Before my Head Starts Spinning and my Eye Pop Out

It turns out that moving is a lot of work.  Especially when you have five kids.  And a less-than-24-hour-turn-around from moving out, to the new renters moving in.  Things have to be packed.  Fixed.  Cleaned. Plus we still have to actually live here.  And my baby has not been sleeping well at night.  So, I'm just a wee bit tired...and stressed.

I'm not letting the stress get to me, though.  Every time I feel it creeping up, I start declaring truths.  Truths like, "God loves me", "God's timing is perfect", "God is my strength and my portion", "The JOY of the Lord is my strength"...and on.  I'm so glad this isn't my burden to carry.

We signed papers on the house Tuesday night, right before the Title company closed.  They actually had to ask the Fed Ex driver to circle around and come back for our papers, so they could make it to the airport that night for delivery to the bank.  Brian has been scrambling up to the eleventh-hour, pulling unexpected documents that the bank has been requesting.  We think they finally have everything now.

The loan is supposed to fund and record sometime today.  So we are expecting to have keys by this afternoon.  Then the real fun begins:  vacuum and shampoo new house tonight, clean everything else in new house tomorrow morning, final packing at old house tomorrow afternoon, start taking loads over to new house in our cars tomorrow afternoon / evening, clear out remaining furniture from rooms at old house tomorrow night, shampoo the remaining carpets at old house tomorrow night, pick up moving truck Saturday morning, move out/in Saturday, do final move-out clean Saturday afternoon, take kids to Grandma's Saturday night, get kids' beds set up and some unpacking done Saturday night, meet new renter at old house Sunday morning, go home to new house...and collapse.

Sorry, that was kind of a long sentence.  I think it was more for my benefit.


Here are a few quickies that I didn't want to overlook:

My cute kids on Halloween.  We had:  Laura Ingalls, Fire Chief, Astronaut Boy, and Baby Zebra.

And Seventeen-Year-Old Boy.

Last Thursday was Emma's 8th(!) birthday.  It was a Rainbow Party, inspired by a rainbow she painted in the hospital play room back when Braxton had his surgery in May.  It's been a long time in the planning.  Except I hadn't planned on moving a week after the party, so things got scaled back a little bit.  But I still think we pulled it off.

My friend made the awesome cake.  It was even rainbow on the inside!

The boys' bedroom.  I never shared pics after I completed their room makeover last spring.  There was the completion of the quilts, the refinishing of the bunk bed, painting the walls, and adding new accessories.  Of course, at the moment, the room is empty except for the blankets and pillows on the floor that three of the kids are sleeping on.  So, I guess we're moving on to decorating the new house.

Today is Braxton's last visit with his wonderful Occupational Therapist.  Braxton will be in state-provided therapy until he is three, but since we are moving, we have to get a new therapist.  Miss Amy has been tremendous as a partner in helping Braxton meet milestones, and helping to educate us.  We will miss her.

 If I sound at all calm...I'm faking it.  Pray for us!