Somewhere In Middle America

I'm writing this post from Iowa, which means that we are checked out from our apartment, the Skybox has been loaded back on the car and packed to the gills. As always, my spatially-challenged self mis-judged the amount of room we'd have in order to include my little sister in the trip.

After about twenty hours of riding in the back seat with my kids in stereo on either side of her, she decided that she would rather pay the extra money to fly home and see her own children, rather than have mine being loud and boisterous in her ears. Overall, they've done great in the car, but by the time we were about ten miles out of Iowa City H was in tears asking if we were ever going to get there?! He said he'd 'rather go to Tyler's house' because it was closer...little did he know we were over 20 hours from Tyler's house.

We ordered the last of our appliances last night, and they're scheduled to be delivered the same day we get there (along with our walk-through and cable/internet installation...I sure hope we're not running late!)

Leaving was a lot harder than I expected. Three years is a long time to put down roots, make connections and create a life for yourself and your family. J didn't struggle as much as I because while he worked in Worcester, I lived there. My friends are all staying, and will be meeting for coffee club, beach playdates and mom's night outs, minus one Sally HP. J is within a cohort of people that are all moving to the next step.

And as we pulled out of town, tears pricking my eyelids, and feelings of gratitude washing over me for all the friends and support I'd had during my time of being a functionally single mother (thanks, M for coining that term) J pronounced; 'You're welcome, Worcester!'

Next stop, Fargo!

T minus 10 days

As I look around at the growing nakedness of my apartment, with boxes shoved anywhere they can be, it's starting to hit me...we're leaving in ten days. No longer are we counting months or weeks, but days. The movers come a week from tomorrow, and I feel like I still have a lot of packing to do, but I've also already done a ton. The good thing about starting this early has been that I've been able to get rid of a lot of stuff! I've hauled about 8 garbage bags of clothes and shoes to the Planet Aid collection box in the last two weeks alone. Add to that the 8-10 bags of papers that have been taken to the recycling and I'm feeling pretty good about the way I'm going about this move.

Last time, we were stuck at the last minute having to just dump whatever I thought we couldn't live without for the time it would take the movers to get to us, but ended up that it wouldn't fit in our car...that's even after we'd purchased a gynormous sky box, which will soon make it's way from loft to the lofty heights of the freestyle again.

While I'm on the verge of tears when I think about what we'll actually be leaving, the prospect of a new home, new places to explore and some permanency are really exciting. To get even more excited, I decided to start nailing down the details of the room in our new home that will be priority Numero Uno; H and Charlie's room. With each box we pack and picture we take off the wall, I can feel H's anxiety rise. When I loaded his dresser into the car which I planned to deliver to someone via craigslist sale after dropping him at pre-school on Friday (his last day of school, no less) I thought he was going to lose it.

I explained that this dresser had just been temporary, but that we were going to use Daddy's dresser in his room because it was bigger, would be painted a cool color, etc. Then we got to start talking about the coveted robot sheets, which he drools over each time the Land of Nod catalogue is delivered to our house. Today, I bit the bullet and ordered them. I also called a Walla Walla furniture store, Walker's Furniture, after finding a great bunk-bed set that can be separated to two twins until H and C are old enough to make the climb. They were nice enough to hold the sale price for us, since we won't order them until next week.

Next up, paint colors. With a light grey (Gentle Rain) base, there will be a center section around the room with fun, bold stripes in Dragon Fire, Southern Blue and Utah Sky. Of course, H can't live without the Ugly Dolls that are pictured in the bed as throw pillows.

I hope that having a fun bedroom will help to make the transition less sad, although I know full well that material things won't take the place of friends it will, at the very least, make him understand that this is his home, and not some temporary resting place.

Last up, but very big news for our family, is that we're going to be making a new addition in August. No, silly, I'm not pregnant! That would give me the gestation period of a dog...which, coincidentally is exactly what we're getting! Since this is my first dog, I'm so excited that we have what I feel like will be the perfect opportunity. We'll be inheriting my girlfriend's seven year old lab, who is an awesome dog. H has been asking for 'a black labrador' for a long time, so I'm really, really looking forward to it.

I've been obsessively reading websites about incorporating an older dog into your family, introducing your children to a pet, and balancing all that will come with having a canine member of the family. I fully admit that I will be learning as I go but, as with having my kids, I'm as ready as I'll ever be! Will there be frustrations and imperfections? Yes. Will I take a little bit to get over myself and my gross-out factor with animal hair? Absolutely! But the most important thing to me is that I'm genuinely excited, and looking forward to having that something added to our family that fills the house with affection, a standing date with a leash as I'll have someone counting on my to move my booty every single day and, yes, a responsibility that keeps you grounded to your home-base.

At the very least, I'm sure my adventures in doggy-rearing will provide some very entertaining blog-fodder.

Like a Chicken With Its Head Cut Off!

