Christmas Lights

Last year, Doug's work was really busy and so by the time Christmas rolled around, the snow had fallen, temperatures had dropped and our house was not lit up with the usual strings of lights.  In my desperation to have at least SOME lights up, I set our icicle lights up on the hedge which didn't require a staple gun or ladder.  Shortly after he had seen them, Doug promised me that he would always put lights up every year.  Since we moved only two weeks ago, I wasn't sure that we'd get lights up this year but true to his word, Doug endured the biting wind and incredible heights as he attached the festive lights to our two story house.  They make me happy.  I have had such a hard time getting into the Christmas spirit and so maybe this will be the magic that gets my fire going. 

Officially moved in

Well, after six weeks of packing, purging and preparing, we are finally in our new home.  Monday was the big day and we were surrounded by the love and help of Doug's family and my sister and brother in law.  We were able to borrow a car trailer owned by a friend of my father in law and had been filling and loading it for weeks.  This meant that when we received the keys to the new house, it was simply a matter of driving over and unpacking the first load.  By mid afternoon, the guys left for the old house again to load up the big stuff.  While they were gone, Alicia and I managed to clean up the living room and set up the kitchen.  I felt like if nothing else was ready, except the kitchen, I could function fairly well.  I think it was around 5:30 when the second trailer-load showed up.  Round two of utter chaos.  Shortly after the trailer arrived, five friends from Doug's 'BoB' group showed up,  What a true blessing to have eight men helping move and unload with us.  The evening flew by.  What a flurry of people running in and out, me directing traffic, kids and kids everywhere getting underfoot... Once the last item was taken from the trailer (I had lost track of time by that point), our help then began to set up beds for my kids so they'd have a place to sleep.  I think it was close to 9:30 when everyone headed home.  The kids were finally in bed by 10:30, and I was under the covers at 11:00.  Unfortunately, the adrenaline was still running through me and I had a tough time settling down.  Sleep finally took over my body and I fell into a restless sleep. 
I love my new place.  I'm not sure it's "home" yet but it is getting better.  Lots of work yet ahead of me but it will be alright.

The Best Mom in the World

were the sweet words spoken to me first thing this morning.  I had gently woken up to a little arm around me that belonged to my little five year old.  Sometime during the night, Arianna had snuck into our bed.  She's been having bad dreams lately and we've always maintained an "open door" to our room during the night.  Anyhow, as I tried to roll over, realizing that my space was limited, I heard her whispering precious words to me (she thought I was still sleeping).

I love you mommy.
It's morning time.
Are you waking up yet?
I'm hungry.

So I hugged her and told her to meet me upstairs for breakfast and as she began to head up, she says to me "you are the best mom in the world". 

What a nice way to wake up.

I love you Arianna!

Four More Sleeps

Well, we're down to crunch time.  Today I washed cupboards and packed much of the food that we won't use in the next few days.  The pictures are off the walls and things are getting bare.  I glanced at our "measuring wall" and realized that the new owner likely doesn't need reminders of us like that.  So I transferred all the heights for each kid into a book and began to erase and wash away the growing years.  I did remember to capture the wall with my camera and although it doesn't do it much justice, I like having the reminder of how much the kids have grown over the years.