Getting Settled

We spent last night in our new house, so I guess that makes it official! Most of our things are moved, though there are still some book boxes at our uncle's.

Obviously our Internet connection is hooked up, so who needs plates and flatware?

We already have quite a list of what we need/want to do in the house. Looks like we're starting with storm windows and flooring. The upstairs carpet is more worn than we thought, and since I despise carpet, any excuse to get that hardwood down!

The best news is that the window sills are wide enough for the cats to sit. In our old house we installed "window seats" for them, and I'm glad we won't have to do that here.

When I went to bed last night, there was a very bright, twinkling star that I could see perfectly while lying down. When I woke up this morning, all I could see were trees. Ah, back to country living. Is there anything better?

Evermore

The forests of April awaken from sleep,

and flowers unfold through the snow,

and the wind rushes high,

and the river runs deep,

and it sings what you already know.

You already know-

Evermore I will love you,

Evermore I will stay

ever right here to hold you.

Never so far away.

And though I know sometimes you go

to find your way alone,

evermore I will love you,

You are ever my own.

Listen and Weep

Tomorrow, Tomorrow!

Can You Believe This?

Last week I posted that the baby had six teeth now. Well, make that EIGHT. Yup, the next two top teeth have made an appearance. We have had a week of miserable nights. It feels like he's a newborn again. Coupled with the move...yipes.


(This is not a picture of my baby, by the way. The last two aren't in all the way yet.)

More Lenten Meals

I've been remiss about updating this...

Last Friday we had spinach and ricotta calzones (from Wegmans, king of the grocery stores) as we were not settled in yet.

Today it was veggie pizza at lunch then salmon burgers on whole wheat rolls, brown rice, and broccoli for supper.

This Friday...for lunch we'll finish the salmon burgers. Dinner? We thought we were going to be moving, so I would have said more pizza (that's another thing about moving...bad eating habits surface!). I think, though, we'll do some kind of pasta. Ravioli with sauce and spinach or maybe butternut squash soup. That may be a little ambitious, though, considering the foreign-kitchen situation.

Anyone have any very simple ideas for a displaced family?

Keeping House In Someone Else's House

The past week has been a struggle. We're staying in a family member's apartment while he is away on business. It's been very odd because we feel like houseguests yet our hosts are nowhere to be seen! Cooking in someone else's kitchen? Not for the faint of heart! In fact, I've been barely cooking at all because I simply cannot function in that room! This is still very much a bachelor's apartment despite the recent addition of a fiancee, and there is NOTHING conducive to smooth cooking. You ladies now what I mean: your kitchen is set up "just so" with all you need easily accessed...or at least you know where it is! It's been a struggle to find drinking glasses never mind serving dishes, storage, or baking utensils! After almost a week, tonight was the first night I cooked a full dinner, and it nearly drove me bonkers! I was cooking with our food, but using their "stuff." Oy.

Nothing is babyproof either, and I spend all my energy redirecting, redirecting. Sharp corners, electrical cords, leather couches that look oh-so-tasty when you're nine month old...we were worried about the cats. Nah! There's a window with a view and a place to sleep. They're fine. Today I actually had DH set up the Pack-and-Play so I have a safe place for the baby to play and I can sit down for a minute. He was only in there for five minutes, but it's something!

I don't want to sound ungrateful because this truly a blessing. We are so lucky that we aren't having to live our of boxes (just suitcases!). There is a (more or less) fully stocked kitchen, furniture, towels, even a TV, but I've still been going crazy. Keeping house is someone else's house is...not the same.

Praise be to God, though, our closing is finally scheduled and next week we will be home.

To quote you-know-who, "There's no place like home!"

Moving On

We've signed the paperwork for the sale of this house, although the official closing is not until Friday.

Almost everything is packed, and in less than 48 hours our first home will only be a memory. I think I'm still in denial; it doesn't seem real, and I can't imagine really living anywhere but here.

There are still some details to be ironed out with the new house (the sellers have been trying to manipulate us and violate the contract), but it looks like everything will work out. At this time last week we thought the entire deal was going to fall apart, but things are coming around. Because of all the nonsense, though, we aren't closing on that house this week and so obviously will not be moving into it this weekend. We were in a real kerfuffle for a day for so. Thankfully, DH's uncle is working in Hawaii until October and is graciously and generously letting us stay at his home for a few weeks. He's doing us a favor, but is also grateful to have people in the house to keep an eye on it. It's wonderful because we don't need to bring anything but ourselves and some clothes, and can store all our things. That's a real blessing because we won't be packing and unpacking then repacking in a few weeks like we would have if we'd had to rent an apartment.

We will have Internet access at Uncle's place, but I'll probably be pretty scarce the next few weeks. It's been an exhausting time for sure.

In other news, the next two teeth are finally poking through bringing the grand total to 6: 4 lower and 2 upper. Teething has been getting worse as we've been going along. By the time molars arrive, I expect to be ready for my commitment papers.