I'm so sorry for the long silence. Life. It happens.
First things first, we're no longer in TX. We got orders at the beginning of December for a move to NE. That's when most of the craziness happened. (We did have some births and deaths that happened before that - all wonderful, spiritual experiences.) We made an impromptu drive to find a house...which we did...then came home and packed like mad people. And yes, packing makes you mad.
I've spent most of the last 2 months unpacking all of the stuff I just packed. And not unpacking. We broke 4 bookcases and haven't replaced them yet because I don't know where I want them so don't know what size or color to buy. This whole "basement" concept is new to me. What do you do with that big space???
The move has created some sadness. We left some really great friends; they were like family. My kids have cried a lot and I've cried with them. And sometimes by myself too. It's been slow making friends here but it will come with time.
It's also created some new stress. I had no idea that owning a home would be so stressful (it's our first not-base house). The first week our main line sewer backed up into the master bathroom and surrounding areas. Then the upstairs toilet clogged and because it's a newer funky shape a regular plunger wouldn't work. The plumber is now our best friend! Then there was a leak in the roof...fixed by the guys who put a new roof on it 5 months ago. Broken computer. Windows that just won't cooperate with where I want to put the furniture. A garage that can't be parked in because it's filled with boxes. An awning that completely blocks the view of our yard and the park across the street unless you're sitting on the floor. And pear wallpaper all over my kitchen. How come you don't notice the annoying things until AFTER you've moved in?
But, we have a nice sized yard. We have a crazy squirrel, and his brother/enemy/girlfriend that he chases all over. We had a hawk sit on a tree in our backyard and eat something squishy and bloody. There are cardinals and other lovely birds all over the place. It's so nice to have a YARD. With big trees and animals. There are some great hiking areas close by and lots of cool places to visit. (Remind me that I like the trees once I have to rake up after them.)
Right now I'm planning our garden and trying to control myself and not plant a bazillion trees, berry bushes and more veggies than I can care for. 10 years of no gardens has made me a bit crazy!!! School is plugging along. I added my 5-year-old into the mix of 'formal lessons' which is making things a little more interesting. The boys are really enjoying their studies and are excited about the things we'll learn this year...and the awesome places we'll get to visit.
My husband will most likely start deploying again so I'm trying to prepare myself for that mentally, emotionally and physically - go unpack your basement, woman.
And that's pretty much what I've been doing. Going crazy. Moving. Crying. Laughing. Teaching. Hugging. Hiking. Reading. Planning. Packing and unpacking. Living.
