Bye Bye Texas

The stress level is building here in our house. We had a garage sale last Saturday, and since then we've gotten rid of even more stuff. The transition has begun and we are feeling it. Check out our new dinette set:

A couple days after we "got" it, I felt like I was living in a Saturday Night Live skit when I walked in the kitchen to find Jared hunched over the tiny table, sitting on a tiny bucket, eating Jell-o out of a tiny pink, plastic bowl. I had to tease Jared about being a big man living in a little life. He laughed, but I think he didn't get why it was so funny to me.

As annoying as I thought our new eating arrangements would be, I've actually been surprised by the fact that it doesn't really bug me so much. We're doing what's practical for our circumstances and there is a lot of peace that comes with that. Our happiness comes from our family and from making good choices, not necessarily from the kind of kitchen table we sit at to eat our food.

We've been trying to go through everything we can to make sure we're not moving junk that we're just going to have to throw away once we're in our new house. My attention has been totally diverted from day-to-day living, and the girls are feeling the shift as well. We can hardly see the carpet in the office because it's covered in papers, boxes, magazines, clothes, dirty socks, paper clips that Meg spilled, stuffed animals - you get the idea. And the chaos spreads into every room of the house. We're looking forward to getting out of here so we don't have to live among so much disorder anymore. Living like this is hard!

As much as I need to be at home getting things in order for the move, daily life must still carry on. Last Thursday I went to have lunch with the girls at school and ended up bringing Leah home with me because she had a tummy that felt like egg yolks. She proved it by throwing up on the floor in the lobby before we got out. All this on the day she so proudly informed me first thing that she loved her outfit because "blue and red are so awesome together."



That same day Brita surprised herself and the rest of us by losing a tooth at school that she didn't even know was loose until that morning. All of our conversations that evening lead to Brita wondering how much money the tooth fairy would bring. She was hopeful that she'd get a little bonus for actually "pulling" her tooth and not just "losing" it. She turned down a couple friends' offers to pull it for her because as she said, "As usual, I don't like other people pulling my teeth. I don't even like pulling my own teeth, but I did it anyway. Mostly because I wanted some money...and a new smile". I think she was hoping for $5, but the tooth fairy was a little stingy and only brought three. It was still enough that she could add it to her existing stash and get another Webkinz, so she seemed satisfied enough.



On Saturday I ran another half marathon with Hayley. We weren't well trained for this one, and I felt a difference. But we still finished it and beat our first time by about a minute, so my only complaints are coming from my quadriceps today. I was especially thrilled that Jared brought along the best cheering section ever, posters and all.

Jared has become such an accomplished Texas gardener. Last Sunday when I cooked our last Texas home-cooked meal (no more cooking in this house for me), Jared ran out to the garden and pulled up an onion. I was shocked and amazed! A couple days ago, Jared and the girls picked a good-sized crop of beans and we have enjoyed eating those for the past two nights. I love eating and preparing his goods from the garden. He's hopeful that he'll be as successful at gardening in Utah.


I imagine I won't be posting for a while now. As of Tuesday we're without a home until we get to Utah in a couple weeks. We'll be staying with a variety of friends and hotels until the girls finish school, and then we'll be on our way. I'm excited as can be...but with a sadness in my heart. I'm grateful we have families we love and want to be near. And I'm grateful our family has been blessed with six great Texas years to miss.

So to all those who have touched our lives, in big and small ways alike, while we've been here in the Lone Star State, I say...Even though I'm fixin' ta leave soon, I'm takin' all y'all in my heart with me to Utah. Texas Rocks!