Thursday, August 29, 2013

Things I've Heard (And Seen) Lately...the Moving Edition

So, things have been really crazy around here lately.  But, there have been some very funny moments.  Here are some of my favorites related to a move.

Mark: (trying to explain stepping out on faith to Aidan)  It's like stepping off a cliff and knowing that God is going to catch you (or something along these lines...I can't remember the exact analogy, but it was about a cliff).
Aidan:  Why don't you just turn around and walk away from the cliff?  (duh)


Mark:  So what do you think about moving?
Aidan:  Well, part of me thinks it could be really bad.  And, the other part of me agrees with the first part.


Aidan:  (while driving through a small town near where we are going to live)  Wow, this town is what they call a "fixer-upper."

This one has nothing to do with moving, but is still funny:
Ella:  Are the Veggie Tales real?
Me:  No, it's a cartoon.
Ella:  Well, who's singing then?
Me:  It's just people pretending to be vegetables.
Ella:  That's really weird.

We've had many misadventures while trying to rent our house.  And they all seem to involve the restroom.

For starters, we had potential renters show up an hour early!  I should have told them to come back, but we really want to get our house rented, so I said it was fine.  I had 6 kids here and we had just gotten back from swimming, so it was a little hectic.  I rushed all the kids to the car so we could get out of here quickly.  In doing this, I forgot Anna's diaper bag.  When we got to our friends house, she was in desperate need of a diaper.  "What's the worst that could happen?" someone said.  I took her soaking wet diaper off, wrapped her in a towel and headed home...surely she could make it home without incident, right?  Wrong.  She pooped.  And it was the worst poo you can imagine...of all the times to have diarrhea.  Seriously.  All over her, all over the car seat...but surprisingly very little on the towel.  You're welcome for that visual.

When we got home, the Realtor had locked our new kittens (that's a whole other story) out of the bathroom where their litter box was.  So, guess what I got to clean up.  More poop.

So, I decided to take the kittens to Arkansas so Mark could take care of them for a bit.  While we were gone, we had a showing and the Realtor let our outside cat in the house...and left her in...all weekend.  With no litter box, food or water.  So, guess what I got to clean up?  I'm really glad she was okay.  I'm not sure how much longer she could have made it without water.  :(

And one final incident...we were getting ready for a showing this week.  I noticed that the kids had left some clothes on the bathroom floor, so I asked them to put them in the hamper.  When I walked by again, they were gone.  So, naturally, I assumed the kids had picked them up.  When we got home that afternoon, I went into the kids' bathroom and guess what I found in the toilet.  Yep, the kids' clothes, a couple of diapers and 3 bath toys.  Have I mentioned that Anna has developed a fascination with toilets lately?  I hope the potential renters enjoyed that little spectacle.  And I hope the big kids learn to pick up their clothes when asked...or else they're going in the potty.

So that's been our life lately...2 more days and NO MORE showings to get ready for...alone...with 3 kids and a half dozen pets.  Hopefully, I can make it.

And one more funny thing...would you care to guess what both Aidan and Ella have been worried about lately?  Leaving friends?  Leaving church?  Leaving family...yes, but the main worry they've been talking about the last few days?  They are worried that Santa won't be able to find them in the woods.  It IS in the middle of nowhere...and there are lots of trees.  We'll have to get a spot light for Santa.

Have a good LONG weekend...and if you don't have anything to do, I know some people that could use help moving.  :)

Ella fishing in the pond




Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Moving

Wow, much has happened since I last updated here.  For starters, the thing that has been consuming my life this summer is we are moving.  Ugh.  I think I've hesitated to put that into writing...I haven't even made it Facebook official yet.  It seems so real to write it down.  We are moving in 4 days.  I guess there's not much avoiding it any longer.  Everything I own is packed into boxes and I'm sitting in an almost empty house.  We're really moving.

Another reason I've hesitated to write this here, is that it's not really an exciting move for me.  Mark has taken a job that he loves.  I am excited for him.  But I am also sad.  Sad to be leaving family...my whole family lives here--parents, brother, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins.  I LOVE living close to my family.  I love the kids being close to my family. I love that my kids can play and have sleep overs with their cousins.  I love that we get to have lunch with my grandparents a couple of times a month.

 I'm also sad to be leaving friends that feel like family.  I have been seriously blessed by some amazing friendships here.  I don't know how people, especially stay-at-home mom type people, make it without friends. And we've been through a lot together...I was thinking the other day that our little life group at church has really been through it.  We've had members that have had miscarriages, lost children, lost spouses, lost jobs, been through divorce, struggled with their faith.  And we've shared the joys of new babies, healing, new jobs, and on and on...I've created some precious bonds with the people here.

I'm sad to leave my home.  I love this house.  It's not the greatest house; it's not special in anyway.  But, we have lots of memories here.  We've put lots of work into making this house our home, and I will miss it.  I will miss museums and the zoo.  We have museum and zoo memberships and we go several times a month.  We are taking a lot of special memories with us when we go.  I'm sad to leave all of my "stuff."  We will be staying in Mark's parents' house, at least for a while, so most of my stuff will go to storage.  I know it's silly to be attached to stuff, but I am.  It makes me feel at home.  Plus, I really like to decorate and make things just the way I like them, so it will be a challenge.

So, on Saturday, we will be packing up and leaving to move to the woods.  Seriously.  The woods...30 minutes from a grocery store.  Not another house in sight.  I love being in the woods...the smell, the peace and quiet, the solitude...but living there?  I feel a little claustrophobic just thinking about it.  Y'all pray for me.   And pray for our kids.  They are sad.  Watching them leave the family and friends that they love is even harder than my own leaving.

So, please keep us in your thoughts on Saturday.  It is bittersweet.  Mark has been gone since the end of July.  So, I've been here...keeping the house clean for showing with potential renters, packing, and caring for our 3 kids by myself for the better part of a month and I am tired.  So, for that reason, I am anxious for Saturday to get here.  But, Saturday is when I have to leave...it doesn't seem real yet.  Pray that we make friends quickly and settle in easily.  Pray that we find a church that we love quickly.  Pray that I am able to feel at home and relax.  Pray that someone rents our house pronto!

Sorry for the bummer of a blog update...but that's where I am now.  Now that all the sad is out there...you can anticipate all the good with me...new friendships, new experiences, etc.

To end on a happy note, some pictures of where we're moving.  It really is pretty.
The Cabin that is on the property

The View from the back porch