settling in

We've been here in Virginia Beach for about a month now.  People keep asking if we're settling in okay.  Of course, I always say yes.  I mean, what choice do we have, really?

But the longer answer is... yes, we are settling in.  But it's a process.  

It's not really that I expected it to be quick and easy.  It's just that about a month after each move I remember how hard it really can be.  The new starts to wear off.  The boxes get unpacked.  Then we have the start the unexpectedly hard part of a move.... just living here.

Church today was a good example of this.  Last week we visited this same church.  Loved it.  Great PCA church, great people.  Kids did okay... little ones didn't want to leave my side, but that's okay because it was our first Sunday, right?

We go back this week.  To make a long story short, I wound up parading in and out of the sanctuary several times (when I would have preferred to be a wallflower), getting summonsed to the nursery, dealing with various melt-downs and, at one point, I even had 3 screaming children hanging off of my body at once.

Let's just say it wasn't a worshipful experience.

We left church after the service and I was in a funk, to say the least.  I really, really dislike having to find a new church, meet new friends.  I don't like being the new people and I really, really don't like being the new people with hyperventilating children hanging from every appendage.   I mean really.  We cause a scene on our best days.  Throw in a few tantrums, and we're a regular sideshow.

But the more I've thought about this today, the more I've come to understand where I am in this settling in process.  I'm realizing that this is going to be a marathon, not a sprint.

Our 8 year old has lived in 9 different houses.  This is the 6th duty station for our 7 year old.  Our 16 month old is already "settling in" at address #3.  And so on and so forth.  Is it really any wonder that we're dealing with some separation anxiety issues?  Can you blame them for being a little clingy in a new place?  Honestly, all things considered, I think they're handling things pretty well.  

Right now, I'm holding on to the fact that we are not merely nomads, though it sometimes feels that way.  God has called our family to this.  That is one thing I am sure of.  In the middle of a time when nothing seems steadfast, I know that He is my rock.  He will never change.  He will never leave me.  He is the same Father to me, be I on the west coast or the east coast or somewhere in the middle.  If my kids are afraid, He is their shield.  When my husband is gone, He is my fortress.

So, today I would say that settling in to our new home here is hard.  I'm overwhelmed, tired, lonely, bogged down and feeling less than joyful.  How's that for a pity-party?

However, I know that I can rest on the Rock of my salvation.  The One into whom I can settle and know that He is never changing.  Trusting Him to protect my children through all of this, and to somehow use it all for His glory.

I want to walk in this truth everyday, but honestly, I'm not there yet.  I wish I was.  But I am praying for these things and trusting God for a friend here to remind me of these truths.  I'm also praying for my sweet kids to find peace and joy here in the midst of everything new.  God led us here, I'm sure of that.  I know that He hears our prayers and will continue to guide us, just as He has before.

So, so very thankful that His mercies are new every morning.

getting settled

I really like to wait to blog until I have pictures. Because a post without pictures is like a day without... well, it's just better with pictures. However, posting photos right now would require a whole new level of togetherness that I just do not have right now. We're getting there, but I"m just not there yet.

The house is coming along. We've finally made it through all the boxes and we're just getting down to the details now. We can find most things, but they're definitely not yet in their proper places. Ken started to work the day after our household goods arrived, so our time together to unpack has been limited. I have many small children milling about all day here, so my time to unpack alone has been limited as well.

One of my favorite features about our new place right now is that I have a dedicated school room. Last year, trying to homeschool in the living/dining/school/all-purpose room was a challenge. It's nice to have space to spread out with our projects.

Something that has surprised me about being here is how much everyone in the neighborhood seems to keep to themselves. We're coming from base housing where everyone rushes to meet and greet the new people moving in. Not so here. In 2 weeks we've only met 2 neighbors, both on our own initiative. I wasn't really expecting a welcome wagon, but a howdy-doo would be nice. This afternoon the kids and I will be making cookies and taking them to neighbors we haven't met yet. We're going to get to know a few people. Whether they like it or not.

