Seein' Places I Might Never See Again...

Just a little update from the road. We are now a little over half-way through our trip, and enjoying a little R'n'R at my Uncle Pete's and Aunty Lin's in Minnesota. (These are the parents of the Clint my brother recently posted about.) By the time we arrived here last night, we were SO ready for the break. Originally, we thought Jason was going to have to keep toodling on today, but through a strange set of circumstances, the Lord blessed us with an extra day with the U-haul, so he is enjoying a day with us here before he leaves tomorrow--all of our worldly possessions on his back like a snail's.

Believe it or not, we managed to fit all of said possessions into a 17-foot truck. They are stacked in there so tightly that the border guard promptly changed his mind about making Jason open the door to inspect it after it was only open a few feet. I guess he didn't want to have a big mess all over the pavement at midnight. It ought to be kind of interesting when we open it up to unload, though. (I say "we" loosely--I won't actually be there, as I am taking a few extra days up here in Minnesota before heading southwards.)

So. I haven't checked my e-mails. This is a dial-up connection, so I think I won't. That can just wait.

The drive has gone okay so far. The boys have all been taking turns riding with Daddy in the truck, so that has helped them stay entertained. Oh, and the DVD player has been working like a charm! I think Noah is tired of traveling, though. He has asked me several times over yesterday and today if we can go home. Boy, is that ever a tough question to answer right now. You know, with us being homeless and all.

Our last few days in Alberta are mostly a blur with strong emotions attached to them. I was so tired and sleep-deprived and stressed, but also overwhelmed with gratitude at the amount of people that took several days out of their lives to come and help us pack, clean, load, and prepare. Wow. We would not have been able to do everything on time without them. Especially Amanda, who spearheaded and organized the efforts to help us out.

We have been enjoying a good visit so far, and are loving that our butts are UN-conforming from the shape of a vehicle seat. I am looking forward to seeing my cousin Gina later on today, and meeting her husband Jamin and two girls for the first time. (We ought to have some fun, tongue-twisting moments tonight: "Jason! I mean, Jabin! No, I mean, Jamin!" Yikes.)

Well, I'm getting kicked off the internet so someone can use the phone. I'll post again next week!

Travel Survival Kit, Part 2

Well, sheesh! It's amazing how much STUFF you can hide in a house this size. We had at least ten people helping us today (not to mention a whole passel of kids running around and keeping life interesting) and now our living room is stacked high with boxes--and we didn't even finish all the packing and cleaning! I had completely forgotten how long it takes (and how exhausting it is) to pack a kitchen!

Anyway, I better post about Part 2 (since I know you were all waiting with bated breath) before we pack my computer tomorrow. (Part 1 here.)

When we purchased our new van, I was adamant that I did not want to get a DVD player in it. I figured my kids watch enough boob tube as it is, and I didn't want them asking to watch a movie every time we went to the grocery store. And for most trips, even the 6-8 hour ones, my kids are fine in a van. We have to stop for meals, so that breaks it up nicely, and they can usually keep themselves occupied for the remaining length of time.

Twelve hours? Five days? That's a whole different story.

So, I broke down. I bought a portable DVD player for the van. We have already had "the talk" with Jude about it only being for long trips, not every day. "It's only for when we're moving?" He asked. "We'll go with that," I replied.

So, here's the list of items in my Survival Kit:

1. DVD Player
2. DVD's--some new ones, quite a few old ones. I preferred musicals when choosing the selection, since at least then I can sing along to the songs while they watch the movie.
3. New Magna Doodle.
4. Read-along stories on tape and DVD. I bought a 3-pack of Go, Diego, Go! stories, and I have the twelve-pack cassette tapes on values from Standin' Tall from when I was a kid. I still like them--and my kids do, too! They get to learn about things parents love like Obedience and Dependability, only they don't know they are learning about it. They think they are just listening to a story. It's great.
5. New markers and crayons.
6. Several different colouring books.
7. Mini-bubble bottles.
8. A Raffi CD. (C'mon, it's classic. I couldn't pass it up!)
9. Glo-sticks.
10. Books - a few new, some old.
11. Books that have a little side-panel of accompanying sounds--one each. I got Baby Einsteins, Little Einsteins, and Transformers. (You are supposed to read the story and the kid gets to push the button every time the corresponding picture is in the sentence, but my kids just like sitting and pushing the buttons to hear the sound clip over and over. Drives me crazy actually, but it keeps them entertained for goodly lengths of time, so it works.)
12. Little cars and trucks.
13. Math workbook.
14. Blank paper and drawing supplies.
15. Dora The Explorer Color Wonder Kit. For hours of "no-mess" coloring time with a huge dose of "cool factor" to make it fun for the kids.
16. New activity books--the same one for each, to help avoid fighting.
17. Sonic the Hedgehog comics--some old, two new.
18. Banana-chocolate chip-oatmeal cookies and trail mix.
19. Bandaids and essential oils. 'Cause you just never know.

Okay, so it might be a bit of overkill. But at this point, I'd rather bo overprepared than underprepared, y' know?

A key part of this strategy is to not let them know about everything all at once. One must time it--just when they are starting to hit that whiny and bored stage again, pull out something else that's new that they weren't expecting. Just like any entertainer--it's all about timing.

Speaking of timing, it's time for me to get to bed. As much as I wish we could take a break tomorrow, one meander through my kitchen (or simply turning my head and looking around my office) reminds me that we can't. Sigh. Well, there will be lots of sitting on our tushes coming in only a few days.

Happy weekend, friends!

This Ain't a John and Yoko Song

When Jason and I were in India, we spent most of our time near a city called Bangalore in the state of Karnataka. Well, more specifically, we spent most of our time at a rural Bible College called Green Valley about 75 km (which translates to a 2-hour bus ride) away from Bangalore. When we were there in the late 90's, we never experienced anything but welcoming, friendly faces from everyone we met--some a little too openly-staring at my blond hair and fair skin for my comfort, but I got used to it.

Well, the climate in India is not all reflected by smiling kids chasing your rickshaw and yelling "Hello, Auntie! Hello, Uncle!" In 1999, a long-time missionary in the state of Orissa named Graham Staines was torched, along with his two young sons, as they slept in their station wagon. Before and since then, Hindu activists have persecuted Christians in Orissa, with a recent outbreak of violence that has led to thousands of Christians in Orissa living in refugee camps or in the forests, as this article explains. This site has much more detail about the Orissa persecution.

This morning, our dear friend George, who founded and still runs Green Valley, brought all this to our attention, saying that this violence is now spreading to Karnataka, and down the West Coast--areas that traditionally have been much more friendly to Christians. Here is George's e-mail:

India is emerging into an economical superpower...but on the other hand the communal severance is on the increase too. The war between our present ruling Congress and the opposition is finding expression in communal conflicts. The Orrisa episode which began much before the murderous persecution of Graham Staines has many new chapters followed up!

The recent, like a few weeks ago literally hundreds of so called low class hindus who had become christians genuinely or forcefully were killed through burning or beaten to death. Many church buildings were destroyed with properties which were dwellings of those who were called christians in Orissa. Such events have occured in many other parts of India but not made known to the people in general. Government is limited in what they can do in these situations as these are considered as under the tag of religious fanaticism...and the killings go through the legal proceedings and never get solved for centuries!!

Now we have been drawn to what's happening in Karnataka as that is our home State! On Saturday and Sunday some Christian tracts containing defaming statements on Hindu gods began a stir among Hindu communal political party called Bajran Dal...which gave raise to several atrocities in the State. 7 Churches were destroyed or burnt in Mangalore area...north west Karnataka and a house of nuns also destroyed and many hundreds were injured through arson. One Church was destroyed in Chikmagalur, at interior west Karnataka and on Monday a Church a few kilometers from Devanahalli...half way to Green Valley was destroyed. A few young people shouted making anti-christian remarks in front of Green Valley just two days ago. Many Bible Colleges on Hennur Road in Bangalore received calls and notices threatening them with serious consequences if they did not shut their operations. Many Churches in Bangalore also received notices to shut down their services. Bajran Dal very openly said that they are responsible for the opposition against Christians and forced conversions are the reasons! They very clearly said on TV that the whites who come into the country as visitors getting involved in so-called Christian activity will be opposed and those who host such activities will also be opposed! Open meetings, street preachings and loud propaganda of Christian messages will not be allowed. Now this violence is slowly moving on the west coast to northern Kerala State.