For the last two weeks, I feel like I haven't had time to sit and breathe, let alone write a post.

Highlights include my precious Baby Charlie making the shift to the Terrific Two's, a fantastic day out with the girls to Newburyport, which included a stop at the Todd Farms Flea Market, walking through the great antique shops like Flukes, and ending with lunch at Grogs followed by dessert and coffee at a cute bakery.

H is winding down his time at school as we start to pack up our belongings in preparation of the big move at the end of the month.

Our house is completed including sod and (I think) all the paperwork for the loan is in, now we just have to play the waiting game until closing on the 30th. One of my girlfriends emailed me offering to take the kids for the morning, and another friend offered to come occupy H in the afternoon while Charlie napped, so J and I had the WHOLE day to pack. No matter how much I hate packing, I'm so glad that J suggested we start early because we've already gotten rid of a massive amount of stuff that would have just gotten shoved into boxes had we waited until the end to start.

It's the busy times in your life that you realize how great your friends are. Over the last three years, I've been blessed with an amazing support network both near and far.

This weekend was a bit of a whirlwind, beginning with us dropping the kids off with family in Connecticut, because they'd generously given their time to watch them overnight so we could attend J's graduation ceremony for the residency program and not have to worry about a sitter.

I couldn't quite hang with the big dogs for the entire after party so I took my tired booty home so that I could awake bright and early for my last training run before the big day! While J picked the kids up, I sort of stood in the loft and stared at the boxes I could be packing should I have the energy or motivation. Finding neither I headed back downstairs to watch another episode of what has become my current obsession; Friday Night Lights. Oh, how glad I was to find that the actor who plays Tim Riggins is only 2 years younger than I in real life because I was starting to feel downright pervy.

Dinner with the team over, I quickly escorted the kids home, gave them the most abbreviated wipe down possible and sent them to bed. I packed my bag, a bag for them that J could bring with when he and the kids came to cheer me on, and got my outfit laid out. By 9pm, I had reviewed the course map one last time before driving peacefully, and had one of the best nights of sleep I've had in a very long time.

5am came rather quickly, but I was wide awake, ready to face the biggest challenge of my life to date. I think I can say it was almost as challenging as childbirth because they don't give you an epidural during a half-marathon if the pain is too much, or you need to get some rest.

I dressed, rolled, ate two pieces of toast, drank a packet of emergen-c and it was off to the Y I went to stretch with my team-mates and chat away the nervous energy. I was so much less nervous than I anticipated being, and even less nervous than those first Saturday long runs. I realized as I was standing there that it was because I felt really and truly prepared.

The race was great, filled with so much encouragement by the spectators, water station volunteers and the police officers that were controlling the mayhem that is Kelly Square. As I crossed over mile 8 and was feeling good, I knew I'd be okay. However, whoever said that the last mile is the easiest, I'd like you to identify yourself so that I can smack you in the face. You are a horrible liar! I cannot even describe the joy I felt as I saw that huge FINISH banner looming ahead and I sprinted in.

Waiting at the end were H, Charlie and J. As I crossed the timing pads, H looked at me with his sweet smile and said 'Congratulations, Mom!' I swooped him up, and the emotion of the moment hit me. Swollen fingers, tired legs, I started to cry. Which is really difficult when you've not yet caught your breath so I pulled it together, and put on a smile.

And that's the last two weeks, in a nutshell.

(Over) Committed

Yes, that is a gigantic cold sore taking up residence on the lower half of my face. The picture seems to minimize the damage, but it's pretty much half of my lower lip, then down onto the skin about a half-inch. It looks the prettiest when I've slathered on Abreva so that it looks like I just did a really sloppy job of brushing my teeth.

As it would happen, the cold-sore didn't make it's appearance until after all the mortgage stress was resolved, but I think I just needed to sit down and have a little reflective time about my priorities. That time came when I had a baby-sitter for a full day so that I could tackle the albatross that is our loft. Originally designated as an office and crafting space, it's become the loft of shame, where toys go for time-out, goodwill boxes are stored and general chaos ensues. I had been sifting and tossing for about two hours when my friend Alex called to check on the progress.

I was feeling pretty discouraged because I felt like I'd been at it for awhile with no real difference (but after I'd taken out the SEVEN bags of garbage/recycling, it was actually substantially better) and she asked if I was overwhelmed. Overwhelmed just didn't capture how I was feeling. I felt a little discouraged, but I felt like the biggest sensation was that I had no idea when I'd be able to fit in another day of cleaning like this, and I had so many things I wanted to get done, with so little time.

Oh, did I mention I was hosting book club that evening and still had to make the baked goods for it? Because OF COURSE I chose to tackle a major cleaning task when I was slated to have guests that evening. It wasn't until I was mixing the nonfat yogurt into the 'less guilt' Trader Joe's brownies and talking with my sister on the phone that it hit me and I told her 'I am just completely over-committed!' I know this isn't a shocker to most, as a lot of people are over-committed, but I was just tired of missing deadlines and not having time to really enjoy any one task because it was just another to tick off the ever-growing to-do list.