There is a ton of things to do here. And also many, many people to do them. I'm hopeful to start exploring this week and see a few sights with the kiddos. I think a few fun outings would be a real morale booster for our box weary family.

We tried a new church today. It was nice. Very traditional and liturgical, both of which I liked. I'm looking forward to settling in with a church family here, so we can make some real connections with like-minded friends. The church also has a Classical school that follows a homeschool model. The kids are technically registered as homeschoolers, but attend classical classes from 8:30 to 12:30 every day, followed up with parental instruction at home. It sounds wonderful to a tired mommy, and I could see so many advantages to such a school. My heart has been toward homeschooling for a while, so this would be a change of plans if we entertained the idea of this school. What to do. At this point, choices just muddy the waters of my heart. Still, it's something to consider.

I'm enjoying the still, quiet moments of early morning here right now, before the pitter-patters of little feet begin to grow into a deafening roar. I got to rock my littlest guy back to sleep this morning for about 20 minutes. And I loved it. I really want to treasure these days. I know they are passing all to quickly. I can't believe my oldest in about to be 9 and my youngest is running around the house like a madman. Even in the craziness, I don't want to wish these days away. I know I will miss them. These move-all-the-time-constant-transition-crazy-busy days. It is only a season... to learn from, to grow in, to follow my God thru... and to enjoy.

We're here....

We're here. After a couple of long days of driving, late nights of moving and cleaning, we made it to Virginia. So far the only casualty of the move seems to be that the right shift key on my computer isn't working, so excuse the typos. 

We really like our house, which is good considering we rented it sight unseen. It has abundant room for all of our small children and that seems to make everyone really happy. I don't think I realized just how cramped we were in our old house until now. Bigger isn't always better, but having enough space to move around certainly is nice.

The trip went well, all things considered. The kids did amazingly well in the car for 2 days and with the exception of one child throwing up at the hotel, everyone stayed healthy. Our movers got here yesterday and delivered our household goods, so I'm sitting in a canyon of boxes. Today the unpacking process will begin.

My first impressions of Virginia:

It is definitely the South. It feels like the South.  Actually, for the past couple of days it's felt a bit more like the surface of the sun. Guess it's time to put away our sweatshirts.

There are alot of people here. Traffic is crazy and every major road (not interstate) is at least 8 lanes across. If you're familiar with Mobile, think rush hour on  Airport Blvd. every time you go somewhere.

There doesn't seem to be alot of children in our neighborhood. I'm sure that there probably are some, it's just been too hot for anyone to be outside. I do see a 15 passenger van at a house down the street and that gives me hope. Big vans make me think of big families and that makes me happy.

As we were walking to the neighborhood park yesterday, Hannah commented that we don't "look like we're from Virginia".  She said that we "look like" we're from Rhode Island.  I'm hoping that soon  everyone will feel less conspicuous and feel like we belong here.

I'm looking forward to Sunday and praying that we can find a great church to plug into.  That always makes a place feel more like home.

I've already taken a few pictures but am in way too much of a state of chaos to download yet, so I'll have to share those later.  Thanks to all who are praying for our transition here.

Now, back to the boxes....

we're outta here

Well, we've finally made it to move day. The movers are coming bright and early in the morning to pack the house then load it on Friday then we're outta here. I am tired. So tired that my brain isn't really working right now. But I need to empty my head before I can get a couple hours of sleep, so - in no particular order- here are my thoughts tonight.

I enjoyed reading the captions for the last pictures. I'll have to give the cookie to Cheryl for "Flying Lessons", since Ken's a pilot and all. But they were all fun... especially those that referred to poop. Ken said that if more of the commenters were men that there would have been more of those. He's probably right.

We've been cleaning all week, getting ready for the pack out and the move-out inspection. I think whoever invented the Mr. Clean Erase sponges should get some kind of lifetime achievement award. Really.