What can we do?

It is so easy to feel helpless in a situation like this. Whether it is a so-called "Christian" American President with who-knows-what hidden agenda, or a crazed dictator touting fundamentalist Islamic teachings, or a Hindu activist terrorizing men, women, and children, religion always seems to be the excuse that violent men use to further their own purposes. "But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble." (Proverbs 4:19 NIV)

How can we prevail against wicked people?

1. Pray. If you are a Christian, pray for your brothers and sisters who are suffering right now. Pray that the hearts of those who are persecuting them would be changed. Remember that Saul, who was the most zealous persecutor of the early church, became Paul, the most zealous apostle for Christ, after he met Christ himself.

2. Give. Check and see if your church or denomination is sending money to help with the relief efforts. If you can't find a way to give and you want to, please contact me (e-mail address on the side) and I will help you. (Please remember I will be out of e-mail contact starting this weekend for about 10 days.)

3. Tell others. As Christians, we are called to lay down our lives for Christ. For some, this has recently become literal. Tell other people about their testimony. Let their deaths speak, not of the hatred of man, but of their love for and faith in Christ.

"All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them...

And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.

These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. " (Excerpts from Hebrews 11.)

How great is the love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Our God is a god of love... pray that our persecuted brothers and sisters would show that love, even to their enemies. Pray for strength for them. Pray for rescue. Pray. Pray. Pray.

"That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, 'Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.' For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, 'Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.' (Romans 10:9-13 NIV)

Travel Survival Kit, Part 1

Anyone who has ever traveled with young children realizes that there is much more involved than everyone grabbing a book and a pillow and having a peaceful day in the van. At least they will after the first time they try this method!

Our kids are pretty darn good travelers. They have done a lot of it in their short lives, and most of the time, are pretty good about entertaining themselves while in the vehicle. Jude has the most experience of course, having taken the 30-hour drive to San Bernardino, CA with us at the tender age of 13 months. Of course, he was sick, constipated and crying most of the way home, but that's another story...

Anyway. When we made the 12-hour day home from Writing-On-Stone this spring, the boys all did great until the very end. Twelve hours in a vehicle is a long time for anyone.

So, I was picturing this 12-hour day in my head as I was planning our route southward, and I multiplied it by five. Immediately, I had this deep certainty right down to the parts of my soul that reside in my left baby toenail that drastic measures must be taken--I. MUST. PREPARE. Not just ordinary throw-stuff-in-a-backpack-'cause-we're-goin'-to-Papa's-house preparation. This is much more serious than that. And so, the Travel Survival Kit was born.

We're not talking edible candles and space-age, shiny blankets. That ain't gonna do a thing to entertain three high-energy boys for five days in a vehicle. So, in this post and the next one, I will outline my drastic measures.

First off, thanks to an idea I got from Angela, I decided we needed some new music mixes. Normally, we alternate listening time in the van between "stuff-the-kids-like" and "stuff-Mommy-likes." Had it ever occurred to me that these could be one and the same? Nope, not until I read Angela's post. I promptly made up four new mix CDs, and while I downloaded a few tunes off Napster, most of these were (scarily enough) already in my collection. Yes, even Stompin' Tom Connors.

This is our favourite list so far:

