Thursday, November 25, 2010

Giving Thanks

Today is Thanksgiving.  And I have much to give thanks for.  For one, I am so thankful for all of the kind and encouraging words I received after my last entry.  You all made me feel so loved and that some of you have been in VERY similar situations and survived.  So thank you for giving me hope.  There is a light at the end of the tunnel.

I am thankful for our families.  I am thankful that both my husband's family and my family live close together so they can share the load as we continue to look for housing.  I am thankful that our families get along and are willing to share holidays so that everyone gets their time with us.

I am thankful for my hubby.  I am thankful that he has a fantastic new job that he seems to be in love with.  I am thankful that he takes the time to come and see us every weekend even when the weather is icky.  Side note: Yesterday on the way home from work it was icy and he was rear-ended.  I am sooo thankful that he is alright, with nothing but a sore neck for personal injury.  We are sad to lose our second vehicle but he is looking forward to finding the next one.  I am thankful that my hubby is a fantastic father.  He is so wonderful with our kids.  Watching him with them is so heart warming.  I am thankful that my hubby treats me better than he should. He is an amazing man of God.  I love him with all my heart.  Thank you God for giving me this man.

I am thankful for my kids.  I am thankful that each of them brings something different to the table.  Butterfly and her intelligence, Bee and her spunky attitude, and Bubby and his all boy-ness (is that even a WORD???).  I cannot imagine the world with out them.

So even though I may have my Debbie Downer days I still am quite thankful for what I have.  God is good and he has been good to us.  He continues to show us his mercies.

<3Alison

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Surviving

That is what I call it.  We are loving our families and are very grateful for their generosity to keep us while we are looking for a place to live.  With that said, I am really missing my house...or any house that I can call my own for that matter.  The kids are doing great.  They are loving being able to see their grandparents.  The first week we stayed at the hotel, then at the end of that week we stayed at my in laws, then to my parents, then back to the in laws this week.  Next week we will go back to my parents.  I am not sure how long I will be able to keep up at this pace.

I had a realization this week.  Last year I bought a new Christmas tree and decorations.  I was sooo excited to put them out this year.  Alas, with the new circumstances, I will not be able to do so.  You see they are sitting in storage in a town about 3 hours from us.  I also have no place to display said decorations and tree.  I know it seems like a small thing and I won't have anything to put away after Christmas either, but it is something I look forward to every year.  I am pretty bummed. 

Hubby has been staying at the provided temporary housing so he is closer to work and that has been a good thing for him.  We miss him like crazy though.  We talk to him every night on Skype so that helps but the kids are having a really rough time without him.  So am I. 

Sorry for the Debbie Downer post tonight.  But this is kind of where I am at.  I keep trying to remember that God's plan is the best plan and he knows what I need right now and apparently it is for us to be very close to family.  So I pray that I can remember that.  And that I can be a gracious guest.  And a helpful guest.

<3 Alison

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Tinker Toys, Matrushka Dolls and TV ~ OH MY!

This is what the week has consisted of.  Lots of Tinker Toys, Matrushka Dolls and TV (please forgive the spelling, I am not sure how to spell it.  The dolls are the Russian stacking dolls that fit inside one another).  We have been staying with my parents this week, it has been great!  All but yesterday things have gone well.  Yesterday the kids got a bit...ummm...rambunctious? and well it was a rough day.  But other than that they have been great.  Butterfly loves Tinker Toys, Bee loves those Russian dolls and Bubby just loves being around both of them.  All the while they are all watching Playhouse Disney.  Then in the afternoons we let them play outside (of course AFTER we bought new winter garb for them all because it is STINKING COLD in Minnesota).  They have loved every minute of it.  They keep asking when Santa is coming.  You see in Ohio it would snow mostly around Christmas time.  Here, not so much.  LOL! 
So that is a mini-update on us.  Hopefully soon I will remember to take pictures and will be able to share them with you. 
<3Alison

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

What a Journey!

The last time I posted I was preparing for our trip to MN.  Now we are in MN...well, Iowa actually, since that is where the temporary housing is for us.  But close enough!  So here is a run down of our trip.

Thursday the moving company sent the people to pack up our house.  They did a great job.  220 boxes later all of our stuff was ready to move. 
Friday at 8am our driver and truck arrived.  He started to do inventory and mark the big stuff that wasn't boxed (aka, furniture).  The loading guys were supposed to arrive at 8:30 to start loading stuff.  8:30 came and went, 9:00 came and went, 9:30 came and went, 10:00 came and went...We were beginning to wonder.  10:30 came and went, 11 came and went...finally one guy arrived.  He had overslept.  Oy.  What an excuse.  About 20 minutes after he came he got a phone call.  The other guy had a flat tire, on the W. Broad St. exit.  For those of you who know where I live...you know that W.Broad St isn't very far from my house.  In BAD traffic to get there and back it would MAYBE take 30 minute.  Well, an HOUR later they BOTH finally show up.  This was after our driver called the company and said, "I am ticked off, the shipper (aka, ME) is ticked off and something needs to be done about it."  By 6pm, all of our stuff was loaded (including Dan's car).

