Spotlight on Eliza

Caught this video of Eliza this morning. I just had to post it. And I'm the mom, so I can think she is a genius, right? Either way, it was cute!

In Caleb's Head

Today, Caleb was having trouble understanding a math concept. When he would get frustrated, he would shake his head, as if trying to clear his brain. I asked him what he was thinking about when he shook his head like that. He said, "It's like a birthday party is going on inside my head. The answer is trying to get in, but the door is closed and it can't." I love how that kid's mind works! :)

Settled In

Well, we are finally settled in to our new home in our new city! It was a difficult move, but we made it. Thank you, God! Fall has slipped past us this year so quickly! Here are a few pics to update you....

Eric and I in the warehouse where our belongings were stored, cleaning off mold.

The pile of stuff that was too moldy to save. We took it to a burn pile. The demolding process is finally finished and we have declared our home/stuff mold free! (We hope....)

Danny was Anakin Skywalker for Halloween. Notice the long braid over his right shoulder. Hey, we do authentic for Halloween! Danny is going to be competing in his first ever chess tournament this weekend. The info that convinced him to compete? Everyone gets a ribbon.


Caleb as little "Ani" Skywalker. Think pod racing. Yes, both of the boys were Anakin Skywalker for Halloween. We have a bit of a Star Wars craze going on right now at our house. :) Caleb likes our new house because our neighbors have a dog he can go play with any time he wants.

Sophie the Pirate. Adorable. She came home tonight from AWANA with a list of things she was thankful for. An item that made the 5 item list: Halloween candy. This girl loves dessert! An item that did not make the thankful list: Mom. Oh well. :)

My little mouse. This girl is too cute. She happily rode in the stroller during trick-or-treating and has yet to have a piece of candy. Her new words include "thank you" and "bye-bye". She also has mastered the stairs. Next up, walking.

The fam at my parents' house. See, we are all still alive and well! And yep, I chopped my hair off. And I am LOVING it. So. Easy.

Eric is really enjoying his new job teaching English!

The kids at a new park we found close to our house. It has tunnels!

And last, but not least, our new home. Please come visit us! To all of my friends that I haven't seen in a while, I miss you! Thank you for praying for us during our transition.

Mold and Other News

We are on schedule to buy our house mid September. Eric is enjoying his new job. We've started school. Everything is running really smoothly. And then the bomb drops....

All of our stuff in storage is covered with mold. We haven't been there to see it, yet, but my friend Leatha (who also has all of her worldly possessions there) says it is extensive. As in, we needed two trucks to move all of our stuff to the warehouse, but we may only need one to move it all out. Most likely, we will have to throw out all of our upholstered furniture, mattresses, and unfinished wood items (the insides of many dresser drawers are unfinished wood). We won't know about items in cardboard boxes until we open them up. All clothes, blankets, towels, curtains, and other fabrics will have to be washed. According to another friend who went through a similar situation and lived to tell about it (always encouraging, Teresa!), that is about 93 loads of laundry.

It is overwhelming.

So I'm reminding myself of all the things I have to be thankful for....my husband, kids, our health, family, friends, and most importantly, our God and the salvation offered to us though Jesus Christ. All things on this earth will burn. Mine just might burn a little sooner than I anticipated.

In other news, Caleb lost his first tooth. The toothfairy paid a whole dollar for that first tooth! Sophie's hair can now fit into pigtails (very small ones, but we'll take it). Eliza is crawling all over the place, babbling, and signs "all done" and "more". She also says "uh-oh". Danny spends a lot of time outside with his pocketknife and slingshot. He also gets in a lot of fishing with his grandpa. Eric is loving his new job, but not the 1+ hour one way commute. My mom and I have been running what we jokingly refer to as "Lea and Holly's Daycare". We've been helping out my sisters with their kids. We had to call 911 one day as my 2 week old niece was choking on mucus and wasn't breathing. Thank God I had a bulb syringe (we call them blue booger suckers) and my mom suctioned out enough mucus that by the time the paramedics arrived, she was getting air. A reminder that every day of life is a gift from God.

Pictures from summer activities to come.....

Where do we live?

You know you've been moving around a lot when in the midst of a discussion about where we will be the next few weeks, your 3 year old jumps in to reiterate the plan and says, "Yeah, and after that we'll go.....we'll go.....where do we live now, Mommy?"

We just got back from a great week of vacation, which ended with 7-9 inches of rain and the lake flooding. The town nearby was sandbagging, as they were afraid the dam on the lake wasn't going to hold. Of course we took the kids to see the water gushing over the dam, covering parking lots, and running wildly over the roads we had walked that week. The power of the water was stunning...

And as I was discussing with my dad the "back way" to get home, I began to tell him the highways I would take. Then realized, I'm not going home. My home has moved, although I'm not sure where, yet. And for a little bit (because of course, too many feelings are never good :) I let myself mourn the loss of the familiar and the loved.

But hey, our set up right now is pretty good. Tree house, sand box, huge yard, pond with fish that about jump onto your hook, cousins, and lots of space to spread out.

But there is no place like home.

It's Official!

Eric has a new job teaching ESL at the university! He starts August 3.

Our house should (I say "should" because past experience has taught us it ain't over 'till it's over.) close on July 21st.

We are moving! The last Sunday at our church for the kids and me will be this weekend. Eric won't finish work here until the end of July. I have no idea how to say goodbye to the friends who have become family over the past 15 years.

I love our city. I love our church. I love our friends. I'm nervous about what is to come.

Walking by faith.....

Trusting He'll provide......

If I don't get to say goodbye to some of you, know that I love you and expect you to come visit!

Good News

Eric received an email requesting that he interview again on the phone for a teaching job at the university. Tuesday @ 8:30a. Please be praying for him!

And thank God that He gives us encouragement when we need it! (I needed it.)

Family news:

The boys have been preparing for war with Josiah (the 12 year old boy who lives upstairs) for a couple of weeks now. Not sure when the war will take place, but the backyard is prepared! They are both covered with bug bites.

Sophie's new favorite question is: Can I go play with Brenna? Brenna is a little girl her age who lives next door to our temporary, "lower level" apartment. They are so fun to watch as they take their babies to the "store", on walks, and put them "night-night". The other day I walked into our bedroom to find two dolls, tucked in ever-so-carefully, in Eric and my spots.

Eliza is crawling, eating EVERY LITTLE BIT OF ANYTHING she finds on the floor, pulling up to standing along most anything, clapping her hands when we say "yea!", and shaking her head "no". She is a very happy baby these days.

Right now we're enjoying a family favorite to take a break from the summer heat: watching Tom and Jerry cartoons. :)