1. The Lion Sleeps Tonight - The Tokens (Of course, the kids all think this is "from" The Lion King. Ha!)
2. (Meet) The Flintstones - Studio Group
3. There's No Tune Like a Show Tune - Jerry Herman (from Parade)
4. Coffee In A Cardboard Cup - from 70, Girls, 70 (Every time it plays, Noah says, "I yike dis song!")
5. The Ketchup Song - Stompin' Tom Connors
6. One - from A Chorus Line
7. When You're Good To Mama - Queen Latifah (from Chicago)
8. Spiderman - Moxy Früvous
9. Winnie The Pooh - yes, the original
10. I Can Do That - from A Chorus Line
11. You Gotta Have A Gimmick - from "Gypsy" (Of course, I didn't realize until right. now. that this is about stripping! This is actually the recording I have, sans all the banter at the beginning.)
12. King of Spain - Moxy Früvous
13. Jolly Holiday - Dick Van Dyke, Julie Andrews (from Mary Poppins)
14. Loves Me Like A Rock - The O'Jays (from The Fighting Temptations)
15. I Can't Do It Alone - Catherine Zeta-Jones, Renée Zellweger (from Chicago)
16. Once In Love With Amy - Ray Bolger (from Where's Charlie? In case you are not familiar with this great tune, check out a performance of it here.)
17. Feet Do Yo' Stuff - from Hallelujah, Baby!
18. Conga - Rosalind Russell (from Wonderful Town)
19. I've Got Rhythm - Judy Garland (from Crazy For You)
20. The Canadian Lumber Jack - Stompin' Tom Connors
21. All I Care About - Richard Gere (from Chicago)
22. Bud The Spud - Stompin' Tom Connors
23. With A Little Bit of Luck - Stanley Holloway (from My Fair Lady. Of course, I was thinking as I was humming along to it yesterday that Alfred P. Doolittle's "most original moralist in England" thoughts may not be something I want programmed into my kids. Oops.)
24. You're Never Fully Dressed Without A Smile - from Annie

You probably noticed the high density of show tunes. Who knew? Moms like show tunes, kids like show tunes. But really--what's not to love? ;-)

Give Me Some Sugar

This is me:



So much to do, so little time. That's the way I've been feeling lately. My phone has rung so much today, I'm going to start answering it, "Hello, Taco Bell." That ought to throw folks, considering we don't even have a Taco Bell in Peace River!

On the weekend, we saw more friends than we saw all summer. Tell ya, when you move, you suddenly have friends you didn't know about... Waving cheerfully, watching you leave. Just kidding. It's truly hard to believe how many people we wish we didn't have to leave behind here. Sigh. And they all fed us full of sugar to show their love.

Sugar = Love.

I guess it's not a new concept.

Our furniture started walking out the door last weekend, as we slowly began selling it off. Now, we only have a few pieces that aren't gone or spoken for--Jason's actually on a furniture delivery as we speak! We are only one week from "The Great Loading Day," so we are not doing school this week (except whatever worksheets Jude decides to do for fun--because, yes, he really does love math!) and are focusing on packing and taking care of last-minute details. There only seem to be about a million of those.

As I told Jason tonight, "I'm starting to freak out." Freak out that we won't be able to get everything done in time, freak out that we really are leaving one of our favourite places on earth behind, freaking out for fear of the unknown, and freaking out that we'll be living in the United States--a place I have only lukewarm feelings about.

Anyway, at least we'll get to enjoy a winter without forty below for once. (Even the year I went to India from October to February, I somehow managed to get home for the worst part of the winter. That year, Alberta freakishly did not get snow until December 31st. And yes, "freak" is my word of the day.)

The kids' beds all left last Sunday and Monday, and they have had a total blast "camping out" on their bedroom floor in sleeping bags. Jason and I don't have to camp out, only because our mattress is so terrible that I refuse to inflict it on anyone else--it goes straight to the dumpster. Yay! Something else to look forward to--a new, good mattress, for the first time in our marriage! We are still using the caved-in gem my aunt gave us out of our need when we first got married--it was headed for the dumpster then. No wonder I have back problems. (We won't mention my appalling lack of physical activity in the last couple of years. Yay! Something else to look forward to! Dry, level roads, slightly warmish weather, and children finally old enough to make going for a walk not a complete torture. Okay, the kids still can't walk fast enough for Mommy to get any exercise, so I am seriously going to have to work on planning that into my day. Sigh.)

The guy who is taking our dining room table has kindly let us keep it until we move, since he's just a single guy in an apartment. Very sweet of him.

My house is a jumble of boxes and stuff-to-be-packed. It looks kind of like Wal-Mart on Boxing Day around here. Except the stuff doesn't have any tags on it. And some of it is actually better quality.

