8 days

It's a strange thing, I keep counting how many more nights I'll go to bed in my bed. Wondering how many more times I'll sweep this kitchen floor, if this will please be the last time I will scrub this toilet....

I'm comforted that there will always be another toilet to scrub. At least until my boys have perfected their work of cleaning the bathrooms.

These last days are really, really full. Come to think of it, each day since Ralph got news of the new job has been really full. This week have been days full of seeing a friend just once more for the boys, including two birthday parties. I went out to dinner with a friend, and a few appointments to get things wrapped up before we go. This weekend is the same, a day at the lake with my folks, a day of quiet, and next week we'll have more time with kid friends and packing.

I can't say enough how wonderful it is to have someone else do the packing for us. I have so much time and presence of mind because of it. I have been organizing and making lists for what we'll take to our next short-term residence, next week I'll pack up all of those things.

We did take down all the curtains and wall hangings. That made me cry. Those things were such a personal part of our home. But we get to take them!! This is good.

I'm going to miss my mom & dad being ever-available, I'm going to miss my friends and all my local favorite sweet spots. AND I'm hopeful that this job for my husband will be one that will be a great fit. I'm hopeful for the new Classical Conversations group we'll be part of. I'm hopeful for new community, new church, new local favorites and one day a new home.

In the meantime, I'm still here. If you're here too and you want to grab coffee just hollar. Most likely I want to have coffee with you too.

And thanks to all of you who have offered to help with the kids or whatever needs to be done. Much, much love!!

Amanda