Today is cold and yucky. Wind chill is supposed to get in the -30s tonight and the roads are already slippery. BUT...I'm home with my babies and I don't have to leave (ever) if I don't want to. So I love it. From the warmth of the living room, I can see the snow blowing around and it's a nice picture (only because I don't have to go out in it). We had some new friends come over this morning for a playdate which was so fun. N and C play so well together, but there's something really sweet about seeing them get to know new little ones. Noah asked immediately after they left for another playdate soon:). So here are some more quick takes on our new state.
-When Wyoming applied for statehood, they had to count cattle since the state wasn't populated with enough people to gain statehood. At the time there was more cattle than people.
-We received a phone book the other day for "Northeastern Wyoming and the surrounding area" and it's half the size that our Hburg/Rockingham county one was.
-People talk about places that are 2-3 hours away as if they're just up the street. I'll have to live here a long time to get used to that...
-We paid our babysitter what we would have paid in VA...and the next day her mom (who works with Matt) returned half the money and laughed at how much babysitters must charge in VA. Works for me:)
-This has supposedly been a "mild winter." Thank you God for easing me in...
-Most people here are Broncos fans. It's rubbed off...I just can't help liking Tebow. (No worries, my loyalty remains with the Giants. I can't help but wonder if Matt will be upset if Noah ends up a Broncos fan??)
Monday, January 16, 2012
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Another Girl...
We had our first ultrasound yesterday and found out that Baby 3 is most likely a girl. The cord was between her legs the entire time, so it's possible that in four weeks at the next ultrasound we'll have a little surprise. In the meantime the hardest thing for me will be to NOT buy anything yet...just in case. The reason we had to have this ultrasound was mostly because Matt and I didn't have a firm grasp on how pregnant I might be. You know the typical questions...
"When was the first day of your last period?"
"8.31.11...I think."
"How sure are you?"
"Not at all..."
So according to the date I gave them, they thought I could be at about 19 weeks, but after the US, they bumped me back to 17.5 weeks putting my due date at 6.16.12. I'm really glad about the date change since they won't let me go past 39 weeks anyway. The date bump also means that Baby wasn't big enough yet for the typical full anatomy ultrasound...so I have to have another one in 4 weeks. Those of you that know me know how much I hate having any type of extra medical anything done to me...but I am glad that we'll get a more definitive look so we can be sure that she is in fact a girl.
The only concern the doctor had was that the placenta was covering my cervix. I'm praying and believing that it will move up out of the way as Baby grows. Specifically, that it's implanted in the endometrial lining and NOT in my uterus. For now, please pray with me that that is the case. There could be other complications down the road if it's not...but I don't want to talk about worst case scenarios right now. Either way, Baby was looking great and this won't effect her. God is the author of life and is in control of this situation - thanks so much for your prayers.
On a lighter note, Chloe and Noah are very excited to have a little sister. They both love babies so much - I'm so excited to see their little faces when they finally get to meet her for the first time. Here are some names they've suggested since yesterday (in parenthesis, the kid that suggested it):
Matthew (Noah)
Chloe (Noah)
Anya (Noah)
Atti (Noah)
Like (Chloe)
Watch (Chloe)
Eden (Chloe)
And here's Chloe changing her baby's diaper.
"When was the first day of your last period?"
"8.31.11...I think."
"How sure are you?"
"Not at all..."
So according to the date I gave them, they thought I could be at about 19 weeks, but after the US, they bumped me back to 17.5 weeks putting my due date at 6.16.12. I'm really glad about the date change since they won't let me go past 39 weeks anyway. The date bump also means that Baby wasn't big enough yet for the typical full anatomy ultrasound...so I have to have another one in 4 weeks. Those of you that know me know how much I hate having any type of extra medical anything done to me...but I am glad that we'll get a more definitive look so we can be sure that she is in fact a girl.
