On the lane...across town

Friday afternoon:

Saturday lunch on the (new) Lane: 

Sheridan begged me not to order any pizza today. So, we went to the grocery store early this morning. Then we searched for the right pot, spices, knives, and bowls when we got home, and put together a meal. 

My goal while we're here is not to unpack anything we don't need, but we need everything in the kitchen. It's all in the cabinets and drawers but we did end up opening up a can with a big knife. The can opener was found about an hour after lunch. All is good and we're HOME wherever we're together. I know people move every day...but this was a HUGE feat for us. 

Move it!

For we live, move, and exist because of him, as some of your own poets have said: '…Since we are his children, too.'  Acts 17:28

3/26/15. 3:13am

I'm sitting in a dark living room, in the only chair left in the house on the Lane. Tomorrow, by about 1pm, this house will be empty. All our belongings will be in the rental.

Today was a fantastic day. I'm a planner and fairly good packer: boxes were taped and labeled. Furniture was tagged for storage or in-house. The movers (two guys around 50) were awesome, and had 90% of our belongings packed, moved, and unpacked by 3pm. Efficiency is super impressive to me. Tonight Richard and I took a few more odds and ends over and we will pack up the rest in the morning. I've been toying with just torching the ever-growing garage sale pile...but I'll move it in the morning and get it gone in a few weeks.

Officially: Closing was at 4:00 today. We have a check. The house is sold.

I've raised my kids in this house, hosted every kind of get together here, planted flowers in the flower boxes for 18 years, but I won't miss it. It's memories are part of who we are, but we are not this house. I honestly can say I am looking forward to the future.

As unsettling as it is not knowing when we're going to Russellville, or where we're going to live...I'm more sure than ever that we are supposed to go. I don't know what God has for us, but He is showing us everyday that He has this under control. And for a someone who is a planner, I'm learning to trust in His work on my behalf.

I'm looking forward to Easter! And HOPE for the future!

Leaving the Lane

We moved onto the lane almost exactly 18 years ago. Ryan was 3, Lauren was 1, and Erin was born 2 weeks after we moved in. Sheridan was born 6 years later, and We brought Jordan and Cameron here in 2013. So...lots of memories have been made here. I've been thinking about the best memories....here's things I'll be happy to remember:

Birthday parties...Ryan's train party, Lauren's flower pot party. Erin's craft party. Sheridan's polka dot party.

Ryan and Lauren's graduation gatherings.

Fat Bat games in the front yard. Bocce ball all over the neighborhood.

Baseball and soccer team post season parties.

Having the kids' friends coming in and out every season: Trey, Luke, Alex, Lexi, & Arie.

Parenting Classes, Life Groups and Sunday School fellowships.

Playing games of Nertz on the living room floor with a house full of teenagers.

Driving onto the lane in the fall.

Eating outside on our back deck.

Working in the yard together, hoping Richard doesn't burn down the back fence when he burns the pile of brush.

The kids climbing on the house putting up lights for me. The Christmas tree, hot chocolate and presents in the living room. Stockings hung on the mantle.

Gotcha Day party.

Furry Farewell

Thanks to my friends on Facebook, we found the BEST home for Rolle! Rolle is almost 9 years old and so precious and her new owners were looking to replace some labs they lost. They live on a ranch, with many acres, horses and a pond! Rolle will be in doggy heaven!

Oddly enough, Cameron's fluency passage from the week is as follows:

Rolle followed Cameron around every single time she was out. Cameron loved to try to run faster than her, and tried to ride her multiple times! She was a good dog...but we didn't play with her nearly enough. I couldn't be more thankful to have her somewhere she'll be loved and taken care of! 

On the Lane

Our house is pretty clean RIGHT THIS MINUTE, because the realtor was coming by to take pictures to go online. I can see all the clutter, but when we look back we'll enjoy seeing these pics of our house for 18 years.

Nerf Wars

And the winner of the best Christmas gift goes to Grandma, who gave Cameron the NERF gun. To Ryan, who bought a second one. To Lauren, who bought 80 extra bullets for the guns for Cameron's birthday. They know they're not allowed to use me as a shield, but Sheridan was guarding her place hard while I was working yesterday and I couldn't resist capturing this face.

December 23

Cameron's first Christmas here. Cameron's first Christmas present from us. The first BIG SMILE of many.

Sibling gifts: A sweet message from Sheridan to Jordan. A HUGE candy bar from Ryan.

LOVE NOTES

My kids are a hoot! They showed up to our Christmas dinner in Christmas sweaters from my past. Even Cameron had a snowman vest on, you can't appreciate their workmanship from this pic, but you can see the shoulder pads in Ryan's cardigan! 

My favorite Christmas tradition starts before any gift is opened. AND, it was Jordan and Cameron's first time to write and read their own LOVE NOTES. I wasn't even interested in presents after reading the love notes from my family. Call me needy, but kind words of love are balm to the soul. 

 
 

Bedtime

THIS does my heart good:

Fall

I love pumpkins, I love cold mornings and cool evening breezes, I love playing outside without sweating and opening the windows during the days.

I can't wait for the trees on the Lane to start changing...

Moments

Moments like these seem to continue to sneak up on me...I was gathering some flowers from our garden to refill a vase and Jordan wanted to help. Of course, I let her, and then she says something like, "I've never cut flowers before."

Then she asks for another vase to take some to her teacher in. I loved watching her trim the leaves off, and chose which ones went where. It's the little moments like this when I can tell she's really enjoying something. She may not admit it, but she likes it too.