Status Report - July 2010

Sitting....at my new computer desk in our new house! Finally have internet as of this afternoon. Two weeks without internet or TV is a LONG time. I went to the library the other day to try and check in with Facebook so I could answer a few posts and a friend request, but the policy which was posted prominently right by the computers there said no social networking, so, being the rule follower I am, I refrained, twitchy though my fingers were. I feel like I know more about what’s going on with Harry Potter than I do with the real world at the moment. We arrived at our new house last Friday and the moving truck finally got here on Tuesday. And today the cable/computer guy finally got here to hook us up. Ahhh. Mom, Dad, family.....I do have a new phone number now, too. I’ll get it to you as soon as I figure out what it is.

Eating.....homemade salsa and chips which I made last night in my new kitchen. (The salsa I made, I mean....not the chips.) Well, I was eating that right before I was interrupted and we went on some errands, but I’m back at the computer now and I’m not eating anything because I’m full from dinner now. But the chips and homemade salsa were a really good snack way back earlier this afternoon when I started this post.....the post which may take me a while to finish because I’ve been so long without the ability to blog that I just really want to say some things even if they are totally boring to anyone else. :-)

Drinking....sweet tea that I made in our new kitchen on my new stove. Sensing a trend here? By the way, I very much like the new cooktop stove we have. I’ve never cooked on one before, and I must say I quite enjoyed how evenly the skillet heated this morning and how nice the fried eggs I cooked for my middle son turned out. I’ve never gotten them to cook so nicely before. He might get them more often now. He will be pleased. Cooking may just become enjoyable again.

Surprised...that when I got on the Wii Fit Plus yesterday for the first time in two weeks it told me I had lost 3.5 pounds since last time. Woo-hoo! I guess the stress of the first movers cancelling on us and being unsettled for the last two weeks and all the stresses of cleaning the apartment and unpacking here are one way to finally get the scale moving in the right direction. That means I will have to make my salsa, chips and sweet tea a rare treat and not a regular occurrence.

Swamped....in boxes. We really have too much stuff. One good thing about moving: purging some of the too much stuff. The packers probably would have liked it if we’d purged before they packed, but we didn’t. I’ve made a lot of headway but still lots to do. The kids are going to VBS this coming week and Drew and I plan to get MUCH done during those evenings, too. The thing about moving is that by the time the moving truck finally got here we were so tired from the cleaning, packing and sleeping on an uncomfortable air mattress and not having any chairs for DAYS that it makes the unpacking a little...daunting. But we’re almost there.

Hoping....we can stay put for a while here. I really don’t want to do this again real soon. Moving is hard. It is really funny hearing Rachel get lost in her new house though. Can’t tell you how many times I hear a little voice calling, “Where’s the bathroom?” or “Where is my room again?” Poor thing. It’s hard for adults, but I think it’s even harder for a 4-year-old. She misses her St. Louis friends. It’s a little sad hearing her talk on her toy phone and having pretend conversations with them.

Laughing...at this advertisement that was stuck in our mailbox: “Suddenly Slender Body Wraps - 100% inorganic Minerals & Enzymes & Sea Extracts.” I guess if it’s 100% inorganic that means it’s all completely man-made, nothing natural about it at all? Wonder if it was proofread before copying and passed out or if they really thought inorganic would be a great selling point? Funny!!

Reading....the Harry Potter series. After a lot of thought and consideration and reading about them, I finally decided I would read the books and then talk about them with the boys. Surprised myself by really enjoying them. I’m on book 5 so don’t give me any spoilers yet! I did tell the boys I had to read them first, so they are reading them as I finish them. We have had some really good discussions as they are reading them after me.....learning to read thoughtfully. On a side note, it was a little weird this past few weeks without internet and cable when I realized at one point I knew more about what was going on at Hogwarts than I did what’s happening in the real world. It’s nice to be connected again. We had to buy a newspaper on Sunday just to find out what’s going on out there.

Feeling.....sad about friends we had to leave behind in St. Louis. I already miss you all. But I’m also excited about the adventure ahead. This seems like it will be a good place to live, too.

Thankful...for the great worship service and Sunday School class at the church we visited last Sunday; we heard great teaching from the pastor and the Sunday School teacher. Looking forward to visiting there again tomorrow and the kids get to join the kids there at Saddle Ridge Ranch VBS next week. They already know the songs from Parkway Baptist’s VBS. At least they’ll get to meet some new kids.

Sinking in....that my oldest son will be a middle schooler this year. Ack! With all the hoop-lah of moving I’ve been able to block out that little stressor, but now it is quickly upon us. I have to go on Monday and get him signed up for the 6th grade orientation and then on the 22nd get to go register him for 6th grade and my middle boy for 4th grade. How did these kids get so big? Joshua is going to be taller than me before I know it. He’s only 3 inches shorter than me now. Not that I’m all that tall, but still. When did this happen?

Ending....this post. Lots to do, but glad to get to blog again.

*Once again I thank Lisa for not minding too much when I copy her status report format. It's truly a blog-saver..... :-)