After almost three years of fast and furious, throw-yourself-out-there to make friends and connections quickly, my time in New England is winding down and I feel like I need to allow myself the luxury of withdrawing a little bit to start tying up loose ends. Those hats that I still owe Michele? Yes, they'll get done, but now that it's fully Spring, I can only hope they're still in style next winter. That sweater for my sister's birthday (last month)? Yep, it'll get done, before she gets here for her conference in May. Those transcriptions? checkedy-check. My board positions ended at the first of the month and with each completion, I feel a weight lifting. No new cast-ons...pack that yarn and those needles away!

Coordinating the move has been more work than I remembered it being last time. It's probably because I was working a full time job literally up until we moved so I had far less time to obsess over it. But maybe it's just because it's like having your second child; the first time you were blissfully unaware of how much work an infant would be...I mean, you'd heard it was hard, but until you have that baby who's yowling at midnight, then at 2am, then 4...then 6...but the second? You know already.

Oh, and you can only put one jumbo Yakima Skybox on top of your car, so I now know how important it will be to keep behind only the most essential items. What are essentials? Well, I probably won't insist on bringing our full sized computer and television, enough clothes for a month or toiletries to spare. But that scrub-brush and plastic bucket did actually come in handy (you ever tried to get puke off of a car seat in a gas station parking lot without an outdoor water supply? Ask J, it was really fun!)

Taking on one task or stressor at a time and either eliminating it or putting boundaries on it will be a slow process, but I already feel a huge sense of relief. It's just too bad I had to have herpes spread all over my face to finally wise up!

Is a Very, Very, Very Fine House

I know that I've talked about the house we're building, but have I shown you yet? I'm so fortunate to have a realtor that's willing to attempt to achieve the stalker status with which I'd surely be rewarded were I to live in the same town as that in which my house is being built.

I'm flying out to make the choices for flooring, counters, light fixtures and all the fixin's and it's made me really step back and realize where my priorities lie. I will have an eating area that's carpet free. But, does it have to be tile or can it be something else? I've kept my eyes open to alternatives to the flooring choice of my dreams ever since realizing that granite did not have to be my immediate counter top of choice, and deciding to get laminate with a glossy finish and nice edge.

Lo and behold, a couple of the recent kitchens I've really liked have had either laminate hardwood or laminate tile. I've found a couple of laminate tile options that I really like, and with little kids and a future canine friend, it may be just what the doctor ordered. Oh yeah, and did I mention a limited upgrade budget?

I do want hardwoods throughout the rest of the main living area, so think the laminate tile may be a great concession that will let me get high-quality wood in the living room, den, and possibly our bedroom. So many choices to make, but I've surprised myself by not becoming to emotionally attached to any one option, and looking at a lot of alternatives. I've been dreaming about owning a home for so long; watching HGTV and DIY with abandon, collecting tips and making lists. You can bet there are a number of projects that I won't be asking the contractor to do, because I'm confident I can take a class at Home Depot and do it myself for a lot less...Hello, tiled back splash, how are you today?

I've also been reading The Not So Big House, by Sarah Susanka, which is amazing and talks a lot about making the most use of the spaces you have. If you're designing a house, this is the book to read because she talks all about having every inch of your house be livable space, since so many houses today are built to be show-houses. We're not in the price bracket for rooms that we won't use, so instead, I'm embracing the 'small' (such a relative term since my family of six grew up in a 900 sq. ft. house).

The top priority thus far has been to have a back-yard that is ready to simply pull up and unleash the beasts. I will sacrifice granite and tile if it means I have underground sprinklers, sod and a fence for my kids to enjoy a backyard that they (and I) have lived far too long without. H is already making a mental list of the hippo pool and slip 'n slide shenanigans that will ensue!

On top of the short list (which is actually not so short anymore) of furniture, appliances, outdoor accessories and other fun stuff to buy once we are homeowners, I've added a Schwinn cruiser and the coolest stroller/bike trailer+ contraption I've ever seen.

It seats two kids and converts from jogging stroller to bike and ski trailer. Of course it's super spendy, but I'll be on the lookout for a used one first. I am so ready for sidewalks, bike lanes and riding to the farmer's market with my kids!

Walla Walla Sweet

With all the business around the holidays, I forgot to post one of the most exciting things that has happened for us; we know where we're going to land post-residency!

We'll be moving to the sleepy Walla Walla Valley, where vineyards abound and the character of downtown puts a smile on your face.

Moving also means househunting, and we're pretty sure we're going to build, so it's a big step, a fun step, and I'm sure you'll hear all about the mis-steps.

Oh, and we'll be getting a dog, per H's request when we move, so there are sure to be puppy potty and poo stories to make your day start off with a bang.