We are completely moved!

The days leading up to the move were rather stressful, more stressful than what we usually experience when we move.  First, there was the possibility that we would be moving to Kansas.  We were a week away from moving day when Kevin flew out to Kansas for an interview.  While there, he saw a few red flags in that situation that convinced him, that moving the family to Kansas for this particular job, wouldn’t be a good idea.  My teenage daughter was so relieved!

Our moving day was scheduled for last Wednesday.  We had a 26ft moving truck rented.  We had arranged for help for that day.  We were ready!

We had planned to sign the lease for the house on Tuesday, in the early evening.  However, at that time, we wound up in the ER as Kevin was in a lot of pain (and as things usually go for us, when we finally decide to go to the ER, the pain or ill feeling, lessens and then we feel we’re taking up a nurse’s valuable time).  I was getting very concerned because we had to be out of our house (and have it cleaned) by Saturday, and I wasn’t so sure that I would be able to drive that moving truck.   After a CT Scan revealed that Kevin was dealing with a kidney stone, he was given some meds and was discharged.  By the time we arrived at our new landlord’s home to sign the lease, it was 9:30 PM.   However, by the time we went to bed, Kevin was feeling no pain and the plan for moving day was going forward.

The move itself took longer than we had anticipated and we made more trips between homes and needed one more day with that truck than we thought we’d need to.   Thankfully, we have several good friends who came out to help on both of those days.   To our new neighbors, I apologize for how loud our piano was as we rolled it across the asphalt driveway and into the house, when it was nearly midnight.

By midnight on Friday, we were out, and the house was spotless.

So now we’re in the new house.  Adjustments are needing to be made as we unpack.  Especially in the kitchen.  My new kitchen doesn’t quite have the square footage or the storage space that the previous one did.  Especially in the pantry.  So we’re improvising until we can get some shelves set up in the garage (which we can’t do until I unpack several more boxes out there.

Two days ago, I finally found our coffee grinder (after Kevin had bought a replacement and we had used it) and our silverware.   They were in a box labeled “Kitchen, Open First”, which I found under a few other boxes in the garage.  For the next move, I’ll carry that coffee grinder in my purse!

Slowly, things are coming together, and the house is starting to look normal.

Just a pic of how unpacking is going.

Believe it or not, this room looks better than it did a few days ago, when it was filled with these boxes and bookshelves and dressers.

Hopefully, this will be cleared out by Friday.  My sister-in-law is coming this weekend and I’d like to be able to offer her a place to sit.

Elizabeth

Well, actually, the end of our days in our current house is near.

We have less than a week to go until moving day, and I will be so glad once it’s behind us!

We had a plan, to move to a house in the area where we used to live.   We had plans with the landlord to rent the house and we had a moving day set and friends committed to help us move.

Then, Kevin found out about a job opportunity.   It was in Kansas.  It sounded like a great opportunity, and a great career move.  So, not wanting to regret taking advantage of this opportunity, he applied for the job.    Because we weren’t sure how those interviews would go, we didn’t feel that it was a good idea to sign a one year lease if it meant that we’d have to move in a month or two, so we let the landlord know, so that he could advertise his house to rent out.   Needless to say, my daughter wasn’t happy at all about the idea of moving far away, from her friends and family.  My son was ok with it as long as there was a WalMart and a Target where he could still buy his HotWheels and CARS toys.  The only thing he said that he would miss, would be Cafe Yumm!  I wasn’t all that thrilled with moving either as I also have friends and we have family here as well.   Our sisters however, were a bit excited at the prospect of having us within driving distance (My sister is morning to Nebraska in less than a month, and Kevin’s sister lives in Texas).   My concerns were mostly about making new friends,  finding a new church, homeschooling groups, and affordable housing with a basement (I have no desire to be in “Tornado Alley” without a basement), and how we would move across the country with our cats (one would for certain need to be tranquillized as she won’t get into a carrier).

So this week, on Tuesday morning, the kids and I took Kevin to the airport to see him off to a possibly new future for us.  He hadn’t flown in at least 7 years, so this was his first time going through the TSA’s scanner.  He was cleared, however the full tube of toothpaste he had in his carry-on did was not.  The TSA agent brought me the offensive toothpaste and announced to everyone, that no more than 3 OZ was allowed.   Then, an elderly couple took it upon themselves to lecture me, the non-flyer, about the rules of flying and how all of those are on the internet.  Um, I’m sorry folks, but I didn’t pack his bag!  Save your lecture for the people who are putting their shoes and belts back on.

While Kevin was in Kansas, I spent the time looking for an apartment for us to live in while we were figuring out if we were staying or going.   Apartments are small, and nearly cost as much as a house rent-wise.  Especially when you add the rental of a storage unit.  The benefit of an apartment is that you can rent it from month to month (though in some cases, that arrangement will cost an extra $100 per month).  The kids and I went to one of our malls.  My daughter decided to get her ears pierced again, which lifted her spirits a bit.   On Wednesday, we went to see a movie, and on Thursday, we worked on packing more of out things.

After the interviews, Kevin really didn’t feel that this particular job would be a good fit for him or our family, so we decided that we will stay here in Oregon.    He contacted the landlord to see if the house that we had planned to move to was still available.  It is!  So our plans to move into it on Wednesday are moving on as if there was never any interruption.

Most likely, my next post will be after moving day (and after the looooooong nap I hope to take afterword).

Yay!

Elizabeth

I’m not attempting to quote a line from “Total Recall” (the scene where Arnold Schwarzenegger arrived on Mars dressed as a woman and the robotic head had a glitch and kept saying “Two weeks” ).

What I am alluding to is the fact that we have two weeks until our moving day.   We’re planning to move back to the area of town where we lived before moving to the house we’re in now.   However, I believe that we’ll be within walking distance of family.  Also, our new house has the same floor plan as the one we’re in, so I shouldn’t have too much difficulty arranging everything as I unpack.  Right now, our once spacious rooms are crowded with boxes.    I’m really looking forward to the move being behind us and having our things unpacked, and being settled, and eating off of our real dishes instead of paper plates and plastic cups.

My computer is still refusing to acknowledge my camera when trying to download pictures, so once again, this post is unillustrated.

Our first major celebratory season is almost over.  My son, one of my nephews and my sister had birthdays in May, as well as Mother’s Day.  We had Father’s day, two wedding anniversaries, and my sister’s baby shower in June.  In July, my grandma and my other nephew had birthdays.  In August, my new niece was born, just in time for my daughter’s birthday.  We have two more birthdays before the month is over, and they happen after moving day.     The summer also included events such as July 4th in a local small town nearby, and summer camp for my daughter (she had a great time!).

School is the next thing on my mind.  Since we’re homeschooling, I need to think about more than supplies.   I need to see if there are co-op classes for my daughter, as well as calling the public high school to see about having her take a foreign language class there.   Figuring out which schedule will work for us this year.    Hoping that the tires on my van will hold out from all of the driving that I’ll be doing in shuttling the kids around for various activities.

Just a few of things that are happening here, all within a month……

Elizabeth