I haven't blogged much lately because I just don't have time. The kids have been going to bed later and by the end of the night, I just have no more time and even less energy. I missed blogging about Jake's birthday. He just turned 4. Such a big boy and so sweet. We went bowling. I'm going to blog about it soon and post date it to make it look like I did it on time... just so I don't feel guilty when I read it years from now. I sure love that little boy.

Ken also had a birthday. He's my favorite 41 year old in the whole world. He's just really awesome and helpful and sweet. I love him so much. I could think of lots of words to describe out marriage right now. Lots of the words would be fun or sexy words. And they would be true. But the number one word that comes to mind right now is teamwork. We are a team. In the middle of our ump-teenth PCS, I am especially thankful that I have a good teammate. We're doing this together. I'm chasing babies and cooking. He's cleaning the kitchen and packing boxes. I get the paperwork done, he cleans out from under the fridge. I pack the suitcases, he gets the car serviced. And he never, ever complains. That's my job.

We also went on a trip to the White Mountains in New Hampshire a couple of weekends ago. It was a fun trip with lots of hiking and family time. We went to the top of Mt. Washington and saw lots of waterfalls and made smores...not all at the same time. Lots of pictures. Later.

I went to Headland and visited my family. All by myself. It was fun and good to see all my family that I haven't seen in over a year. I relaxed a good bit and got to have long conversations which is a rarity for me. I took lots of pictures and noticed things that I'd never noticed before. Every man in Wal-mart over the age of 12 wears a baseball cap. And most of them drive pick-up trucks. And Wal-mart in the South is really nice. All of these things I would have never noticed before. I think I've been gone long enough to see things the way that people who aren't from there see them. But I've lived there, so I can appreciate them for what they are.

And Nathan has another double ear infection. Seems to be time for tubes. Bummer. But if it will make him feel better, so be it. He's such a joy, and I have never seen a child with so much energy and determination. He's great 5th child. Just happy to be with us and doing what everyone else it doing.

I think I've procrastinated long enough now. Movers will be here in a few hours and whatever I don't have in a suitcase will go in a box and we won't see it until we get to Virginia. Strange thing to have people packing your house like that. I wouldn't show my own mother what's in my lingerie drawer, but Bart the moving guy will find out tomorrow.

On that comforting note, I think I'll throw a few things toward the suitcase and go to bed. We'll lose our computer tomorrow, so I'll be signing on again next week from the sunny South. Please pray that all goes well, safe travels for our family, patience and rest for all of us, friends when we get there and peaceful transition. I'm feeling thankful right now that God has gone before us. Looking forward to being at home in a new home. As they say, home is where the Navy sends you.

news from the home front

We have a house!

After a long few weeks of house hunting, God gave us a house. And not just any house, but a really great house. So much better than any other house that we thought we wanted. Not in a fancy way, but in a bunch of little ways that meet our needs. So much more that we even dared to ask for.

Yesterday, we consciously stopped praying for the Lord to help us find a house and started praying for the Lord to just give us a house, the one He had for us.  He did.  All within about 2 hours.... a new house popped onto the rental market, we saw it, we filled out an application and we had a home. It was a gift and we are thankful.

Because it is so much more than we thought we even needed, we both feel very strongly that God has plans for us here that we don't even know yet. I don't think that this house is just for our comfort or to have room for more material possessions. I do think that it is a gift that is to be used to glorify God is whatever way He has planned. And we are praying for the faith to trust in that.

So I wanted to encourage all of you who have been praying that God would give us a home. He did. And we are thankful!

need not apply

Over the past few weeks we have been daily scanning the Internet in search of a home.  Our move is coming up shortly and, all things being equal, we'd like to have a place to live.   We're high maintenance that way.

