Final

We are putting everything in a box today. Packing it all up and dragging it to the garage to be moved into the truck bright and early tomorrow morning. I can't even tell you how much there IS to be done...Omigoodness it's overwhelming. But I guess it's a good thing I'm busy cause if I had a few minutes to really stop and think I would probably be sad and emotional and cry. I'm happy we are moving, I really am. I am not looking forward to not being settled and having us all share one tiny little bathroom until we refinish the tub in the other and build a whole new one for us. I am not looking forward to all the work my husband has planned for us during the whole Christmas holiday season. But I am excited to be somewhere we can stay forever. Cause if this process taught me anything...it's that I myself don't really enjoy change either. I guess Emmy gets that honest from me. I didn't have this reaction when we moved from Tolono. I was also pregnant and we had way outgrown that house and moving here was exciting because we never dreamed we would be able to have a house like this...let alone a BRAND NEW house. The kids were so little and I wonder if their age now is playing a part in my "sadness" because I know they are a little sad to leave the only house they've ever known.

So my mom and Russ are here and I need to give direction...actually....I need someone to give me direction:) My brain is fried and I just want to take a nap! I am hoping to not forget to get a picture of us all on the front porch before the night is over......

Sibling Rivalry

You can tell we are all on edge....here was the conversation that came from my girls bathroom this evening:

Faith: I miss Mae Mae!
Em: Eh...not so much.
Faith: Your mean! How dare you say that about our baby sister!
Em: Why? She's mean to me most of the time and drives me crazy!
Faith: Fine...you can't say no to this. Would you save her if she was falling off a cliff?
... Em: Um...
Faith: YOU PAUSED! You wouldn't save her?
Em: It's a ridiculous question. She's not ACTUALLY falling off a cliff. Plus we live in Illinois. There ARE no cliffs.
Me: Sigh.....

Week of Lasts

I can't believe it's already been almost a week since my last post...man time is flying! Tonight....even though there is only like 20 minutes left in the day, starts the week of lasts in this house. Even typing that I got a little teary eyed. It's not that I'm not happy and thankful for all that has happened in the last couple months, and it's not that I am not excited, but this is the only home my kids have really known. Faith was 2 1/2 when we moved here, and Emmy was 2 weeks old. We had the house built. We've been THE only people who have lived here. Faith is handling it well....just a little sadness for the loss of nostalgia, but Emmy...well...she doesn't enjoy change. If you ask her if she's excited about moving, she will look at you with her "face" (those of you that KNOW Emmyrson KNOW the face:) and will point blank tell you no. She's excited for the things to come, but she doesn't weather change well. She will probably be the one that stays with us and takes care of us when we are old and gray. I am pretty sure the family buying our house isn't in need of an 8-year-old girl, and given the fact that we would probably start missing her after a week or so, I guess were going to have to figure it out.

I thought it would be fun to throw out some of my favorite memories (since this is basically my journal to my kids when they are older) of our times here. All our pictures are packed, and everything else is backed up on a hard drive, so words will have to do.

• Shortly after moving, going "puddle jumping" with Faith when the streets flooded due to backed up storm drains (we suspect all the construction material from the houses being built). The water was up to Faith's waste and my thighs.
• Sitting in a chair in the middle of the kitchen and barking orders to everyone as to where I wanted things when we moved in. I had just had a baby and was bed ridden for two weeks after, so I could do nothing. But bark orders.
  
• Researching, hunting, and shopping to find THE perfect red color for the kitchen and dining room. We found it...and it only took 6 coats of paint to get it perfect.
  
• Camping in the backyard with the kids.
• Hunter....sigh....Awe HUNTER (I totally cried re-reading that post)
• Decorating this house for all the various seasons.
  
• All the various LOST PARTIES. Yes I know we are freaks. No I don't care;) (click on both links for double the party fun)
  
• Making my kids all kinds of fun cakes for their birthdays. Of course I don't do that anymore...I don't have time and Walmart has become my bakery of choice. But I used to have time. And SKILLS.
• Many many MANY many days like THIS
• Many day's like THIS too:)
• Bringing my last little monkey home from the hospital. I was much more relaxed with her than the other two.
  
• Sitting in my jacuzzi tub. Really gonna miss that. Didn't realize how much til the other night when I was sitting in my jacuzzi tub.
• Watching Esther jump off the back deck like a flying squirrel. I will have to tape this before we leave.
  

I know I'm missing a gazillion things...I might add more as I think of them. It's now well past midnight, and I probably should try and get some sleep. There is just so much to do, I don't even know which end is up! Tomorrow (or today I should say) we go to the new house to clean and get everything good and sparkly and ready for us to move right on in. First thing on the agenda (after getting all the boxes in of course) is to go and buy a Christmas tree and get it put up. Second thing on the agenda is this:
Meet Moses....but SSHSHHHHHHH! He's a secret. He's part of the kids Christmas present. We will pick him up the weekend after we move. He's a mastiff....and he will be HUGE. What's a puppy on top of moving? Eh...we got it;) We made two promises when we told them we were moving. #1 was a puppy (we knew we needed a larger dog being out in the country than a 7-pound Chihuahua) and #2 is a kitten. The kitten may wait til Spring.

So....off to bed. I pray sleep will come to me easily.