Here we go!

So it has been quite a week for our family. Last Monday night we talked to a real estate agent about options for our home. It was the answer we were looking for and the ball has been picking up steam since then. We had a plan and felt good about selling our house with this guy (named steve of course, so I just refer to him as the real estate agent). After he left us on Monday night, both Steve and I felt like a great weight had been lifted off of our shoulders and we were at peace. From there it was just looking at the calendar and saying when we were moving. It was either the 20th or the 27th of THIS MONTH! I was trying to get there so that I could start school this semester, but after a lot of thought, looking at the calendar, and prayer I am waiting until January to start on this education adventure of mine.

Alabama schools started today, so Hannah is going to miss 3 weeks of school, but I figure that she won't be too far behind since she has really done a 1st grade curriculum with her school last year. Hannah is excited to go but is a little worried about new friends. I am sure that she will make some new ones fast and there will be play dates before we know it!

Since we decided on a date, we needed to get on the bandwagon for somewhere to live. It was easy to get a rental truck and extra drivers to help us make this 27 hour adventure that we are embarking on in 17 days. We had already been approved through a rental company in AL so that was nice. They had a 4 bedroom house near the high school that we didn't get, so there were two other houses that would be good for our family. Steve's dad was nice enough to go and look at the two that we were interested in. I guess the first one wasn't so nice and the second would do. It was nice but not one of those houses that you just have to have.

I was looking through the house listings just for fun to see what houses still were for sale. What would you know the house that I fell in love with in April was still up for sale. I talked to Steve about calling their listing agent just to see if they might rent it to us since it is the end of summer. Well that was Friday afternoon and to sum it all up it is the house that we are renting!!! I get to live in the house that I love and that is perfect for our family without having to buy it.

The house is perfect. It is a four bedroom, three bath house that is 2800 feet! Plenty of room for our girls and for Steve to work! The best part about this house is that there is a HUGE room in the basement for Steve to work from home. No more commute to work, unless you count walking down the stairs. Steve's boss is going to pay us a little for the 'office space' and even pick up the tab for the internet and phone too.

The house should be really quiet in the mornings. Hannah starts school at 8 am and Ruby needs to be to school around 7:45, so it will just be me and Katy every morning. We will then go and get Ruby at 11:30 and probably make a tradition of finding some fun place to eat around town and then heading off to the library or taking a walk on the trails while it is still warm out. Then we can hurry home so that we can meet Hannah getting off of the bus.

But I guess instead of day dreaming about what we will be doing in 3 weeks, I need to get to packing my house once again, but at least this time we have a 5 year plan and even a little bit planned after that too. Our family has been so blessed in this big change of our life. It seemed like it was never going to happen, but we did know it was going to happen and not when. I guess looking back at everything that has happened since we have moved into this house, it was getting us ready to head back to college again. The Lord's time frame is working and I have learned to trust in that. Yes I am sad to go, since once again friends are moving here and new friendships are growing and the Smith's are packing up to leave. The best part is that I have friends all over the country and have the BEST friends ever!

It is getting to be that time of year that my thoughts reflect back to my son and his short life and I can't tell you how special that for his 8th birthday we will all be close to his grave. I am very thankful for that and to know that there will be many service days spent at his grave with the girls to make it pretty. In a way for me, all of my children will be together and that makes me happy.

So that is the Smith's and the big changes that are going to be happening in the next few weeks. Phone calls are getting done and we are embarking on our 4th cross country adventure in 17 days!!!