We've tossed around the pros and cons of renting versus buying too many times to count.  I think at this point we would be open to either, depending on what comes available.  However, considering we will probably only be at our next duty station for a relatively short time, renting does sound like a pretty appealing option.

But this is where it gets tricky.  There are quite a few rentals in the area, but understandably, having a larger family with young children rules out alot of them.  

However, I had no idea just how many of them it would rule out. 

 I've noticed as I've been calling around, the question of children comes up fairly often.  Several times I've been asked by property managers or landlords about the number and/or ages of my children.  Last week as I was talking with someone about a property for rent, I was having a really hard time getting straight answers from him.  Several times he brought the conversation back around to my kids. (Just for fun, I was intentionally not volunteering that information.)  After he brought it up a few times, I said that I did have several young children and asked him if that was a problem.

He quickly back-peddled and assured me that it was not a problem at all and that he wasn't even allowed to ask that question.  Funny.  He did ask that question, didn't he?  Anyway, I didn't really get anywhere with the rental info, so I just marked it off the list.

I've considered that maybe I'm being just a bit over sensitive to this.  Maybe they are just asking out of curiosity or from a desire to truly be helpful.  Maybe.   Until today.

Ken called a listing we found online for a large, 4 bedroom house that looked as though it would fit our needs nicely.  He left a message and the owner eagerly called us back 10 minutes later.

He told us what a great house it was, what a great area, etc.  Then Ken asked, just to be sure, that it was a 4 bedroom.  He said that it was, and then asked (of course) how many children we had.  I heard Ken tell him that we had 5 young children.

Before the man had a chance to respond to that, Ken asked him if  he would consider a 3 year lease, which is usually very popular with military family rentals.

His response?  And I quote, "Not with 5 children, I won't."  Though I couldn't hear the other side of the conversation, the look of Ken's face let me know that he was not pleased with how this was going.  The man, realizing I think that he may have sounded a bit discriminatory, began explaining that he was sure that this house just wasn't a good fit for us.  Too small, he said.  Which it wasn't.  And suddenly, he remembered that it was technically only a 3 bedroom, not 4.  Really?

I know that such ignorance really shouldn't bother me or surprise me.  But sometimes it does.  I can respect that people want to keep their homes in good condition and sometimes children can be messy.  But seriously, they're not animals, they're kids.  And by the way, all of these homes do allow pets, just not many small children.

I think what bothers me most is the undertone that children are a burden rather than a blessing.   That they are something to be merely tolerated rather than embraced.  

Yes, they make life messier.  And I suppose if our goal is to have the perfect home and the perfect car and the perfectly tidy life, that may be a problem.  

Fortunately, that's not our goal.  God has used our children to save us from that idea of perfection and show us a picture instead of His goal for our lives.   Our children add more richness into my life in one hour than the most beautiful home in the world would in a lifetime.

So, if you think that my kids don't fit into your world of perfection and the American dream?  You can keep your white picket fences.  I'll take my kids.  Any day.

this and that

After some beautiful weather here last week, we finished off with a weekend full of rain.  I guess it makes you appreciate the sun, right?  I had no idea it rained so much in the part of the country.  It's supposed to rain until Thursday, but then it's supposed to hit the 70s and sunshine this weekend.  Just in time for Easter.  I can't wait.

Ken went on house hunting leave last weekend and checked out the area where we'll be living.  We still don't have a house, but at least we do have a better feel for the area and kind of know what areas we'd like to live in.  We're checking daily online for new listings and hoping to find something soon.  Knowing you're moving soon but not knowing where you're going to live is not a huge deal.  But it is one of those things that sits in the back of your mind until it's settled.

  

We're also trying to figure out our school situation for next year.  School, homeschool, maybe a combination of the two?  Depending on the day you ask me, I will give you completely different thoughts on this.  Most days, I think homeschooling rocks.  Other days, I'm completely overwhelmed and think school sounds a heck of a lot easier.  So many questions, lots to pray about.