The only concern the doctor had was that the placenta was covering my cervix. I'm praying and believing that it will move up out of the way as Baby grows. Specifically, that it's implanted in the endometrial lining and NOT in my uterus. For now, please pray with me that that is the case. There could be other complications down the road if it's not...but I don't want to talk about worst case scenarios right now. Either way, Baby was looking great and this won't effect her. God is the author of life and is in control of this situation - thanks so much for your prayers.
On a lighter note, Chloe and Noah are very excited to have a little sister. They both love babies so much - I'm so excited to see their little faces when they finally get to meet her for the first time. Here are some names they've suggested since yesterday (in parenthesis, the kid that suggested it):
Matthew (Noah)
Chloe (Noah)
Anya (Noah)
Atti (Noah)
Like (Chloe)
Watch (Chloe)
Eden (Chloe)
And here's Chloe changing her baby's diaper.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Another First...Christmas
Our first Christmas in Wyoming has already come and gone. Matt had to work six days a week almost all of December, and until after 7 for the week leading up to the 25th. We're all so glad that his schedule will only be like that one time a year...and now we have him back!
We spent a lot of time leading up to Christmas talking about Jesus's Birthday...and the main question that Noah kept coming up with was, "How are we going to give Jesus his presents?" It gave us lots of opportunities to explain and demonstrate to Noah how we can give Him gifts (I just love seeing things click in his little head). I think that it did confuse him a little that he received gifts on Christmas, (and not just Jesus), but I think by next year he'll be able to understand more clearly. Chloe has become a big prayer warrior in the family, she loves talking to Jesus and reminds us to pray daily. I did intend to make a "Happy Birthday Jesus" birthday cake, but just ran out of time (good thing the kids were too young to notice).
It was a very different Christmas for us, but it was nice to have a low key day and enjoy time together. We were able to have a relaxing morning (if that's possible with a 2 and 3 year old surrounded by presents) and go to church. We let Noah stay up through his nap so he could have "big boy" time to play with some of his more time consuming and Chloe-unfriendly toys. We got to skype with a lot of family, but missed being able to actually spend time with them. I guess in a way we've been spoiled by all the holidays we have spent with family. It's hard to believe that it was 7 years ago that we had our first Christmas with a Micah as a baby. Since then we've watched him, Riley and Uriah grow up with Noah and Chloe through holidays, birthdays, and many family nights. They adore each other and it's so sad to be so far away from them.
Here are some pictures from our much quieter than usual Christmas Day.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
2 years with Coco
Chloe turned 2 on December 10th. I was in a little bit of denial at first, but this girl is definitely a 2 year old, and sometimes more like a 13 year old...so I guess I've had to let it sink in. Sometimes when she's in the right mood, she'll snuggle up with me or Matt and it seems like just yesterday she was this sweet little newborn...
Obviously we tell her no plenty, but she really does make it difficult. She's so super sweet, especially when she wants something. She absolutely adores her brother, and if he's not giving her the attention she wants she provokes otherwise even-tempered Noah into hysterics (but then she gets attention...smart girl). She's quick to say "sah-wy" and give hugs and kisses (which happens a lot). She talks practically non-stop, most of which Matt and I understand, but much of which others couldn't. She loves to spin...and she can spin for a long time without falling down, it's kind of amazing really. She is very stubborn (no clue where she got that from) - when she gets her mind set on something it will take an act of God to change it. She thinks that she's Noah's age and gets very upset when we treat her any differently than her brother. She is very expressive, so much so that she leaves you in no doubt of what she's thinking. It makes for some pretty funny, and sometimes downright mean looks she shoots at people. When she's happy and laughing, you have to laugh with her...there's no way you'd be able to keep a smile off your face when Chloe's smiling at you.
I just love this girl. The past two years with her have been such a gift...and I know that the year ahead will be full of lots of laughter, and probably lots of time-outs too.
