late night ramblings

So, it's not often I am stuck awake, trying to fall asleep. But so I am, here in the office, at 11:48pm awake with my mind racing. You can't really blame me though. I mean, we have a lot of big stuff going on in our lives.

The obvious- the house. Here we are, ready to move on with our lives, on to bigger and better things. I mean, we are going from 1190 square feet to an unimaginable 1900+ house (plus two car garage). It will fill up quickly, but we are so blessed to be able to make the move and "upgrade" our surroundings. I have told people from the beginning. A house is a house. It stays where it is and people move in and out of it. Your home is where your heart (and your family) is. It's where you live, breathe, sleep, work, play, laugh, and love. So, though I try to look at everything objectively and say "Eagle Road is just a house. We are taking everything we love with us." It's hard to make my heart believe that sometimes. I mean, Eagle Road has so many memories and a special place in my heart....
-It's our first home: Chad and I had only been married 9 months when we came upon home ownership. It was a scary and exciting time, and we were excited to have the opportunity to OWN, and not rent, so quickly after marriage.
-Brooklyn's first (and only home): She took her first scoots, crawls, and steps in that living room. She drank her first bottle on the couch. She cried for her mommy and daddy from her bedroom. She peeled the wallpaper from the wall above where she could lay on her changing table. She bathed (and peed) in the tub. She snuck in our bedroom at night. She moved to a big girl bed. She learned to use the potty. She played in the backyard.
-The backyard: Ahhh, it was our pride and joy. So lush and green. How we will miss you.
-My gardenias: I didn't even know what they were when Emily helped me buy them, but they are beautiful and bloom so often. And I don't even have to remember to water them. :-)
-Vaccuming: One plug reaches the whole house. Need I say more?
-The hole: That hole that my dad put in the wall between the dining room and the living room made all the difference in the world. It opened that space up more than I ever imagined it would.
-The Stevensons: Jon and McKenzie are literally a 58 second run away down the street. Close enough where they were our "go to" family for anything we needed in a pinch. I think we kept their flashlight for about 8 months. We'll miss sharing Eagle Road with you, and just remember guys, I have been scoping houses out in AF for you already!

So, I know that these are little things and I have taken enough pictures of everything to last a lifetime, and I have many things to look FORWARD to with the new house. To name just a few initial excitements:
-Duel sinks in the master bath
-Cool sink nozzle/sprayer in the kitchen
-Hardwood floors
-A place to have a big Christmas tree (in the LIVING ROOM)
-New carpet and paint upstairs (that I didn't have to do!)
-Side by side fridge with an ice maker (that's connected!)
-Retractable, remote controlled awning on the patio (cement, not brick- yay!)
-Neighbors with kids (three years old, too!)
-A dutch barn (as opposed to the "out house" looking contraption we call storage now)
-A bonus room (or as Brooklyn calls it, "her dancing space")
- CLOSETS (or as Brooklyn calls them, "her hiding spaces")
-A breakfast table (more chairs for everyone!)
-Surround sound

So, these are just things that I see from just a few visits....there will be more, I am sure, and I am sure I will lose sleep over the next week or so worrying about everything that will transpire over the next week: from closing back to back houses, to painting, to moving, to moving the BIG stuff, to remodeling, and finally, to closing the door to Eagle Road one last time with the keys inside and saying "Goodbye." It's an emotional time and I am not an emotional person, so this should be interesting to say the least.

Some prayer requests: Pray for us as we make this move. And please pray for me as I deal with some pretty complicated issues at work ("Stress at the Girl Scout office?," you might say, "Really?") You would be surprised. And finally, pray for our band, Grace Reigns Down, as we have been afforded some great opportunities over the next several months and we are working to discern God's path for us and how we can best be His servants.