And then there's the day to day routine.  My house seems to be falling apart around me right now as I'm struggling to keep up with chores and laundry and school and laundry and dishes and did I mention laundry?  While I was belly aching about such matters, my mom likened it to running a business while being understaffed.  I think that's a great analogy.  There is just not enough of me to get done everything that I feel needs to get done.  

That, and the fact that I'm sometimes lazy and disorganized and undisciplined.  That may have something to do with it, too.  But mostly, there is just a lot more little people in this house than there are of me.  And boy, can they make a mess.  

Especially that little guy.  He's 13 months now.  His favorite hobby is to pull everything off of anything and throw it on the ground.  It's really amazing to watch him go through a room.  He honestly leaves a trail.

And speaking of Nathan, he now has a double ear infection.  Again.  He's the first of our children to ever have ear infections.  Let's just say, they stink.

But lest you think everything is gloomy here right now on this rainy day, here's a picture of some sunshine.

The kids tied strings to their stuffed animals and did  a puppet show for Nathan.  The ideas they come up with are truly amazing.  Their creativity is awesome.  I'm also loving seeing them playing together so well.  That's one part of homeschooling that is great.

Seeing my kids loving on each other, playing together and taking care of their brother.  A little bit of sunshine.

tummy troubles

It's about 4 am, and I'm sitting on the couch watching cartoons.

Well, I'm not watching them, but I'm snuggling and blogging as a sweet little girl beside me watches them. She woke up in tears tonight with a terrible tummy ache. We tried everything and found that the best cure tonight was cartoons.

This tummy trouble was likely gas and who knows what else, but I think some of it was heart ache as well.

It's been a rough week for the kids. Their very best friends moved away yesterday and there have been lots of tears. We move so much that normally we are the ones to leave and not the ones to get left behind. But not this time. This time we had to say goodbye to friends we've come to love, knowing that we will likely never see them again, this side of Heaven. That's tough at any age, especially when your 6. Or 8. Or 5.

There are so many blessings that we have been given through our "Navy life", but this isn't one of them. I'm not loving having to watch my kids say goodbye to friends over and over.

I grew up in a very, very small town. I never really moved, and I graduated with the same people I started Kindergarten with. Alot of those people are still there. It's strange that my kids, at least so far, don't have a place that they are "from". When they are 19 and in college and someone asks them where they are from, there will be a long answer instead of a short one.

I know that God loves them and is using this all for their good as well, so I don't normally lose alot of sleep over this. But tonight, I am losing sleep. Because I'm watching Garfield with a little girl who woke up tonight and remembered that her friends moved away.

Right now she's smiling and eating cereal and we're talking about the giant cupcake that's chasing Odie down the street. Sometimes a little TLC is all you need to get over the hard parts in life, I guess.

It's been a rough week, but I think they're going to be okay.

fear

Early last year, as I was about to give birth for the 5th time, I was gripped with a feeling that I hadn't really experienced with my other babies. I chalked it up to butterflies, perhaps a little anxiety over what I knew was coming.  Of course I knew it would be overwhelming, adding a new baby to our already busy household.  It would be normal to feel a bit of trepidation.  But what I realized was that I was dealing with a very real sense of fear.

I don't really care for that word.  It seems stronger than necessary.  After all, I wasn't paralyzed by it.  It was only a feeling, a bit like a knot in my stomach.  But fear it was.  

The reality was, as I was preparing for the days ahead, that I knew what was coming.  I knew what to expect.  I'd done this several times before, and unlike before, this time I had not forgotten.  Having a baby hurts.  Alot.  I knew, by this point, that I was carrying a 8 or 9 lb little guy and that no matter what happened, getting him out of there was going to hurt.

Beyond that, I knew that I was about the enter the stage of sleepless nights and mind numbing tiredness coupled with round the clock feedings and, of course, the pain of recovery.  I had done all of this before, but oftentimes ignorance is bliss.  I had done this enough to know that, blessing though it was, I was going to have to walk through the hard part as I experienced the joy.