Oh, and for those of you wondering (stop reading if you don't want to hear about breastfeeding)..Chloe is FINALLY fully weaned. And yes, it did happen before her 2nd birthday. My goal was to have her weaned at 18 months, and she was except for the occasional middle of the night sick baby nursing and the right before bed (nightly) nursing. But she held on to that last one for a long time. I'm really glad that I didn't force her to stop sooner, cause with all the transition we've had going on, I know that it was a big comfort to her to have that time. It was also nice for me to have those peaceful moments with her. So we had been talking about how Chloe is a big girl and nursing is for babies for several weeks and I finally decided to cut her off about a week before her birthday. She cried (the screaming in agony kind) for about 35 minutes and then settled down. She only fussed about it one other time, and has only asked to nurse a handful of times after that. So the first day was rough, but it needed to be done. I wanted to make sure she had a good break before she saw me nursing Baby 3 (and hello...it'll be nice for me to have a break too).
Here are some photos from her birthday. I ran out of space on the memory card about half way through and did get some good video...but can't figure out how to get the video off the camcorder...so for now, just pictures.
Now look at her. Two years later and she's definitely not a baby anymore. She picks out her own clothes, and usually asks to change outfits 2-3 times a day. She picks out hair clips and says "thank you" more than most adults I know. I confess, it's so hard to say no to that sweet little face when she wants something.
Truly, could you resist this face?
Truly, could you resist this face?
I just love this girl. The past two years with her have been such a gift...and I know that the year ahead will be full of lots of laughter, and probably lots of time-outs too.
Oh, and for those of you wondering (stop reading if you don't want to hear about breastfeeding)..Chloe is FINALLY fully weaned. And yes, it did happen before her 2nd birthday. My goal was to have her weaned at 18 months, and she was except for the occasional middle of the night sick baby nursing and the right before bed (nightly) nursing. But she held on to that last one for a long time. I'm really glad that I didn't force her to stop sooner, cause with all the transition we've had going on, I know that it was a big comfort to her to have that time. It was also nice for me to have those peaceful moments with her. So we had been talking about how Chloe is a big girl and nursing is for babies for several weeks and I finally decided to cut her off about a week before her birthday. She cried (the screaming in agony kind) for about 35 minutes and then settled down. She only fussed about it one other time, and has only asked to nurse a handful of times after that. So the first day was rough, but it needed to be done. I wanted to make sure she had a good break before she saw me nursing Baby 3 (and hello...it'll be nice for me to have a break too).
Here are some photos from her birthday. I ran out of space on the memory card about half way through and did get some good video...but can't figure out how to get the video off the camcorder...so for now, just pictures.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Over 6 Weeks Now...
...so what do we really think of our new home? Well, Matt and I are determined to love it here. We're committed to at least 3 years, and they will be three great years. Of course we miss our friends and family, but are so grateful for skype, and for relationships that that will last regardless of any distance between us. Now some quick takes on our new life/house/city.
- It's cold. It's a dry cold, and it's often sunny, which really does make a difference. What we didn't really know before the move, is that it's also often suite windy here. Could be 20 degrees and sunny, great for playing outside with the kids. But if the wind starts blowing it's just bone chilling. We're adapting slowly. (Matt still loves the cold)
- We have much more family time. Not just me with the kids, but all of us together. Matt's actually had to work almost every Saturday since we moved cause it's their busy season...and I still feel that way. He'll only have to work Saturdays around Christmas and probably close to Valentines Day and possibly Mother's Day. YAY:)
- We have a garage - so minimal snow shoveling and very nice for loading and unloading the kids on cold days. Also, the kids LOVE pushing the button.
- Only have 1 garage door opener which is in my car. So I have to remember to close the garage door after Matt leaves for work. I've forgotten many times (Matt would want to make sure you all know that). I also left the kitchen window open once when it dropped to 20 degrees. Again, telling you for Matt's satisfaction.
- We have a fenced in yard. LOVE it! And big glass doors overlooking it so I can watch the kids from inside. Of course Chloe won't go out without me...and Noah doesn't want to be out for more than 10 minutes by himself cause he wants someone to play with. Still, LOVE it!
