We are moving!!

So the time has come for our little family to move on.  Les has been in Maryland for a month now.  This last week one of these parked in front of our house:

On Thursday the Elders Quorum came and loaded up most of the funiture and a lot of totes.  On Friday my brother Daniel, our friend Jeff, Les' uncle Larry and some of his family came to finish loading the truck.  It has been a bit hard to see all of our stuff loaded up and our house so empty.  Thankfully we have some great friends here in our neighborhood that have been here for us.  I don't know how I would have gotten through the week without them.
I started filling totes when Les was still here.  I slacked off a little after he left because we didn't know when we would be reunited with him.  Then I had a mini breakdown at the same time that Les was having problems dealing with life (without a counselor to talk to).  During this terrible time it was decided that the kids and I should move out there before we get the house.  We felt it would be healthier for all of us to be together.  So as soon as I got a date for the truck I began packing again.
However, life wasn't ment to go smoothly.  It has its bumps and pot holes waiting to catch us and slow us down.  On Tuesday I got Emma off to school and returned home to feed the other two breakfast.  Shortly thereafter I ended up in severe pain.  I could not find a position that would ease the pain.  After laying out on the very cold sidewalk I sent my children to the neighbor's house for help.  I needed a blessing.  Once a neighbor was contacted she took my children and walked the neighborhood in search of two men who could give me the priesthood blessing I so desired.  It took some doing but she came back to let me know she had been successful.  Soon the two elders walked in and gave me a blessing for the sick.  I was told that I would get the help that I needed and that as the week went by my body would heal and all would be well.  As they were leaving another neighbor showed up to take me to the doctor where it was confirmed that I had a kidney stone.  Not only that but with the progression of the pain he knew I was already in the process of passing the stone.  He sent me home with medication to make me more comfortable and to help the stone pass quicker.  It took a while but I did start to feel better.
From that time on I had people in my home helping me get it together.  I would not have been able to send a full truck away earlier today were it not for such wonderful people that I have been blessed to live by and associate with.  Also the Relief Society came in today and helped me finish cleaning my home for the next set of renters.  I have been so blessed. 
I am going to deeply miss this neighborhood and this ward that I have been fortunate enough to have been a member of.  I know that tomorrow as I drive away that my eyes will be blurred by tears.  I must focus on the fact that I am headed to be with my dear husband.  If I lose sight of that I don't think I will be able to stop crying.  May God watch over and protect the wonderful people here.  I love them and I will miss being in their presence.  I have learned so much about Christlike love from them.  I hope to honor them by being a better person and pass this information on as I serve the people of Maryland.
Good night all.   I'll be back soon.

Yes, we have moved!

Goodbye old house . . . . .

Hello new house!

It has been a whirlwind week. On Monday Les called the Springs to see if the house was cleared for moving in. It was! At 3 that afternoon we went in and signed the lease. Then we got to go over and look inside. I know that all the houses here are the same, but there are a few differences between ours and Daniel and Jana's.

So here is where the story goes one of two ways. My plan (that I thought that Les agreed with) was to finish packing that week between classes and take all the small stuff to the new place. Then on Saturday when we knew we could get help we would rent a moving truck and move what was left. I think it was a well thought out plan considering I had a few projects due that still needed to be finished. Instead of that Les did his plan (no he did not talk to me about this until Monday night). He called up friends and people in the ward to see who could help us move on Tuesday. My stress level went through the roof.

On Tuesday morning as I was walking to class I felt all that stress baring down on me. I had to fight so hard not to cry. I didn't last long in class before I called Les and told him I was coming home to help. Long story made short . . . We didn't get a truck until 2 pm and had Daniel, Jana, and Jeff (a friend from SL) to help us. By 7 two guys from the ward showed up to help load the second load. We didn't get the truck unloaded until after 10.

On Wednesday I went to my one class of the day and then spent the rest of it cleaning and packing up my kitchen. Somehow Les forgot about it and it didn't get loaded onto the truck the night before. Once again we didn't finish until late (around 11).

You would think it would be a relief to be in and have the move behind us. No it isn't. Trying to find things and get everything put away has been a nightmare. Things were just thrown into totes and moved. I can't tell what I will find in a tote just by opening it. I have to dig and re-sort everything because things that are alike were not packed together. I do not recommend moving for anyone. If you do just sell everything and start out fresh (and new) at your new home.

Oh and the cluster mail box that will hold our mail is still on its side somewhere in the neighborhood. So for the next two weeks (hopefully only that) our mail is on hold.

One more thing . . . . . Les I am sorry for all the disagreeing and crying I have done over the last week BUT I still think it would have been better for us to wait. Yes that's right I was right!

Moving Day

Yesterday was the official moving day for Daniel and Jana. They rented a U-Haul and loaded their furniture into it in the morning. I sat out on the grass with Emma and watched Tyler as he ran around and Kailey as she sat in the swing. I don't know if Tyler will like his new yard. It is much smaller and his friends won't be there to play with. I hope that he will adjust and hopefully he will get to see his friends often.

I knew that Jana would get pictures of the funiture being moved so I thought that I would get a few of the kids during the move. I know there aren't a lot of pictures. I would have taken more but my camera died.

Just before noon we were headed to the new house. Jana had pizza delivered so we ate and then unloaded the truck. Tyler dropped some of his food on the kitchen floor so I documented the first real mess in their new home. Isn't that just so nice of me ;)?

I volunteered to take care of the kids while stuff was moved in. In order for the couch, etc to be moved into the livingroom I took the girls out to sit on the lawn. At first it was really nice and then it got really hot. I noticed that I was starting to turn red so I rushed the girls into the house. I hadn't thought to put sun block on Emma and I am pretty sure Jana hadn't put any on Kailey. Once I got them inside I got out some toys for them to play with (which of course they fought over) and started to unload the boxes in the middle of the livingroom floor. Sorry Jana. I know you will need to redo it all. At least I got it out of the boxes.

That evening while Daniel and Jana were taking care of a few things Tyler and Kailey stayed at our place for a little while. After Tyler finished the food his parents bought for him Les took Tyler and Emma out behind our house. While they were out I was able to feed Kailey. When she finished I took her out to join the others.

Tyler played on the neighbor's playground for a while. Then he joined Les and Emma as they kicked a couple of soccer balls and one volleyball around on the grass. Emma was giggling so hard everytime Les helped her kick the ball. I tried to get a good picture of her kicking the ball but they were all blurry. So I decided to take a video of it. It is cute.