Obviously, I survived.  God carried me through the fear and I did, and still do, get to experience the joy that a baby brings.   I'm sure if we are ever blessed with another little one, I will fight the same battle.  But God has proven himself faithful.  Over and over again.  I know that I know that He can be trusted.

Over the past few weeks, we have begun to prepare for our next move.  Ken will finish classes in about 4 months and we're off to our next duty station.  We're looking at houses, checking out churches and schools, making a plan.

And, somewhat unexpectedly, I find myself again wrestling with a feeling of fear.   I know, it doesn't sound rational.  I am married to a military man and moving is what we do.  We've done this lots and lots of times.  And therein lies the problem.  

As we prepare for yet another move, I know what to expect.  I've been through the pack out and the drive, the house hunting and the finding my way around.  The meeting new friends, answering the same questions, again finding a place to fit in.  Some parts of it are very exciting and some parts, not so much.

Granted, I am beyond blessed that we are not looking down the barrel of a deployment right now.  I know how good we have it.  But still.  I don't want to move again.  Start over again.  Pull the kids away from friends and step out of our comfort zones.  I don't want to try to find a new place to call home that isn't really home, find a new church, build trust with people I have yet to even meet.  Deal with the anxieties that my children feel, get everyone used to a new bedroom, find a new dentist and hair salon and dry cleaner and the list goes on.  I don't want my husband to go on trips while I'm left in what feels like the middle of nowhere to hold down the proverbial fort.

Fear, I tell you.  That's exactly what it is.

However, just as with having our sweet little boy, this, too, is inevitable.  As long as God wills it, this is what we will do.  I can choose to kick and scream and dig my heels in, giving into the pity party that I sometimes choose to throw for myself.  Or I can look to the God who has called us to this and trust that He has gone before us.

He has blessed us.  I know I say it so much, but I will never be able to adequately express the truth of that fact.  He has only called us to where He has provided, and every time, He has proven Himself so much bigger than any fear.  What He is calling us to right now isn't really even hard, much less suffering.  It is only uncomfortable and it goes very much against my selfish nature and desire for ease.  

So, I will not choose to give into fear.  I will choose to believe that we are only going where we have been sent by our Father.  He has already gone before us and His love casts out all fear.  I will try to choose joy and trust in His provision.  I will lean not on my own understanding and trust Him to direct my path. He has called me by name, I am His and I have nothing to fear.

I know by the very fact that I am human that fear will be an ever present battle in my life.  Sometimes in big ways and other times in small.  But for today, I will claim truth.  And rest in the knowledge of Him.  

Speaking of resting, it is now after 3am and tomorrow promises to be another long day.   I have written and processed and been reminded of truth.  And now I shall go to bed.

Good night.

An incredible journey

We started in Indiana almost 2 weeks ago on a road trip of sorts.  And what a trip it's been.

Movers packed our house in boxes.  Ken had his Change of Command.  We said good-bye (or see you later) to some great friends.

Then we hit the road.  Lots of time in the car.  Three days of driving. But everyone did great.

Everyone.

We drove through 7 states, stayed in 3 hotels and stayed with Ken's very gracious Aunt and Uncle for a night.  Lots of fast food, hotel pools and togetherness.

Then we got here.  Newport, RI.  And we squeezed all of our stuff into a cozy 3 bedroom townhouse almost exactly 1/2 the size of our previous house.  And we began setting up our home amid a canyon of boxes.

But then the movers came back and moved about 1/2 of our stuff to storage so we could breathe again.  Then we began to get out....and enjoy this.

Beautiful walks around our community, breathtaking sunsets, seeing sailboats from our bedroom window, the harbor at the end of our street.

Pirate ships, as the kids call them.  And wild flowers.

Quaint little shops downtown.  And a water taxi to get there.

A path around the harbor for after dinner walks with friends.