- We now have a basement, aka: playroom. I still end up cleaning up toys from the living room each day, but it's SO nice to just throw them down the stairs into the playroom. The kids love it too and it's big enough for them to actually run around in when it's too yucky to go outside.
- Yes, that means we have 3 floors, so I get more of a work out that I did at our old house. Also means a lot more to clean. And the vacuum isn't really working (though I think I can fix that). So grateful for the blessing that this house is. Matt works with the owner (her husband is an OBGYN - convenient!) and we were definitely given and amazing deal to get to stay at this house.
-Least favorite thing about the house: the first floor bathroom is a solid 15 - 20 degrees colder than the rest of the house at all times. And the washer and dryer are in that bathroom. Kind of weird no?
-Least favorite thing about the house if I didn't hate being cold so much: The master bedroom is a weird tangerine orange color. Painting is not a priority for us though we have permission...we'll see how long I can stand it.
- We've been to a couple of churches, one of them several times. We like it but want to visit at least two others as well. This past Sunday I almost started crying in the middle of church cause I just missed Covenant so much.
- I discovered downtown Gillette on Friday and I love it. Lots of cute locally owned stores. Probably wont go down there too often until it gets warmer.
- Rec Center here is A-Mazing. But pretty pricey for an annual family pass:/ The swim lessons were pretty well priced...so I think there will be a couple of kids learning to swim in the next year...
-There's an Arts Center with kids classes that I'm so excited to take the kids to. Both kids just love doing crafts and anything artistic, so I think they'll really enjoy the class. And I'm sure I will too:)
- MOPS! There have been 2 meetings so far and it was so nice to sit down with some other moms and have some fellowship time. They meet twice a month (though not in Dec) so it'll be a great way for the kids and me to meet people. Noah is still pretty hesitant to large group settings, so he was a little overwhelmed by the
childcare since there were so many kids. Hopefully we'll have some playdates soon and once he makes a couple of friends he'll be more excited to go.
- The hardest thing is definitely hearing Noah saw that he misses his friends and that he wants kids to play with. We've met one of our neighbors, and they're great, but they have a 6 year old girl...so there's a little age discrepancy there. I'm sure once the holidays are over I'll be able to get some playdates set up, but until then please pray for Noah's heart. It just kills me to see him sad and missing his friends. I'm so grateful for the friendship he has with Chloe - he's just the best big brother we could ever hope for and I know he would be just miserable without her.
- Did I say these were going to be quick takes? Here's a couple of pics to make it more worth your time;)
- It's cold. It's a dry cold, and it's often sunny, which really does make a difference. What we didn't really know before the move, is that it's also often suite windy here. Could be 20 degrees and sunny, great for playing outside with the kids. But if the wind starts blowing it's just bone chilling. We're adapting slowly. (Matt still loves the cold)
- We have much more family time. Not just me with the kids, but all of us together. Matt's actually had to work almost every Saturday since we moved cause it's their busy season...and I still feel that way. He'll only have to work Saturdays around Christmas and probably close to Valentines Day and possibly Mother's Day. YAY:)
- We have a garage - so minimal snow shoveling and very nice for loading and unloading the kids on cold days. Also, the kids LOVE pushing the button.
- Only have 1 garage door opener which is in my car. So I have to remember to close the garage door after Matt leaves for work. I've forgotten many times (Matt would want to make sure you all know that). I also left the kitchen window open once when it dropped to 20 degrees. Again, telling you for Matt's satisfaction.
- We have a fenced in yard. LOVE it! And big glass doors overlooking it so I can watch the kids from inside. Of course Chloe won't go out without me...and Noah doesn't want to be out for more than 10 minutes by himself cause he wants someone to play with. Still, LOVE it!
- We now have a basement, aka: playroom. I still end up cleaning up toys from the living room each day, but it's SO nice to just throw them down the stairs into the playroom. The kids love it too and it's big enough for them to actually run around in when it's too yucky to go outside.
