Feeling guilty

I pull my blog up every day to see if any of my friends and family have written something new.

I look at my last post and wonder if I have anything to write about.

I don't really think I have anything to say today, but I feel guilty for not writing in over 2 weeks.

So, my niece is in North Carolina. They had massive tornadoes this weekend. She got called back to her apartment and had to wait 2 hours before the hail storm started. She talked about quarter-size hail and golf ball- size hail and hail that damaged car windshields. But she is fine. She wrote her email and my sister forwarded it on. She didn't mention tornadoes. In that amazing missionary focus she probably is just learning about it.

My baby nephew, Carter, is back home with his family. I have been a terrible sister and auntie. I haven't called for an update. I know he is coming back to SL for a check-up.  I have seen happy pictures of him on his mother's blog. I must call my brother and check on him and his family.

One of my other nephews has sent in his mission papers. We are all waiting anxiously to hear where he will be serving for two years. We are talking about temple trips and shopping trips. A new missionary is so fun to prepare for. (He already has his passport and doctor appointments taken care of.)

This weekend we bought a new dining table and chairs. It is being delivered today. I am excited. I told Craig I feel like a grown up. I will have a table that can comfortably sit 8 people. We will be able to invite guests over for dinner. A new couch is coming too. The boys have had to take turns being on the floor (because Craig and I are both too old to watch American Idol on the floor.) Now our entire family will be able to sit on a couch and watch TV, and still have some room for guests. (I am excited a bit about having guests come and visit.)

I have ordered a microfilm from SL and it is here. My grandmother loved her Aunt Grace. By the time she was 10 in 1870, she was living with my Grandmother's Grandfather. We have no record of her parents. She never married and had no children. My grandmother passed 6 years ago, but she made us promise to look for Aunt Grace. I have not been able to let it sit any longer. I have her birth date. I found that on a border crossing record. She took my grandma to Europe when she graduated from high school. So Aunt Grace is 68 in 1928 and my grandma is 18. They took a boat from France to Quebec and crossed the border into New Hampshire. On that record, I have her birth date, January 4, 1860. I found her on the 1860 Census. Her father was not listed. The entire family only had first initials. She had a brother that was five years older than her. This week I will look for Aunt Grace on microfilm from SL.

I have the house in a comfortable state. I don't have my books. Yesterday I thought I found the RS/Priesthood manual and Craig tried to claim rights. We bickered (all in good fun) until we realized it was the wrong book. So this week I will begin to transfer my boxes of books to the house. I will also bring over the pictures and begin to dress up the walls a bit more.

A new post to let people know I am still kicking. And as I intend on using this as a journal, a new entry in our journal.

Sigh

The boys are at school.

I don't have to dash off somewhere.

I am in my home with a list of normal things to do.

1. Work out
2. Do laundry
3. Iron Craig's work shirts
4. Clear off the kitchen counters
5. Make my bed
6. Figure out dinner

In the middle of that normal list, I think I will watch a session of Conference that I missed. I'll start with Saturday morning.

My own bed

We are in the new house.

I have slept in my own bed since Sunday night.

I am waiting for my fridge, but am using the yellowish one provided in the house.

I have my own utensils.

I have my mixer on the counter.

I have my clothes hung up in the big (heehee) closet. Can I tell you how much I love walk-ins?

The boys' clothes are hung up in their closet. I love the drop down closet rod you can buy. I don't really know what it is called, but Boaz can reach his clothes without a step stool. Love it.

I am almost moved in. I am still missing at least 2 kitchen boxes. One of them has my dishes. After I get the car registered (it expires tomorrow) I am off to the storage units (I have no idea which of the three it could be in) I will hunt for my dishes.

The computer is hooked up and on the proper desk.

The TV is set up with our channels so we can watch General Conference.

I have a list of things to get and organize. But at one call, I will dash to Salt Lake and cry with my brother and his family. His baby is seriously ill. They are hopeful that he will recover fully, but it is still scary. If you can spare a prayer for baby Carter today, it would be so welcome and I would be so grateful.

Less than 10 minutes away

The Idaho Falls temple is less than 10 minutes away from my sister-in-law's house.

This morning Craig got me up at 5:15. I hurried through my shower. Got dressed and we were at the temple for the 6 am session.

I was surprised at how many cars there were at the temple already. I have to keep reminding myself that we are in Mormon country.

It is a very good thing.

cleaning house

It takes a lot longer to clean walls and windows than I ever think.

I am so grateful for dear friends, and my friend and sister, for helping me with the job.

We washed down walls and pulled windows out of frames and steamed the growing flora. We washed down cupboards and steamed the kitchen floor. I need to get me one of those floor steamers. It was amazing.

We ran the last load to Goodwill and took the bed over to Salem.

Do you know a bungee cord will not hold a mattress in the bed of a truck. Well, I do now. We had to turn around and pick the mattress off the road. That was embarrassing. After we asked Brenda's friend if he had a rope, I looked behind the seat and there was a rope.

You know, normally Craig does these kind of things. And he knows what he is doing.

We got the bed roped down and it drove just fine to Salem.

We had a lot of fun in that house, and now it sits empty. You know, once you take everything out, it's not home anymore.

I thought a lot about how much stuff I have. How would I have reacted to a covered wagon, or just a hand cart?

After 12 1/2 hours in the car, I am in Idaho. Waiting for the rental to open up. My piano is in a storage unit. That bugs me. It will be one of the first things out and in the new house.

My shampoo is in the storage unit.

The boys' piano books are in the storage unit.

I'm really not sure what else is in the storage unit. I tried to have it all organized. But I messed up on a few things.

In between houses is awkward.

I am grateful to my lovely in-laws who are letting us stay until we can move in.

I am anxious for April 1st.

the house is empty

It took us two days to pack up the house. 

Craig took the two boys and drove away.

They made it to Idaho and are all unpacked.

I am planning on leaving Tuesday.

It's weird being here without boys to take care or feed or make sure their teeth are brushed. I miss them. I am excited to see them Tuesday and we will be a family together again.

And April first, we will be in our own (rented) house again.

Thursday, March 17th

Craig flies in tonight. He is coming to help pack up, load the U-Haul and drive away again.

I have been packing every day. The house is torn apart.

Thea is almost moved out. Just a few things left in her room.

They boys' room is almost cleared away. (My goal for today is to get the toy chest out and pack up the clothes.)

I have boxes and bins on the landing, but it will be quick work to move them out to the rapidly filling garage.

I went through my closet and have pulled 30 articles of clothing for resale. (That is amazing for me. I've been hanging on to dresses and skirts that I loved and could wear back before I had Josh. I will never get back to that size again, so I am letting them go.)

Other goals --

1. clear out the office of everything except the furniture I can't move and the computer.
2. clear out the bathrooms
3. call direct TV and Qwest and change our service (I called the other utilities yesterday.)
4. get started on the kitchen

Wish me luck. I'm wondering if this will ever end.