Last Saturday, I took the kids with me on a drive out to Fairview to pick up new roof racks for our van. On the way, I thought I'd see what the answer was to the question I kept getting asked: "Are the kids excited?"

"Hey, guys! Are you excited to be moving?" I yelled above Junior's Playtime Songs, glancing in the rear-view mirror.

"Yah!!!!" came an unhesitating, unified roar from the back. I was a bit taken aback.

"Really? Why?"

Jude volunteered first: "'Cause there'll be lots of hotels to stay at, with lots of swimming pools..."

Ah. At which point I clarified that we would not be on holidays... this is where we would be living now. Thankfully, that didn't seem to dampen his (or the other two kids') spirits any.

It's kind of weird to be packing a suitcase for the next couple of months (while we stay with my Mom and Mike), and then living out of that while you pack all the rest of your clothes in boxes... and you're still in your own house! It is also trickier than I thought to try and pack light, while still being able to function for the next couple of months. I guess I'll soon find out how I did at that.

One more thing: I got a webcam a couple of weeks ago, and I haven't even got to use it yet. Not as a communications tool, anyway. I don't know enough people on Skype, yet, apparently. And I don't feel like downloading every little messenger program out there and bogging down my computer. I'm too stubborn. And I think my computer is already slow enough.

However. Here is the real me. As seen by my computer for several hours a day.



Aren't you suddenly glad that most of the time I just type? :-)

Shiny

A couple of days ago, Rohini gave me a present. Well, an award, actually. Not only was I flattered, when I read her write-up of me, it kinda made me want to shuffle my feet and mumble something about it not being that big of a deal while trying to hide my blushing cheeks.

Thank you, Rohini!

Now, I get to "pay it forward" to seven other deserving bloggers. Here are the rules:

1. When you receive the prize you must write a post showing it, together with the name of who has given it to you, and link them back
2. Choose a minimum of 7 blogs (or even more) that you find brilliant in their content or design.
3. Show their names and links and leave them a comment informing they were prized with ‘Brilliant Weblog’
4. Show a picture of those who awarded you and those you give the prize (optional).
5. And then we pass it on!

Of course, I would LOVE to give it to Rohini again, but I'm sure she would agree that three times is enough! :-) (Just so you know, Rohini, you are on the list!) Like Rohini's, this list is in no particular order:

1. Graphic Designer Nerd- One look at this gal's blog, and you can tell she knows how to design one! Not only that, but her writing is often humourous and transparent, with her bubbliness apparent in every sentence.

2. The Pancake Chronicles - Colleen has made a shif to more of a photo-blog these days, but whether writing, or photographing, or designing blog headers, this gal's wonderful view on life lets you come away from her blog refreshed. She seems to find beauty in everything.

3. Hanging Out The Wash - I am in awe of Angela's artistic talent, and we could probably have a good old-fashioned cock-fight about who has their "fingers in the most pies", as Rohini referenced ;-), but it is her blogging stamina that really floors me. Besides raising her three small kids, running a household, a business, and another business, she maintains not one, but TWO blogs, leaving me a little behind with reading multiple posts a day at times! Plus, I met her through one of my best friends, Dawn, whom she went to Bible College with, so I just knew I'd like her! The other day she wrote a post that I wish I had written, talking about all those things she does. You can save me time if you go and read it here: Hating Superwoman

4. Just Swingin' A Cat Here - It's been well documented on this blog that I enjoy my brother's writing. Now that he is moving back to the land of 24/7 high-speed internet, he may even find time to design the blog he's been dreaming of. Or not. Jobs can eat up your time like that! Oh, and I know he's going to give me the evil eye for even HINTING that he should try and find at least 7 blogs that he things are brillante.

5. My Part of Colorado - I like Paul's format - a photo about something fun or quirky or just plain "huh?", and then a few comments about it. He sees things that most people wouldn't. And helps the rest of us see them, too. How fun is that?

6. A Little Bit Crazy - I just LOVE Anne's blog design. So cute. When I was first learning how to design my blog, I learned quite a lot from her template, actually. Plus, she has now entered the realm of "mommyblogger", since her and her husband have added a beautiful baby girl to the mix. Fun stuff, with lots of cuteness in photos! Love it!