- Yes, that means we have 3 floors, so I get more of a work out that I did at our old house. Also means a lot more to clean. And the vacuum isn't really working (though I think I can fix that). So grateful for the blessing that this house is. Matt works with the owner (her husband is an OBGYN - convenient!) and we were definitely given and amazing deal to get to stay at this house.
-Least favorite thing about the house: the first floor bathroom is a solid 15 - 20 degrees colder than the rest of the house at all times. And the washer and dryer are in that bathroom. Kind of weird no?
-Least favorite thing about the house if I didn't hate being cold so much: The master bedroom is a weird tangerine orange color. Painting is not a priority for us though we have permission...we'll see how long I can stand it.
- We've been to a couple of churches, one of them several times. We like it but want to visit at least two others as well. This past Sunday I almost started crying in the middle of church cause I just missed Covenant so much.
- I discovered downtown Gillette on Friday and I love it. Lots of cute locally owned stores. Probably wont go down there too often until it gets warmer.
- Rec Center here is A-Mazing. But pretty pricey for an annual family pass:/ The swim lessons were pretty well priced...so I think there will be a couple of kids learning to swim in the next year...
-There's an Arts Center with kids classes that I'm so excited to take the kids to. Both kids just love doing crafts and anything artistic, so I think they'll really enjoy the class. And I'm sure I will too:)
- MOPS! There have been 2 meetings so far and it was so nice to sit down with some other moms and have some fellowship time. They meet twice a month (though not in Dec) so it'll be a great way for the kids and me to meet people. Noah is still pretty hesitant to large group settings, so he was a little overwhelmed by the
childcare since there were so many kids. Hopefully we'll have some playdates soon and once he makes a couple of friends he'll be more excited to go.
- The hardest thing is definitely hearing Noah saw that he misses his friends and that he wants kids to play with. We've met one of our neighbors, and they're great, but they have a 6 year old girl...so there's a little age discrepancy there. I'm sure once the holidays are over I'll be able to get some playdates set up, but until then please pray for Noah's heart. It just kills me to see him sad and missing his friends. I'm so grateful for the friendship he has with Chloe - he's just the best big brother we could ever hope for and I know he would be just miserable without her.
- Did I say these were going to be quick takes? Here's a couple of pics to make it more worth your time;)
Monday, December 12, 2011
2011 Miles, 11 States and 4 Days...
Did I say something in my last post about blogging more? And then follow by a blog absence of 2 months? Sounds like me. Well, we're settled in Wyoming now, or mostly settled, so in theory I'll have more time to blog. (I know, I'll believe it when I see it too).
So now, I'm catching up, as usual...
First, a big THANK YOU to everyone that helped us, prayed for us and helped to keep me sane during the time leading up to our departure. Thanks to friends and family who changed plans to come spend time with us in the narrow window you were given. Thanks for the help packing, the time away from packing, and the general shared excitement for our new adventure. Thanks for loving us as a family, and for loving and caring for our precious kids. It's been bittersweet, we are keenly aware of all the good that we've moved away from, but we're in our new home together and are definitely where God wants us.
Before I start crying all over the keyboard, I do have one special shout out to make. I can't imagine how we could have made this trip without the amazingly selfless Julia Gardner. Thank you dear friend for the great company, for loving Noah and Chloe even while trapped in a car with them for 4 days. For driving many more hours than I did, and for being willing to follow my determined husband through a LOT of states on Day 2. For the great conversations and lots of laughter. For listening to way more cartoons than anyone should ever have to listen to in such a short duration. For doing all this and at the end of it unpacking almost my entire kitchen. And for ending the trip with a full day of travel that included 2 layovers. You are such a blessing and I'm so grateful to call you my friend. Lastly, thanks for staring at this with me for 4 days...
I was really hoping to have all the trip details (including how much we spent on gas) but I think I'm avoiding figuring it up cause I just don't really want to know. This is most of the details from the trip:
Day 1: Left Harrisonburg around 2pm after packing up the truck. States: VA, MD, WV, PA, OH. Arrived in Columbus, OH at my brothers house 9 hours later after 3 stops, (1 meal & 2 gas), 4 movies (thanks to Grammie) and 462 miles.