A little beach that we walk to when we want to get away from the heat.  Did I mention there's no AC?  Collecting shells, watching crabs, building sand castles... we'll enjoy the warm weather while it lasts.

Cookouts with new friends, playdates and Jake's first friend, Caleb. 

And after a week of all that, we're tired.  Very tired.  

But also, very happy.  We're enjoying Newport so far and looking forward to sending more pictures of our adventures.  It's home for now.

Because, as they say, "Home is where the Navy sends you ."

We made it!

We're here!!! And I vow to never do a move again! At least for 10 more months!

It's been a busy and stressful week, but we did make it and after everything settles down, I think we will really like it here. We're not online yet, hopefully tomorrow. I'm just borrowing a friend's computer to let everyone know we've arrived. We actually wound up taking a bit smaller house, so if I gave you our old address, I'll have to send you our new one. We live in a cozy 3 bedroom in a multi-plex! To say we're downsizing is an understatement, but I really think we're going to love it here. I prefer to think of it as "simplifying". We've all made lots of friends already and the area is beautiful.

Some of the fun things we've already heard about and/or found:
a fun beach on base, complete with crabs and starfish
a great farmers market complete with live lobster
sailing lessons for little kids
fun neighbors
2 playgrounds on base
beautiful views from our street
a water taxi that takes us downtown
quaint shops and places to explore
and the list goes on

I'll write more hopefully tomorrow (fingers crossed) when we get service. We have the same email, so if you'd like our new address, just comment or send an email. Thanks for your prayers as we continue to settle! Pictures coming soon! Now, I'm off to unpack more boxes!

Until next time...

We had a wonderful last weekend in Indiana.  Now the real fun in is about to begin.  Our movers will be here in about 5 hours and we're still up sorting, packing, cleaning, and the list goes on.  But enough about that...on to the fun weekend.

My parents came up from Alabama for one last visit before we move out of driving distance.  The kids so enjoyed them and so did we.  It never seems to be "work" when my parents are here.  We can just truly relax and enjoy their company.  I know the kids feel the same way.  Even though it's been several months since they've seen them, they picked up right where they left off.  

The first day they were in town we met them at their hotel for a swim (they stayed in a hotel to avoid disrupting our packing progress....and let's be honest, it's a little more relaxing. :)  Then, that night, they went to a George Strait concert.  Certainly a fun date and much needed get-away for them.  While they were doing that, Ken and the older kids camped out in the backyard with the neighbor kids.  I know I've mentioned before how much we will miss this neighborhood, haven't I?  They roasted marshmallows, played games and slept in tents (at least until the 2am thunderstorm hit and everyone moved it inside).

On Saturday Ken and I got to go on a date...a rare treat!  We went to a yummy fondue restaurant and enjoyed a fun evening together.  My folk and the kiddos ordered pizza and played and had a movie night.  Then, the girls wanted to have a sleepover with my folks, so I dropped off the older 2 and they had an absolute blast!  They slept on the fold out in my folks room, went swimming at 10pm, had snacks and got to eat the "best breakfast ever" at the hotel the next morning.  I'm so glad that they are having these opportunities to make fun memories.

On Sunday our church prayed for us and sent us off.  (I know I have also mentioned that we will miss this church.  We really will.)  Then my Dad and Ken went to the Brickyard 400...yee-ha...and my Mom and I took the kids for another swim.  Could you really ask for a better weekend?

But (sigh) it's over now and time to get to work.  The movers roll in this morning and we're off on a week long adventure as we head to RI.  We'll likely be offline for a while, but I'll email our new address to those who'd like it as soon as we get there.  I do so enjoy the fellowship I have with so many of you via blog and email and I know that several of you pray for our family.  This week, if you would, will you pray for a safe and smooth transition for our family?  And for the hearts of our children as they move away from friends they love.  And, give thanks with us for the blessings that God has given us in our last 2 years here.  Now... let's head 'em up and move 'em out!

moving, mites and skinned knees

So much to write about and so little time to blog!  As much as I love to write about our adventures and misadventures, I often find myself way too tired at the end of the day and wanting nothing more than to fall into bed.  So, tonight, while I'm feeling moderately energized and my sweet husband is watching the All-Star game, I'll catch you up on this week's happenings at our house.

