march madness

this was a fire right off the interstate in Birmingham. we made it through just before they shut down the interstate. not to be confused with the Sunbelt Fire field day.
the kids looking at some kind of equipment that pumps water out of ponds in the event of a rural fire.
playing at Hope and Billy's
Visiting The Ayers
the cousins
the baby brothers crashing the party
dying eggs with our buddies
lunching with some sweet ladies from church. they did a lunch for me after bible study and wrote me sweet notes and blessings/prayers for the move
ella with her sweet friends catching loads of beads
a picture of a truck that was hit by a sober 16 year old driver. i think he had his license for 6 days when he hit a PARKED fire truck! chip had to take pictures of the damage.
our new dining room and kitchen. whoo hoo!

i was uploading pictures to the computer today, mostly so we could sell a few things on craigslist. but, as the pictures were loading i realized we did a lot in the month of march and it ain't over yet. there was a trip to cullman, a sunbelt fire field day where new friends were made, a short stop in birmingham to see old friends, trips to mobile, birthday parties, easter parties, going away parties, a fabulous st patrick's day parade, a trip to little rock for chip, a lease signed on an apartment...and that's just what we have documented by photos



next week i will be able to add: packed up a house, closed on a house, said good bye to dear friends, drove an insane distance with three kids, moved to arkansas and moved into an apartment

i am telling myself and others that i am moving but i swear it is not sinking in. i am delusional.

my pretty

here and there and everywhere

Chip has been gone Monday thru Friday for about 6 weeks. He was home a total of 4 days in February. Currently we are in Mobile for my grandmother's 80th birthday party. The kids and I are heading home today. We close on our house on March 30th--a week from Tuesday. "Here and there and everywhere" is how we have been both physically and emotionally (and kind of like this blog post). Because of this crazy training time for Chip I am ready to go ahead and move just so we can be back together as a family. The kids are really struggling with him being gone so much. It is very wierd for me to think about really moving away from Louisiana. This is where we have lived married and where all of our kids were born. I feel really out of touch with reality. For the first time ever we have movers and packers. So, my house is not boxed up yet. This has been challenging for my brain. I know I am moving in a week but it does not look like it at my house. But, there is much organizing yet to be done before the movers show up next weekend. I have been going through closets and making multiple trips to the Goodwill. I have to organize what is going to the apartment and what is going to storage. Off we go. My internet has been down at home. I have had much to say lately but no technological outlet in which to say it.

We sang this today at church. I felt it was appropriate.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness
Drive the dark of doubt away
Giver of immortal gladness
Fill us with the light of day

sick streed

this is why streed was not in the birthday pictures with nate and ella. he was asleep on my bathroom floor. he woke up with a stomach bug and went back to sleep for a few hours cuddled up nicely on a mat with a blanket and pillow. i knew this would work because ella did it last week. (woke up with a bug and then slept on the floor). later in the day when the others were at church he went out for some fresh air. ella just saw this picture. she asked what he was doing. i told her he was sick. with all sincerity she said, Poor Streed.

Well I'll Be Darned

I just realized I had another walk-in closet in my house. How have I not noticed it before...

Today Nate slept until time to take the kids to school. So, in order to dress Streed, I just walked over to the couch and made do. It is not like this is the first time I have had to do that. It was just the first time it made me laugh and think of it like a closet.

little buddy love is 2

He got this hat from Gran and Grand Neil. He loves it! It is a low key day. We may go feed the ducks or something this afternoon. Since he does not know its his birthday AND since we are sucking wind through a straw these days, there is no party. Maybe when he's older he won't feel like the neglected third child.
At least he knows he is SUPER LOVED!

We love you Nate Nate! You bring much joy to our family. We are so glad God gave you to us when He did. He always does know what is best for us.

your hands

I wanted to add this song to my blog but did not know how so here it is. I heard it shortly after we found out we were moving. I just love it. I heard it again yesterday and could not help but think about those around the world who literally had their world shaken. But even then, they are in His Hands.

Upward Soccer

I got Streed signed up for soccer in Little Rock. His first game will be our first weekend there. We will miss the first two practices but I think this will be a great way to jump right in to meeting people and having something to look forward to. It is Upward Soccer through one of the churches that we want to visit. I think (know) I am more excited about it than he is. I already have plans to get them all signed up for swimming lessons at the YMCA this summer. I called yesterday but they are not booking it yet. Go figure, it is February.

I have never been a planner but I am feeling the need right now to not just wing-it. I am also busy looking for preschools for Ella and Nate. I know most places are registering right now. I will be homeschooling Streed in the fall and find it will be best for my mental state as well as their social interaction to have somewhere to go a few days a week. Also with that I am trying to find one close by our apartment. I do not want to be on the road the entire 3 hours. Anyway, one of them (2 mins from our apt) emailed today and said they will be registering March 1 and for me to call her that day and they would see about getting them in. She said there is normally a waiting list but to not give up hope. EVERYTHING about this move has gone exceptionally smooth so far. I have a list of things that I am just trying to pray about, preschool is one of those. I know it will all work out.

Chip is home

Chip got home Friday. He had not been here in about 3 or 4 weeks. He is bathing the kids right now. I am loving listening to them, knowing they are getting clean, and knowing I am not the one bathing them. He leaves again in the morning for another week of training. Surprisingly, I am hanging in there. Some days are worse than others but you just do what ya gotta do. I went to the grocery store today and got lots of preservative-filled easy meals. Here's to another week. This will be a step up from the fast food and pizza we have all be consuming. It is called survival mode.

We did have a really fun weekend visiting friends though. Chip is loving his job and the training but it was good home for a little while. He will come home again this next weekend because our little Nate Nate is somehow turning 2!

Remember this?

Well, she has come and gone. We sold her tonight. She was a good truck. She just did not meet the needs of the new job. Chip will be having to keep some equipment in his vehicle as well as take people out to lunch etc. He needs something roomy and comfortable for lots of traveling. Unfortunately this probably means it will have really bad gas mileage. Any suggestions?