Day 2: Spent the morning playing visiting with Michael (my brother) and his super sweet kids that we love so much. Left Columbus shortly before 2pm. States: OH, IN, IL, WI, MN. Arrived in Winona, MN 12.5 hours later after 3 stops, (1 meal & 2 gas), 2 movies and 729 miles. **We passed into the Central time zone and had daylight savings, so we gained 2 hours this day.
Day 3: Left Winona around 10am after letting the kids run around the hotel lobby for close to 2 hours. States: MN, SD. Arrived in Rapid City, SD 12.5 hours later after 5 stops, (1 meal, 2 gas, 2 "potty"), 2 movies and 615 miles. **We passed into the Mountain time zone and gained another hour.
Day 4: Let the kids run around the hotel lobby for a while and left by 10am. States: SD, WY. Drove slightly out of the way to go see Mt. Rushmore with Julia. Arrived in Gillette at our new house just over 5 hours later after 2 stops, (1 meal, 1 gas), side trek to Mt. Rushmore and 205 miles. **This is the only day that I actually drove more than Julia.
Thanks again friends for all your prayers and support through this big life change of ours. More to come soon...
So now, I'm catching up, as usual...
First, a big THANK YOU to everyone that helped us, prayed for us and helped to keep me sane during the time leading up to our departure. Thanks to friends and family who changed plans to come spend time with us in the narrow window you were given. Thanks for the help packing, the time away from packing, and the general shared excitement for our new adventure. Thanks for loving us as a family, and for loving and caring for our precious kids. It's been bittersweet, we are keenly aware of all the good that we've moved away from, but we're in our new home together and are definitely where God wants us.
Before I start crying all over the keyboard, I do have one special shout out to make. I can't imagine how we could have made this trip without the amazingly selfless Julia Gardner. Thank you dear friend for the great company, for loving Noah and Chloe even while trapped in a car with them for 4 days. For driving many more hours than I did, and for being willing to follow my determined husband through a LOT of states on Day 2. For the great conversations and lots of laughter. For listening to way more cartoons than anyone should ever have to listen to in such a short duration. For doing all this and at the end of it unpacking almost my entire kitchen. And for ending the trip with a full day of travel that included 2 layovers. You are such a blessing and I'm so grateful to call you my friend. Lastly, thanks for staring at this with me for 4 days...
Day 1: Left Harrisonburg around 2pm after packing up the truck. States: VA, MD, WV, PA, OH. Arrived in Columbus, OH at my brothers house 9 hours later after 3 stops, (1 meal & 2 gas), 4 movies (thanks to Grammie) and 462 miles.
Day 2: Spent the morning playing visiting with Michael (my brother) and his super sweet kids that we love so much. Left Columbus shortly before 2pm. States: OH, IN, IL, WI, MN. Arrived in Winona, MN 12.5 hours later after 3 stops, (1 meal & 2 gas), 2 movies and 729 miles. **We passed into the Central time zone and had daylight savings, so we gained 2 hours this day.
Day 3: Left Winona around 10am after letting the kids run around the hotel lobby for close to 2 hours. States: MN, SD. Arrived in Rapid City, SD 12.5 hours later after 5 stops, (1 meal, 2 gas, 2 "potty"), 2 movies and 615 miles. **We passed into the Mountain time zone and gained another hour.
Day 4: Let the kids run around the hotel lobby for a while and left by 10am. States: SD, WY. Drove slightly out of the way to go see Mt. Rushmore with Julia. Arrived in Gillette at our new house just over 5 hours later after 2 stops, (1 meal, 1 gas), side trek to Mt. Rushmore and 205 miles. **This is the only day that I actually drove more than Julia.
Thanks again friends for all your prayers and support through this big life change of ours. More to come soon...
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Wyoming, really? Yes - Wyoming.