Am I tired yet? Did typing a long post help? Kinda....but now I have to research baby gates for stairs. Never had to worry about that before, and even though Brooklyn is 3, I am dead set on having a gate at the top of the stairs for her "midnight visits." :-)

My big Village 3 girl

Today marked a pretty exciting day for Brooklyn. She moved to the Village 3 hall at school (where all the biggest kids are!). It's hard to believe that we survived Village 1 and infancy, much less Village 2 and "Toddler-dom", and now we are already in Village 3. Next stop: Kindergarten! (But thankfully not for two more years!) To celebrate the "big move", Brooklyn's school had a "Field Day/Cookout" for the kids and their parents last Friday. It was a fun morning, and here are some highlights:

Brooklyn and Sierra waiting their turn for the games.
Brooklyn in the "Potato Sack" race (or "Walk along the mulch in a pillowcase" race)
Ms. Ramona helps Brooklyn, Eden, and Sierra with the "Egg Relay"
And finally, the "Ball Toss"
It was a fun morning, and Chad and I were glad we both got to spend some time with Brooklyn on "her turf."

america's next top models

So, what do you get when you cross two crazy girls with minds of their own, two even crazier moms who are suckers for good pictures, and a jammed pack room of screaming children and anxious parents? A great afternoon at Portrait Innovations, that's what! Despite the "walmart-esque" nature of the facility (people, watch your children!), Allie and Brooklyn had a great time taking their "Summer 2008 pictures." And, because Misty and I are suckers and spent too much money, we were given the CD to share...so, enjoy!

And no pictures would be complete without a set of out-takes...

Brooklyn: "Hey, Allie do your hands like this." Allie: (between a gritted smile) "No, Brooklyn, stand right."

Brooklyn: "Hey Allie, now you sit on my lap. Ooof! OK, time to get up now."

Brooklyn: "Seriously, how many of these poses do I have to do?" Allie: "Come on, Brooklyn, pretend to enjoy it a little here!"

Brooklyn has had enough of the first room.

So, on to the beach scene, but Brooklyn decides to make up her own pose. Photographers, take note!

how wonderful life is now you're in the world!

I want to wish my wonderful husband, Chad, a happy 6 year anniversary (yesterday, August 3rd). Though our life is currently dictated by a three and a half year old (already planning her four year old birthday in February), I just wanted to let Chad know what a wonderful husband and father he is. Brooklyn and I are so lucky that he is ours, and we thank God every day for him! I'm excited about starting our 6th year in a new home with our perfect little family, and I am already going to apologize for the stress that I will cause you when we move and I am redecorating. Hey, it's inavoidable. :-) But, look on the bright side...I hate to move so we won't be having this conversation again for another 30 years when we move into our deluxe condo. :-)

Can you believe that 6 years ago, digital cameras were not a staple in every household, so our wedding photographs were all on, gasp, FILM. So, I wish there were photos to reminisce with, but alas, none are on my computer, and I am too busy to scan. :-) But, we can all think back and remember that hot August day/evening at First Lutheran and Bryan Park, the beautiful ceremony, how Universal Decca Recording Artist Brendan James sang Ave Maria and Your Song (when he was just college friend Brendan Ernst), "the ring drop," how I left Heidi hanging with the bouquets and just ran down the aisle with Chad, the awesome reception with David Frazier- the BEST DJ ever, Heidi and Larry- the NEW bride and groom, the Phi Beta Chi girls dancing to Beat It (to which my brother replied "Only you would have choreography at your reception."), the bouquet (s) toss, running out of Red Oak (sorry Chad!), my new brother-in-law entering the reception hall- beer in hand & cowboy hat on head- to Return of the Mack, watching my mom and her friends dance to It's Raining Men, and finally, leaving the reception to drive through "Taco Bell" to get some sweet tea!

I love you, Chad, and I couldn't imagine sharing this crazy ride with anyone else!

well, we're moving on up...

If all goes well and the papers get signed, on August 28th we will be the proud new owners of 2330 Adams Farm Parkway. Please keep us in your prayers as we embark on this new journey. (And when I say, we are moving on up, I mean WAY up- the driveway is very STEEP!). :-)

The house is a three bedroom (+ bonus room) vinyl home with a two car garage and Dutch barn in the back (Chad's favorite). We love the area (though a little farther from work and church), the storage is GREAT, there is room to grow (not for several more years!), and the street is very "kid friendly." There is only one wallpaper border to remove (see kitchen below) and a few walls to paint....and those of you who remember Eagle Road know I HATE wallpaper. :-)

The backyard has grass (yay!) and is backed by mature trees, which we love (no crazy neighbor kids walking through our backyard!). My favorite? The retractable awning over the patio.

So, again, please pray for us as we continue to work towards closing on our old house and closing on our new house (both on August 28), as we go through the house inspection tomorrow, and as I (gasp!) pack up our stuff!