The Long and Winding Road….

Okay, we aren’t on the road anymore, but it’s time to update.

So, the baby was born as expected on June 13th.  Molly Montora was 7 pounds 12 ounces of beauty!  Her blood sugar was low initially, but quickly went up to normal levels.  We took her home two days later.

Going Home!

Steve went back to work the next week.  He also found us a great house to rent.  It is much smaller than the house we had in Utah, but it is on an acre!  He took the house and moved his few things in after his second trip to Utah. 

I managed to pack up almost all of our books, toys and clothes.  We sold our awesome green dining table and some other items. Steve returned to Utah for the last time and my parents took the middle girls to Texas.  Steve took so much stuff to the Christian thrift store and the dump hoping to minimize the weight of our truck and maybe the cost to us. The packers came and after some unpleasant discussions about payments, they packed us up and loaded the truck. 

We left the next day with Brendan, Kyla and Molly squished into the new (to us) van. We drove to Alabama in just two and a half days (we drove through the night once).  All the kids were really good travelers (Nana said the middle girls did really well too).

We have been in the house for three weeks and still no furniture delivery!  We have been camping out in the house. I did break down and buy some real (well, plastic) bowls and Steve got some real (really) flatware because the paper/plastic stuff was being used so quickly!  We did bring some pots and pans and Steve bought a few items when he was staying here, so meal prep hasn’t been too horrible.  Since, I was already planning to purchase kitchen chairs, I went ahead and started shopping for two, but when I went to the local thrift store I found three like what I had in mind and they were only $3 each, so I bought them.

You may have guessed that we aren’t homeschooling either, the books are all on the truck!  I wish I was one of those awesome homeschool moms who could make lessons happen no matter what.  I have books on my Kindle and access to the internet and library, but I keep thinking the truck will be here soon, so I will have our “real” homeschool stuff!  Not my finest hour, I admit.

We have made steps to establishing ourselves in our new area.  We have attended a local church twice now.  The kids will be gaining about 14 sets of grandparents if we continue, they are so very sweet!  (While writing this, a couple brought us a basket of goodies and a vacuum to use while we wait for ours which was accidentally left out and the packers…packed it.) Ryann and Tara started ballet at a Christian school of fine arts (Hello, New Song!) Kyla started Voice and Piano at the same school (during the same hour that the other girls take ballet). 

I am still learning my way around, but I think I am going to like it here.  Oh and most of the roads are winding whether or not they are long.

Job Update and Getting Ready for Baby!!

Well, Steve accepted a job in Huntsville, Alabama and has started working there.  The offer came just as we saw an end to our resources (we never ran out and we are still doing pretty well, we just knew it wouldn’t last much longer).  God is so good, we knew we could trust Him.  Steve will be home a few times over the Summer and the whole family will leave Utah sometime in August.

Baby Molly will be here in 10 days, thanks to a scheduled c-section (my 6th).  We are very excited to hold her and see if she has red hair (oh, please let her have red hair!).  Nana will be here on Tuesday next week (we are very excited to hug her) and Daddy soon after.  We have been busy getting ready for our newest girl, sorting & washing baby clothes, making things (afghan, baby wipes, diapers, burp cloths…)

The ladies at church gave a shower for me and my fellow pregnant mama-friend just the other day.

    We were both so blessed by our dear church family!

Maybe you won’t notice….

…that I am posting Easter pictures in June.  I tend to forget to blog some things because I put everything on facebook.  Sorry, Dad.

                   

The girls showing off their new dresses (made by Mama) and hair accessories.

  

All five (next year will be 6).

Handsome boy!

Guilty Kind of Review

Well, someone on one of my homeschool e-mail support groups sent out an exciting offer from http://shop.iseecards.com/ saying that if we would review a set of cards, we could have them for free.  I like free so, I went to the site and ordered the Pyramath set, it looked fun and easy.  They came within days, but it was not a good day for games in our homeschool, so I set them aside.

Finally, I picked up the deck, read the directions and played around with it for a minute or two.  I wasn’t excited about our free cards anymore.  The directions were easy enough, but not for my younger set.  The math was challenging enough, but not for my older set (there is a 6 year difference between the older two and the younger three).

Maybe in a year or so, Ryann (6) will enjoy this and get something out of it. For now, however, the box will sit and wait until then.

Thank you for the free cards, I am sorry that we didn’t love them.

Simple Woman’s Daybook 3/10/2011

FOR TODAY
Outside my window sunshine on snow & the footprints of the cats who live under our deck.

I am thinking that Spring cannot come soon enough.

I am thankful for changing seasons, how boring would it all be if it was always the same.

From the learning rooms: the “th” sound and skip counting.

From the kitchen: the sounds of cleaning by Kyla and thawing porkloin for dinner.

I am wearing my pajamas and robe still.

I am creating granny squares.

I am going to stay home with my kids today, unless an opportunity to go to the fabric store arrives.

I am reading Bleak House by Charles Dickens, Coffee Shop Conversations (I can’t remember the authors’ names)

I am hoping my husband gets a good job offer soon.

I am hearing the little girls playing in the other room.

Around the house tests are being written (Steve), schoolwork is being done (Brendan), the kitchen is being cleaned (Kyla) & little girls are playing.

One of my favorite things is having my husband near.

A few plans for the rest of the week: we are going to the youth group’s Mystery Dinner fundraiser.

Here is picture for thought I am sharingTara’s 4th birthday was Tuesday!  She is such a joy!

You can join the Simple Woman’s Daybook fun too!http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

This and That

I have been quiet for long enough.  There are several reasons for this.  One is I really don’t know if I should bother, there are so many really good blogs to read and the authors are amazing with insight that blows my mind (but encourages me tremendously). The other is I keep waiting for something really exciting to share.  I think I will just do an update and try harder to do this more often.

The biggest thing in our life is the fact that Steve was laid off in October.  I think I did mention that in my last post, but it is now March and no job offers yet.  There are 2 big possibilities, but nothing yet.  Hopefully, both companies will call next week with something to report.  We are thankful that we have not suffered financially.  God has been very good to us.  Our freezers are packed and we are able to share with our friends. 

You may have noticed that I am pregnant.  I just added the ticker, so you can see how things are progressing.  I am 25 and 1/2 weeks along with a sweet baby girl (I am sure she is sweet).  There have been many kicks and tumblings in my tummy, and I am very excited!  Caitlyn (2.5) has been adorable, kissing and hugging my tummy and telling me the baby is kicking her.  The other girls are pretty excited too.  Brendan…eh…I’m sure her tiny face will be more than he can resist.

Speaking of Brendan, you may remember this post from last May.  So much has changed!  My boy is BORN AGAIN!  Oh how I rejoice when I remember and type those words!  He spent some time in the juvenile court system last Summer and we got him in to a good doctor who prescribed a medication for his ADHD/ODD diagnosis (I have resisted meds for a long time, but after a couple years at his dad’s, so much of our work with Brendan was too far undone).  Brendan is a different boy young man.  He has been playing bass and attending YoungLife, youth group and bible studies.  We have been homeschooling him this year and he is doing really well.  Now he wants to start DRIVING.

Well, I think I will close for now, just pray for us.  We are facing a possible/probable move and a baby in the next few months and can easily become overwhelmed and discouraged.  Does anyone need a very experienced aerospace engineer/structural analyst?