We're moving. To Wyoming. In about 5 weeks. Yes really.
Matt has a new job as a goldsmith and jewelry designer at a jewelry store in Gillette, Wyoming. This isn't something we were looking for or even had any idea would happen a month ago. It's come up that suddenly.
Here are some quick takes that will hopefully answer any questions you may have:
Matt flew out there last week and had a great experience with the store owners and employees. He's signed a contract, so we're definitely going, and we'll definitely be gone for at least two years.
We're still trying to nail down exactly what we want to do with the store here. The plan now is to maintain ownership and have Randy and Sheri Dixon (the former owners) run the store. Our lease is up in November, so we have options and will definitely be moving the store location at minimum.
I'll be staying home with the kids. (Insert cheering and jumping up and down). I'm very sad that I'll finally be doing this in a place where I know no one and have no stay at home mommy support system. I do know that God is good, and He has given us the opportunity that we've wanted for a long time - I'm so grateful for God's provisions thus far and know that He has amazing people and experiences in store for us in WY.
Matt will be leaving in mid-late Oct, will work for 2-3 weeks and then fly back to drive across the country with us.
Yes we've moving ourselves. The new job is helping, but it will still be costly for us. Matt will be driving the moving truck...so I'll be driving the kids in our car. For the approximately 27 hour drive. We're praying that it works out for someone to come with us for the drive. Thinking that we'll split it into 4 days, the first day ending in a visit with my brother's family in Ohio (but for not long enough).
I am in major purge mode. I'm hoping to sell some things to help with the cost of the move...but when it comes down to it, we just have a lot of stuff that we don't need to take across the country with us. Stay tuned on FB for a ghetto-virtual yardsale of sorts.
Thanks for all our friends and family that have been supportive and have offered to help. We'll probably take you up on it, so stay tuned.
Oh, and hey, I'll be able to blog a lot more. Hmm, I meant to sell you more on the idea of Wyoming, but got a little caught up in other details. I guess that's a future post. That's it for now. I have to pack people!!! (while Matt watches football)
Matt has a new job as a goldsmith and jewelry designer at a jewelry store in Gillette, Wyoming. This isn't something we were looking for or even had any idea would happen a month ago. It's come up that suddenly.
Here are some quick takes that will hopefully answer any questions you may have:
Matt flew out there last week and had a great experience with the store owners and employees. He's signed a contract, so we're definitely going, and we'll definitely be gone for at least two years.
We're still trying to nail down exactly what we want to do with the store here. The plan now is to maintain ownership and have Randy and Sheri Dixon (the former owners) run the store. Our lease is up in November, so we have options and will definitely be moving the store location at minimum.
I'll be staying home with the kids. (Insert cheering and jumping up and down). I'm very sad that I'll finally be doing this in a place where I know no one and have no stay at home mommy support system. I do know that God is good, and He has given us the opportunity that we've wanted for a long time - I'm so grateful for God's provisions thus far and know that He has amazing people and experiences in store for us in WY.
Matt will be leaving in mid-late Oct, will work for 2-3 weeks and then fly back to drive across the country with us.
Yes we've moving ourselves. The new job is helping, but it will still be costly for us. Matt will be driving the moving truck...so I'll be driving the kids in our car. For the approximately 27 hour drive. We're praying that it works out for someone to come with us for the drive. Thinking that we'll split it into 4 days, the first day ending in a visit with my brother's family in Ohio (but for not long enough).
I am in major purge mode. I'm hoping to sell some things to help with the cost of the move...but when it comes down to it, we just have a lot of stuff that we don't need to take across the country with us. Stay tuned on FB for a ghetto-virtual yardsale of sorts.
Thanks for all our friends and family that have been supportive and have offered to help. We'll probably take you up on it, so stay tuned.
Oh, and hey, I'll be able to blog a lot more. Hmm, I meant to sell you more on the idea of Wyoming, but got a little caught up in other details. I guess that's a future post. That's it for now. I have to pack people!!! (while Matt watches football)
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