We were in an empty house, with three kids, an air mattress and some sleeping bags.  We went out to dinner at a local Bob Evans...remind us NEVER to go to THAT one again...Hubby and I were up not feeling well periodically through the night.  Oy. 

Saturday morning we got up and began the finishing touches on the house.  Hubby finished painting and touching up while I took care of the kitchen.  The kids were entertained by running around the entirely empty house.  Our plan was to leave early that morning.  Unless you consider 2pm early we didn't succeed in that.  We drove a few hours, realized how tired we were and pulled over at a hotel about 5 hours away.  We ordered pizza and hit the hay.

Bright and early (yes, on the day that we do the daylight savings time switch) Bee wakes up coughing...which leads to vomiting.  Oy.  So at 5:30am we are all up and cleaning up the mess and getting everyone settled.  By 6 we were good and I took Butterfly down to breakfast.  Hubby stayed back with Bubby and Bee.  After I returned Hubby took off for breakfast and I prepared the room for our departure.  By 8am we were off again.  Only an hour behind schedule, not to shabby.  The rest of the day entailed us trying to explain to Bee why she couldn't eat what we were and fits of crying.  She eventually did eat some applesauce and jello. 

We finally got to where our temporary temporary housing was going to be....well, where we THOUGHT it was going to be.  Hubby had gone in to get our room assignment.  I stayed in the car with the kids.  He comes out and has nothing in his hands...no key, no paper, nothing.  Oy.  We were told to go to the WRONG location.  So back in the car we go and off to the RIGHT location...in the dark...with sketchy directions...and no point of reference.  After passing the place twice we found it.  And boy were we glad that we did.  We unloaded a few things and headed BACK to the car so we could go have dinner with Dan's family and mine. 

On Tuesday morning we were to check out of that hotel and move to our real temporary housing.  Of course this story wouldn't be complete without another one of my kids getting sick...this time it was Bubby.  Poor guy.  He didn't want to eat much of anything yesterday.  And then last night it hit me too.  So far Hubby and Butterfly are the only two to escape this one.  Here's to hoping it stays that way. 

We sure packed a lot into this last weekend.  Here's to hoping our house hunting stories will be less adventurous.  We could use some normalcy.  :)
<3Alison

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Preparations

When a new adventure is placed before you, you try to prepare for it.  I am fully convinced that no matter how much you prepare for something that there will be another thing that comes up that you don't expect. 
Even though there are things that we don't expect we need to remember that God ALWAYS has a plan.  He ALWAYS knows what is going to happen and when it is going to happen.  His masterful plan is wonderful.  He can see the FULL picture where I can only see a snapshot. 
When I am faced with trying situations and am trying to prepare for things I hope that I can remember that God's plan is always the best plan. 
<3 Alison

Monday, November 1, 2010

Emotions were running high

Yesterday was our last Sunday at our church.  We have been attending our church for 5 years and became members shortly after that.  We have made so many great memories with the people there.  The women's ministry events, VBS, Sunday school for all of us, the baby showers, the weddings, the church work days, and let's not forget all of the Bible studies.  I knew it was going to be a hard day.  I knew I would likely cry.  What I didn't expect is when I would cry.  I made it through the service, I made it through talking to many people about our move.  It wasn't until I was saying goodbye to our middle school and former middle school students that it really hit me.  I realized for the first time that some of our former students were now seniors and would be graduating this year.  I realized that I would be leaving my kids' favorite babysitter. 
I have been through so much with these kids.  We went through a church renovation where we held class wherever we could.  For a time we were in a hallway and in part of the old kitchen.  I think for a time we met where the little kids are now.  But through that renovation we were given a room that our students just loved.  We made it our own with couches, coffee tables and much conversation.  
This church has been with us through the birth of all three of our kids.  They have been there as we needed an extra hand to hold a baby during the service.  They have been there through the laughter and through tears.  Our church family was our family.  We had holidays together, we celebrated birthdays together.   These memories and these fabulous people will always be in our hearts and on our minds.  We pray that God would continue to bless you.
I still can't believe that our time here is over.  It is all still very surreal.  We are leaving on Friday.  We are closing the chapter on this part of our live and opening a new one.