Anna-thology

Oh my new house!!!!

Wow. What a whirlwind. Man, I have missed blogging. I just, like literally five minutes ago got my internet up. Cable service, woohoo! (I'm cool) I have missed my blog so much these past five days!!! Seriously, I have been thinking about posts, in fact wanted to write them up in word and cut and paste them in here, but every time I've thought about it I've thought of fourteen other things that were more pressing to do instead. Truly, at least fourteen. It's been crazy here. This move has been so weird. Hard, but good. First of all, moving with two kids. Yeah, no fun. Sarah has just completely freaked out on us, she's finally normalizing. She didn't nap at all the first two days and screamed herself to sleep the first couple nights. No fun. Secondly, we are all still sick with this creeping crud. I just give up on getting better at this point, and plow through anyway. We had one friend help us pack up the truck for two hours on Thursday, other than that Rob and I did it ourselves. And by Rob and I, I mean he stayed in the truck rearranging while I schlepped half of everything we own from the barn to the truck in 25 degree weather. Needless to say I had no voice by the time we got here. Meeting everyone was a little intimidating, eight parishoners came to unload our truck, which was awesome, I was just so sick I was kind of a mess. I wonder what their first impressions were. Ours? These people are incredible. I love it here already.

The house.
Let me tell you about the house. I love it. It's huge!! My kids sleep on a whole other floor! I finally have some breathing room! Once I dig out from under all the boxes that is. :) It's a turn of the century bungalow, very spacious. We've already eaten our first meal at the dining room table, just like something out of a Norman Rockwell painting. My studio!!! Did I mention my studio? It's not set up at all, other than the fact that Rob helped me arrange the furniture in there, it's awesome. I'm dying to open up boxes and start setting up shop, but there are more pressing boxes to unpack, like dishes and clothing. I'm doing really well so far, have the kitchen almost completely unpacked - a major challenge since it has about half the cabinet space of our old kitchen. The only downside to the house, but it's really quite charming and I think we'll be able to work around it.

The people. Oh, my goodness, the people here. Ok, you picture all the issues we had in Ozark, and this is the core opposite. I'm not kidding. These people are loving and generous and sweet and kind. They welcomed us and our sick kids and our ten tons of stuff. One gal brought us 6 or 8 bags of groceries, so we could eat right away before I got our kitchen set up. Then yesterday, they had a big welcome dinner for us, soup and sandwiches and dessert. Delicious! These women can cook!! And a food shower, a table filled with dry goods, I seriously can't find room for all the wonderful food. We could eat for months off of what they gave us! Our foodstamps will last a long time at this rate. They also gave us cards with checks or cash or gift certificates to the local grocery store. And here's the kicker - Rob got paid yesterday!! He had barely even started! They paid him for a full week too! I didn't know how we were going to make ten days on the $20 we had left to our name when we got here. I meant to say too, they had a christmas tree up in our house for us, decorated with gifts for the kids under it. And a beautiful floral arrangement too, on the table. I was so impressed. Church was wonderful. I can't wait to spend more time there. This is going to be so wonderful for us. I am so thankful.

So back to today.
We are taking Eli to visit his new pre-school. I'm really praying about it, it's not here in town, but five minutes away. I'm sad because I wanted him to go here. He's excited though. Sarah is going to play at one of the board members houses, his wife (soon to be my good friend, I'm sure) runs a day care and she has two openings, so she's happy to watch Brea for a couple hours while we visit and set up our bank account. Tonight is our first youth service, I'm so excited. Poor Rob, he's way nervous and of course concerned that his sermon won't be good enough, but I'm confident that he will be brilliant, as usual. I was so proud of him yesterday, he did a great job leading worship. Such a wonderful man, I cannot even tell you how my heart swells when I think of what he's done these past three and half years. I need to find a sitter so we can go out and celebrate our new life and his graduation. There is a fondue place in St. Louis that we are dying to try! Well, that's it for now. I have 26 messages in my inbox and probably more than 26 boxes to unpack still. More later!