Early mornings, busy days

Several days this week have involved early morning trips to the garden.  Early to avoid the quickly rising temperatures.  To the garden for picking and weeding.

In addition to baskets full of fresh veggies, there are always a few other interesting finds.

Like a watermelon plant coming up volunteer (from last year) in the tomato row:

I was fascinated by the perfect spacing of these insect eggs (before i scraped them all in the dirt):

One of our favorite finds...a bird's nest in a tomato plant, with three little speckled eggs!

We've seen a mocking bird coming and going, and yes, mocking birds eat tomatoes.  But this one gets to stay.  Maybe she won't eat too much.

One morning after leaving the garden we stopped by to see Gramps' ongoing project with a neighbor: digging a well. 

 The boys seemed to like seeing it all in action, especially knowing that after the neighbor's well is done, there will be one dug at Gramps' place.

I still marvel at being a mama to boys!

The Great Move o' 2013 - Days 1 & 2

August 6, 2004 we moved into our current home as first-time home owners and parents of a 1 year old.

Nine years (almost to the day!) and 4 kids later, we will be moving out.

Oh the task this is shaping up to be!

With a 7 week countdown I thought I'd chronicle a little along the way.  We are hoping to get as much done as we can a little at a time to save ourselves a lot of work  heartache  panic at the end.  The goal for these first few weeks is 1-3 boxes daily, while maintaining order throughout the house and continuing on with life as normal, best we can.

Our tentative target date is August 12.  Our 13 year anniversary.

So....Day 1 - Monday, June 24: I went by Greg's former place of employment to pick up moving boxes.  His friend (and former boss) and I collapsed at least 12 boxes, stacking and poking them in the van.  How ironic is it that upon leaving 11 years of band directing, our stuff is going to be packed in band instrument boxes?  These, added to another huge lot we scored the night before from a fireworks stand setting up for the season, will be a great start to our packing.

Day 2 - Tuesday, June 25: Packed 3 boxes.  My first goal is to pack up and clear a corner of our bedroom, possibly to move Daniel in with us.  Before it is all said and done, the babies' room is probably going to end up as a staging/storage area for packed boxes.

Days till the move: 47
Box Count: 3

Any moving tips?

The more things change...

May 11, 2007.  

My very first blog post.  It begins, "I can't believe I've started a blog!! What's gotten into me?!? Ah, well...I thought it would be fun to chronicle some of our goings & comings...because there are a lot of them!"

In it I mention Greg's job, Alan's liver, Vacation Bible School, and redecorating our bathroom.  I say they are "likely to be recurring themes."

I was right.  Those 4 things occupied more of our time and thought than I would have ever dreamed.  Well, except the bathroom.  Even though we did get that redecorating done.  Twice!

Six years later and those things are still relevant.  The ins and outs of daily life. Both big and small.  I've blogged almost all of it.  Job changes.  Homeschooling.  The birth of 3 babies.

Through those six years of blogging I can point out to you more than one long periods of silence.  Almost every time that silence is due to changes brewing.

If anyone has actually stuck around to read this ('hello? is this thing on?') you may have noticed a particularly long period of silence this time.  To be honest, part of that is a result of homeschooling 3 and tending to babies 13 months apart.  My plate is full.  I'm still finding my groove.

But part of that lengthy blog silence is, as before, the result of me withdrawing.  Contemplating.  Retreating into the safeness of privacy while we sort and pray and wait.  Because the silence this time is not just due to changes, but very big changes.

After months of prayer and waiting, we believe that God is calling Greg into further service for Him.  Although we don't know exactly what that means long-term yet, the next step is seminary.  This August, Greg will become a full-time student.

The change is definitely bittersweet.  While it is exciting to see God work and to step out in faith and service to Him, there is a lot of sadness at what we are leaving.  We will be moving away from our home of 10 years, parents, grandparents, and the best church family anyone could ask for.  A simple one-line list doesn't even begin to describe the depth of what we are walking away from.  I know people do it all the time, but not us.  This is new for us.

Even so, we are moving forward with joy, not dread.  We train our children to obey us with a smile, not a pout and a sigh, so should we expect any less from ourselves?

This is God's idea. He's got this.

Meanwhile, I make no immediate promises about the ol' blog. But I do have a plan for the direction of my blogging once we are settled in our new home and routine.  I began this blog with an audience of 5.  I sat down at the end of each day and shared the highlights of the day, and what was on my mind.  A few pictures of my kids and what they were up to.  

It won't win any blog awards, and I won't gain an audience of hundreds or blogging recognition, but who cares?  That's what I'm going back to.  I'm finally content to be 'just another mommy blogger.'  I would do it just for that same audience of 5, but I hear through the grapevine there are more of you out there than that.  I thank you so much for reading along, waiting through the silent times, and following our little adventures.  I hope you'll keep reading through this next one.  

(And leave a comment once in a while, would ya? ;) )