7. Captain Cat's Diaries - This is the one gal that I am not sure of her real name, and that's probably the way she wants it, considering her job as a UN employee in the more war-torn parts of the world. In fact, she hasn't posted since August, and the last one was something about being trapped near the frontline in southeastern Afghanistan. This woman has found more guts and strength within herself than I hope I am ever called upon to display. And still she finds beauty everywhere, expressing it all in beautiful language, too.

And a bonus:

8. An Arkie's Musings - Richie was shown my blog by my mom the other day, and was inspired to start his own. Was he ever inspired! He has set himself a grueling pace already, posting nearly every day! His posts are part life-journal, part devotional. His writing style is easy to read. Go check his blog out and welcome him to blog-land, folks!

I have so much stuff to blog about, but I really must get back to packing. It's the weekend, though--hopefully I'll get some stuff up here over the next few days!

First-Name Basis

As part of our unit on hearing and attentiveness, we are listening to great classical works and identifying them by composer. Last week, we did Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 and Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture. On Friday, I was doing a little review of these with Jude.

"Do you remember what the two pieces we've been learning are called and who they're by?" I asked.

He looked at me uncertainly. I started to prompt.

"Beethoven's...? Symphony number...?"

"Five!" he interjected.

"Right! How about the other one?" Seeing as this had only been introduced the day before, he was even more uncertain about that one. However, he remembered something.

"Peter..." he said. That was as far as he got.

"Right! It's the War of 1812 Overture by Peter Tchaikovsky!" I elaborated.

He tried to repeat the name, but came out with a mangled version of the surname that is unreproducable in print.

"No, Chih. Koff. Ski. Like a cough, *heh, heh*," I said, imitating a dry bark. He looked at me dubiously.

"I just call him Peter," he said.

Love It and Leave It

Ten things we'll miss about Peace River (outside of all of our friends):

1. Story Time at the library.
2. Tim Horton's--non-existent in Arkansas.
3. The beautiful views of the river.
4. The long, loooooonnnng golden days of summer.
5. The park behind our house.
6. The warmth and friendliness of the people.
7. The indoor pool.
8. Going to look at the animals in the pet store.
9. Our eccentric, character-filled house, that now has so much of US in it.
10. Being able to drive for miles through the countryside without seeing a house.

Ten things we won't miss about Peace River:

1. The high cost of everything, because of the shipping cost to get up here. (A gallon of milk can be up to $6.)
2. The long, loooooong, cold, dark winter.
3. The long hill we have to traverse to our neighbourhood if we actually want to take a decent walk.
4. The cost of heating our eccentric, poorly-insulated house.
5. Having to drive two hours to get to the city--it will be down to an hour and a half! :-)
6. The mosquitoes the size of summer-fat mice.
7. Honestly, I'm petering out... We loved much more than we disliked about this place.

We are sad to be leaving, that's for sure. There are too many friends here that it feels like we only barely got to know. However, as with any move of this magnitude, we are looking forward to our new home with a mixture of excitement and nervousness, but very little trepidation. We know we are going to where God wants us to be right now, and that, to us, is the only thing that really matters.


Last night, I managed to get some scrapbooking done for the first time in weeks. I digitally scrapbooked our trip to Writing-On-Stone park, completing eight layouts in all! Here is one of them:


You can see the entire collection here: Lost.

Here's The Deal, Sparky...

We listed our house in the second week of July, asking kind of a middle-to-high-road price for our house size and location. Then we waited. And waited. Jason started to get a little worried that the house wouldn't sell, and I said, "Don't worry about it. If it's meant to happen, it will."

By August, we still had not had any showings, so we dropped our price significantly. We were hoping to sell by the end of the month, so that we could be moving no later than mid-September. "The market's been flooded," we were told, and with 108 properties on the market, we wondered if we even had a chance.

We waited for about another week, and then it suddenly seemed as if Peace River had, collectively, decided it was time to shop for houses. For the next two weeks, we had showings every day or two, sometimes more than one a day, but no offers. I was too tired from all the cleaning to be worried, but Jason was getting increasingly doubtful.