We have made it through another week of busyness, as we are getting ready for the move.  Our movers will be here in less than 2 weeks and we'll packing up for the next chapter in our lives.  Military moves generally, in my experience, require quite a bit of planning.  We finally got a call from the movers and have our move dates set, pictures off the walls and a new address.  We're spending our evenings patching nail holes, touching up paint, repairing screens and sorting everything else.

While doing all this this weekend, Ken came across a bird's nest that had fallen to the ground which he allowed, nay encouraged,  the kids to play with.  I saw this and quickly dismissed the reminder in my head of my mom not allowing me to play with old bird's nests due to bird mites.  Nonsense and overprotective parenting, for sure.  About 10 minutes later,  while making playdough eggs to put in their new found nest, I noticed 1 of my kids doing quite a bit of scratching.  Oh yes.  Upon closer inspection, I see that at least 2 of my darlings were covered in itty-bitty bugs.  Eeek! Quickly, we grab all 4 of the older children and toss them into bathtubs and showers.  They each got their hair washed several times with lemon juice and vinegar (thanks to a little quick online research).  Clothes were all thrown immediately in the washer for sanitation and I went on a cleaning frenzy.  Thankfully, the nest was kept outside and disaster narrowly averted.  I feel sure that none of my children will ever look at birds nests the same again.

In a bird update,  the neighbor later found a tiny inhabitant of the earlier mentioned dishevelled nest.  She is nursing the baby bird back to health, and so far it seems to be doing well.  The girls have been digging worms for him every day and helping her feed him.

Here's the rest of the news of the week in (somewhat) bullet form:

After almost a month of back problems, I began seeing a chiropractor this week.  I was a little skeptical at first, but even with one adjustment I'm already feeling better.  I'm finally feeling hopeful that I may be back to normal soon.

Our van got a new radiator this week.  Those suckers normally cost about $800 and since the van is only about 5 years old, we were surprised to have to make this repair.  Ken suggested we call Toyota, just to see what could be done.  I called and, it turns out that our particular model of van has been known to have radiator problems, so they agreed to do all the work and replacement for free!  Yay!  I'm thankful for my husband's wisdom.... it never hurts to ask!

The low point of my week was falling up the front steps while holding 2 gallons of milk.  I haven't had a good fall-on-my-face in years, so I suppose I had it coming.  I gained 2 nicely skinned knees from the mishap, and had their been any cars passing at the time, they would have surely gotten a full moon, considering I was wearing a skirt at the time.  All in all, no harm done, but I was a little bummed that I punctured one of my gallons of milk.  

But so as not to end on a low note, I got a very sweet bouquet of flowers this week from my hubby.   He was biking back from dropping the van off at the shop.  {Sidenote: When you have 5 children, dropping the van off becomes a challenge.  We can't fit the kids in his truck and they can't stay home alone.  Therefore, we only have our cars repaired at places close enough for us to drop it off then run or bike home.}  Anyway, on his way home, he stopped along the side of the road and picked me a sweet handful of wild flowers.  He used to do that when we were dating.  And when we lived far apart, he would press flowers in cards and mail them to me.    I'm a sucker for stuff like that.  And he knows it.  Anyway, it was definitely a high point of my week.

Maybe it's my newly adjusted spine, but I am feeling particularly thankful for my family right now.  Even in the craziness that is surrounding us right now, we are blessed.  Hope you had a good week too.

"Praise be to the Lord God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds.  Praise be to his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory.  Amen and amen."  Psalm 72:18-19