 seconds

SECRET TIP 10: IRONING
If an article of clothing doesn't require a full press and your hair does, a curling iron is the answer. In between curling your hair, use the hot wand to iron minor wrinkles out of your clothes. Yes, it really does work, or so I'm told, by other disciples of the 30-Minutes-To-A-Clean-House philosophy.

Time: 5 minutes (including curling your hair)

SECRET TIP 11: VACUUMING
Stick to the middle of the room, which is the only place people look. Don't bother vacuuming under furniture. It takes way too long and no one looks there anyway.

Time: 5 minutes, entire house; 2 minutes, living room only

SECRET TIP 12: LIGHTING
The key here is low, low, and lower. It's not only romantic, but bad lighting can hide a multitude of dirt.

Time: 10 seconds

SECRET TIP 13: BED MAKING
Get an old-fashioned waterbed. No one can tell if those things are made up or not, saving you, oh, hundreds of seconds over the course of a lifetime.

Time: 0

SECRET TIP 14: SHOWERS, TOILETS, AND SINKS
Forget one and two. Concentrate on three.

Time: 1 minute

SECRET TIP 15:

If you already knew at least 10 of these tips, don't even think about inviting a Martha Stewart type to your home.

Where to start?!

Sooooo much has happened in the past couple weeks...

Although we'd agreed verbally on the TX house, the owners made some changes when it came to the written contract, so we've been going back and forth on that for 2 1/2 weeks. The realtor just called and we've finally managed to reach an agreement. We did move the closing date up by a week (any ideas about a leisurely family road trip have vaporized) but everything else remains as we had originally agreed upon. Hallelujah! I know that having our house under contract here definitely made a difference in the negotiations - God's timing is always perfect, isn't it? And hey, here are a few pictures as I'd promised!



Last week our son had tubes put in his ears, and we saw a difference immediately. He's still wild and crazy :) but at least we can hold an actual conversation with him as opposed to a yelling match. The procedure itself went off without a hitch, and he was asking when he could go home even before the anesthesia had completely worn off. So thankful!

Hubby flew out to TX on Sunday, and he's gone until next weekend. We're definitely missing him, but we're doing OK. I know I'm much less stressed out now that the house has sold - no more frantic cleaning to ready the house for a showing. Ahhhhh. Oh, and he'll be able to actually be there for our NEW home inspection!

Had a lovely picnic at church on Sunday evening for all of us involved in children's ministry. It was lovely - I didn't have to prepare anything, the kids are old enough that I don't have to keep constant watch over them, and we all just had a great time with our friends. Although I took my camera, I neglected to actually pull it out and take pictures... I did snap this one of the kids playing on the field, though.

I also attended my last MOPS meeting at our current church last week. That was probably the toughest thing I've done in quite awhile. As I was getting ready that morning, I was reminiscing over all that's happened since we started the group just 4 years ago, and was already getting teary-eyed. I gave myself a little lecture about enjoying the day rather than focusing on the melancholy aspects, and I managed to make it through the meeting without crying. I make no such guarantees for our last Sunday service, though; I can pretty much guarantee that I'll be a dehydrated, gloppy mess at the end of that!

On a final silly note, here's a shot of my peony. I love peonies, but hubby isn't all that fond of them due to the ant factor. I finally convinced him to let me plant one three years ago. Each year, I've watched eagerly for signs of buds, but all we've had are a few leaves. This year, though, it finally decided to bloom for me. Now I just hope the new owner appreciates it :)

"Those who seek the Lord lack no good thing" Psalm 34:10b

Hallelujah!

There's something new on our front lawn. The market may be rough, but we serve a BIG God!!