Finally, we had an Open House, after which we were told that one couple was interested enough to go through the house twice. That was on a Thursday. But by Sunday, there were still no offers.

That was when I began to doubt. See, we had always put our plan to move to Arkansas in the Lord's hands, and He seemed to be opening the doors. But if this door didn't open, we couldn't go. Not only that, even if we weren't moving to Arkansas, we needed to sell our house anyway, because another winter in this huge beast would bury us, especially considering I had already given up all of my students. So if we didn't sell the house, and ended up staying here, Jason was talking about taking a second job by the end of September.

The next day, we had a noon showing. The same couple looked at it again around supper time. Then they gave us an offer before bedtime.

The day after, they accepted our counter-offer, and we had another showing that gave us a back-up offer. The following day, that couple accepted our counter-offer.

So. We now have two accepted offers on our house. Both are for the same amount of money, for only $5000 less than our current asking price. Both for the same possession date. The financing condition on the first offer has been cleared, and their house inspection is on Monday, which is the only other condition, so I guess we'll know about that one pretty soon.

With the offers in hand, and a moving date on the horizon, with a 4-day weekend for Jason coming up, we took the time to go for one Final Hurrah to visit family and friends around Sylvan Lake and Red Deer on Labour Day weekend. While we weren't able to catch up with everyone (I mean, c'mon, like our friends are going to avoid making plans just in case any of their friends call them at the very last second to get together? Right.) we did get together with our old friends Chad and Renée M., and Candace V. (I got to see baby Zoe for the first time!), as well as my brother and Dad, my grandparents and Uncle Darrell and Auntie Joy, and Jason's entire family. It was a busy weekend, and it feels like all we did was go from this place to eat, to that place to eat, and then we did... guess what? More eating. By Monday, on the way home, we were stuffed, and felt kind of icky from a rather high percentage of our diet being fast or processed food for the weekend.

It was worth it, though. But I'm glad the feasting didn't last any longer. Tuesday, I made a wonderful vegetable broth soup to start getting our bodies back on track. Within a few days, we felt pretty good again.

Despite the fact that I am now packing, and changing addresses, and taking care of a million little last-minute things that need to be done when moving, especially a move of this magnitude, I also started school with the boys on Tuesday. We are only doing half-days right now, as I really don't have the time to do a full day of school with everything else on the to-do list. However, we are still managing to work on the three R's every day, as well as some other "fun" stuff incorporating science, art, social studies, etc. We are doing a unit study on the character trait of Attentiveness, and our current topic is the five senses, starting with hearing. On Thursday, we "made" an ear, using blankets for the ear canal, a jar of water for the vestibule, with socks wound up or attached to the jar for the cochlea and semi-circular canals. The kids got to climb through the ear, telling me where they were in it and what each part did, banging on a metal lid with a maraca for the hammer and anvil, and basically "being" sound all the way from the ear flap to the nerve (skipping rope) that went to the brain. This is only one example of the cool ways this curriculum incorporates learning and makes it "real" to the kids. So fun!

So, as I sit here typing, we are about two weeks away from our moving date. I have several boxes packed and stacked around the house, but plenty more to go. Chances are, my blogging rate is going to go down now that school has started again (as evidence is already suggesting), and then during the move I will be taking a hiatus. However, for now, I'll try to keep capturing memories with words as much as I have time for.

Thank you to all of you who have been praying for us during this time of transition, and who continue to do so. Your prayers are felt and appreciated.

The serious and the silly.

The boys and I got to ride in my Uncle Darrell's milk truck around the block--a first for them, and something I hadn't done since I was a girl.

I asked Uncle Darrell if they drink the milk from the truck or buy it from the store.

"We buy it from the store to avoid the 'appearance of impropriety,'" he said.

"Too bad. The stuff in the truck is probably way better for you," I replied.

"Oh, I know it is," he affirmed.

My boys and Candace's two oldest girls checking out the chickens. Noah got the biggest kick out of chasing them around the yard. Candace is raising several exotic breeds, as you can see.

The happy Winters family.

All of the traveling left Jabin a little sleepy the day after we got home!

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Been a busy weekend. Don't have time to blog about it tonight. Here's a preview: