First Week in New Home

So hard to believe that it has been a week already...Henry made the comment that he feels like we have lived here forever!  I guess that is a good thing...like he feels like it is home.  I must say that there are a lot of reasons it does feel like home...here are a few of the things we have done to take San Antonio by storm and make it our own...or at least make it feel like home...

We started taking evening walks to get to know the neighbors and the lay of the land.  We love going out and seeing the regulars on their walk...it does make us feel like we are a part of the community.  The other night we had the entire crew...Hank and snake Juliette included!  It made for some interesting stares!  We actually started these walks to keep Hank from being active at night...he still is in the puppy stage and likes to chew, especially when he is bored!  He even learned to turn the water on after Michael used the outside spigot one time and now he is a pro at turning it on...unfortunately, flooding the side yard in the process!

Along with the walks we are also enjoying the wildlife that surrounds us.  Believe it or not...there are deer that come right up near the house and there are mallard ducks that live on the pond.  The deer are so used to the roads that they run right down the road and look both ways when crossing a street!  It is like a little taste of home...without the hunters taking aim!  Of course, it would be nice to actually taste some venison!  However, these deer have now been named...Flopsy, Mopsy, Moe, Dave and Rose....so I do hope they will be okay.

These are not the only animals we see...there are also many pets that take walks with their owners.  And I guess cats are allowed to roam as they choose.  Zaira especially enjoyed meeting a friendly kitty the other night...a nice bob-tailed cat that enjoyed being pet!

We also have taken over the playground as our own personal space.  There are other children who come and we are willing to share but our children definitely are using it more than most.  They love going there at least twice a day.  We have also discovered the playground at the library.  It is nice because of the larger equipment and the exercise trail.  The boys have already asked if we can come here once a week to check out books and do our PE.  We will see how long this lasts!

We have also kept up with our Green School motto...taking care of our part of the earth...this is a little different at this new house.  We have a small yard that does not need as much care...we had been told we could get an electric lawnmower to care for this small patch of earth but we took it one step further...we bought a push mower...no energy used other than sheer man power...in our case Henry power...not because no one else wants a turn but Henry has claimed this job for himself...so I put the others on weed duty and clean up!  We got the yard looking nice again and have plans for a butterfly garden soon!

We were invited to a co-op and enjoyed the day as visitors.  I am not sure if it is the right group for us...most of the children were eight and younger which means the moms were all young newbies.  They were kind but I hope to find another group that meets more of our needs.  However, the children did have fun learning about church music parts, Brazil, Greek art, and air molecules.


We also celebrated a birthday in the new house...always a fun way to break in a new home!  Although Edward had his birthday before we left the old house, we really did not have presents for him.  SO, I surprised him with a brownie after dinner on Friday and then gave him his presents.  I think he was really surprised by his new Lego sets and his outfit (including watch) from Gramma.  All the boys were thrilled and spent the rest of the evening putting it all together!

To add to the fun, here are a few other highlights:

• Our neighbor brought us a pizza just as we were sending the boys to bed Thursday night.  One pizza could hardly feed us all but it was the thought that counts!  We had it for breakfast the next morning.

• Zaira got a new highchair...all PINK!...and she is eating meals better than ever...even eating seconds at times!  I am not sure if it is the new chair or the new teeth that she decided to cut while we were in the process of moving!  AND...the best part of this was that I met my mom to pick up the chair...We had to mail it to her to ensure we would get it (no mail set up yet...city life can be complicated!)...so I met her with just a 30 minute drive for both of us...very nice!

• I had the joy of meeting several new Pro-life friends and prayed with them twice this week.  You can read about this is an earlier blog post.

• A spontaneous trip to the outskirts of a Comic Con that was being held in downtown San Antonio was a joy for Amanda and Katy.  They went dressed up and met several cool convention goers as they were waiting in the long lines outside.  It is nice to know that the girls could have fun (for free!) just walking up and down the lines.  

• And the best part of it all...Michael is home with us every day for some part of the adventure.  He even went to his National Guard weekend and came home every night!  YAY!  The main goal has been accomplished...a family reunited!  We still have some kinks to work out...it has been a long time for all of us to be under one roof consistently but we are getting there.  Praise God!

In Honor of a Special Lady

With sadness and regret, I write today about a dear woman who passed away last Sunday.  And yet...I can not help but think...When most of us were waking up to worship the Lord, Mrs. Patricia Adams was worshiping before the Lord face to face!  I am sure it was (and is) an amazing sight indeed!  "But as it is written: 'Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.'" (1 Corinthians 2:9)

When I think of Ms. Pat, I picture a woman who stood with pride yet she was humble.  And she was a woman of character and wisdom, yet she would share in meekness what she had to offer.  She was caring and loving to her family and friends, and yet was willing to show that same kindness to those who were not so friendly.
Most of my experience with Ms. Pat was in relation to Pro-life activities, rosary making, and church.  She would pray a rosary each day and many of those days were in front of the Planned Parenthood clinic as she witnessed to the women who entered.  She was often treated with disrespect and plain ugliness but she would remain calm and continue to pray.  If someone tried to talk to her she was always patient and kind, yet firm in her beliefs.   She loved making rosaries...she even started group to make rosaries to send to missionaries, local churches, as well as overseas.

However, I also saw how she was a loving wife to Ed and caring mother to her children and grandchildren.  She took great pride in her family and taking care of them.

So, I was so sad to know that I would not have one more chance to see Ms. Pat.  I had gone to church last weekend and spoke to Deacon Billy and Dianna about her health.  They had told me that she was not well and was only given a short amount of time due to her lung cancer (only diagnosed just after Labor Day).  I told Dianna that I would try to visit her soon after we returned in November.  Unfortunately, she would not make it through the next day.

Once again, I come to realize how precious life is in this world.  That is where the sadness and regret comes in to play.  We put off what we should do expecting another day.  As for Ms. Pat, I cannot help but think that she would be pleased to be in heaven on a Sunday morning.  So, I try to think about her not suffering any more and enjoying a new eternal life full of glory...awaiting the full resurrection of body and soul with all of her loved ones.  She sees what we can only imagine.  Praise be to God!

As for her funeral, I was all set to go back to be with her family and friends to remember her life with them.  Then I read her obituary and realized I had a better plan.  I would honor her life best by continuing what she loved to do most....praying a Rosary to fight for the end of abortion.  The new church we are attending is participating in 40 Days for Life by pledging to stand in prayer at a Planned Parenthood in San Antonio (the largest one here) throughout the day.  So, Michael, Sean, Zaira, and I will be heading out there for the morning.  I imagine Ms. Pat will be looking down and joining in the prayers just as she always did.  I will save the hugs for the family when I return in a couple of weeks.

UPDATE:  We did indeed go to the clinic today to pray.  While there we watched as eight women (some very young!) went in to schedule their abortions for Saturday morning (yes we will return).  There was a side walk counselor there to give out information about alternatives, but only one took the pamphlet.  Two of the women looked like they were very far into their pregnancies...it was so hard to watch them go in without talking to us.   However, there was hope...as I stood at the clinic I watched eight large Monarch butterflies  (yep...same number as I saw going into clinic) fly through the parking lot and up over the building!  I pray that this sign of hope will be evident to these women in some way so they have a change of heart for LIFE!

I met a lot of amazing Pro-life members from our new parish.  I look forward to working with them as we work for the end to abortion in San Antonio.  There were many prayer warriors out with us today and I have been told that the sidewalks are filled on both sides of the street on Saturdays.

MORE UPDATES:
Just before going out to pray on Saturday...God gave me the thought to ask others to pledge to pray from where ever they were located.  I posted a message to Facebook and hoped others would join after I left.  So...We made it out to pray...spent an hour before the Lord in the front of the Blessed Sacrament and then the rest of the time at the clinic. No saves that we know of but many prayer warriors filling the sidewalks and there is always a chance for one of the women changing her mind that we do not know about at this time.

A big thanks to all of you who stopped to say a prayer today (There were about twenty in all). I think this is a good idea, so I will try to remember to send out a message each time I go so you can join me again. And if you did not see the message until it was 'too late' well say a prayer now...you never know what a simple prayer of hope will do for a woman and child. You might just save a life! God bless!

The Rest of the Moving Story.

So...we left off with the refreshing and healing trip to Mass on Saturday.  In fact, most of that reflection that you might have read in my previous post came during the next part of the move.

We left Mass, and on our way home...we were HYPER!!!!... not tired like I thought... but ENERGIZED...EXCITED!!!  So we made the craziest decision yet... we packed the van to the gills... ate  dinner... got the younger ones dressed in pajamas and left for San Antonio.  Amanda drove the van and I drove the big moving truck.  We promised that if we even blinked, we would pull to the side of the road and rest.  We were on our way!  A warning cry to the population of San Antonio... the Reynolds family is on their way!

I will admit... we did make some stops... but for the most part these stops were our normal ones for the drive.  I was driving extra slow and Amanda followed behind.  Amanda and Katy got a little concerned and called in a panic when they saw me swerve off the road with a quick jerk.  They would never have guessed that it was not my lack of sleep but Zaira's desire to call it a night that brought the truck driver to her knees!  Zaira...who was peacefully sleeping in her car seat beside me...decided she had had enough.  She grabbed my arm and the steering wheel with it... swerving us of the road...thankfully (with a lot of help from our angels!) I gained control and stayed on the road.

This just happened to be within 10 minutes of my mother's house.  Zaira knows that trip well so maybe she said she had enough and wanted to sleep at her house for the remainder of the night.  It was just after 1 am so I made the decision to stop.  It was unfortunate as we were only another hour away from the new house... but it worked out okay.  My mom knew it was a possibility but forgot to leave the door unlocked so we had to wake her up.  Zaira was wide awake as well.  So my mom, Zaira and I talked about the adventure thus far.  The others slept... which was a wise choice since we would need their strength for the remainder of the move.

After a little rest... and a panicked phone call from Michael who thought we would be there when he got off work (OOPS! I forgot to send him a message!) ...we were back on the road for the last little trek.  Then we waited for Michael to come back from Mass at the new church.

When he arrived, he told us how the priest and one of the parishioners who met us last week were 'fighting' over who met us first.  LOL!  They all wanted to know where the rest of the family were... he explained about the moving truck and they were very upset that they could not help due to other plans (offered to help the next day but we needed to turn in truck by that time.).  However, they invited us to a homeschool event at the church for this Friday.  Michael's description... a fun morning of fellowship, Mass, and the 'noisiest adoration in the world' followed by a picnic lunch!  It sounds heavenly to know that such a group exists!

We left no time to sit and chat as we had a truck to unload.  We were doing a wonderful job unpacking... until we didn't... LOL!  That was about the time the piano was coming off the truck.  Michael and the older ones were trying so hard... but that was about the time Chuck (next door neighbor) arrived!  He helped with the piano and offered to come back if we had any other heavy items.  We also had a visit from the neighbor two doors down (Lonny) who offered to help when he returned from the store.  Awesome!

We unloaded about half the truck by ourselves and then took a break for lunch.  So thankful I had leftover chili that we started in the crock pot.  We were glad to be able to sit and enjoy the meal with little effort.  We even had a table unloaded to sit and enjoy this meal!

After the short break, we were back out to the truck unloading the boxes and other lighter items.  I decided the best option would be to move the heavier items to the side of the truck so we would only need to ask  Chuck and Lonny over to help once.  This was a good plan and it all came to a head around 2pm.  They came over and helped with the big desk, freezer, and large hutch.  And we were done by 3pm!

The children then scattered to various places...the park and bedrooms.  Michael and I sat down with Zaira and Brendan in the living room.  Just before 6pm, I woke up to see the others sleeping as well.  I told Michael that it seemed like a good idea but I was sure that if we stayed that way the younger ones would be wide awake by the time their real bedtime arrived and even though we could probably sleep through the night...they would likely be crazy rambunctious children.  LOL!

So... we decided to see what we could do about unloading the back of the van.  That is when we discovered the first loss of the trip...a few wires for computers chewed by Hank!  Crazy dog!

We met a few other neighbors, as they were walking by the house looking toward the moving truck.  Amanda decided to appease their curiosity and step out to introduce herself.  Amanda has moved too many times to let someone be a stranger for long!  The boys followed suit by introducing themselves to other children at the park.

Michael and I also put our bed together.  Zaira was so funny!  When the bed was all made, I laid down to enjoy the comfort of the bed and she joined me.  She decided that the bed needed a kiss!  It is good to know that she appreciates the important things!  LOL!

Most of the younger ones did go to sleep once we got them to sit still.  I should have taken the same step to sleep but I could not leave furniture scattered through the house.  Amanda, Katy, Henry, and I arranged the furniture until about 1am.  It was quite a surprise to those who went to sleep to see the transformation the next morning!

After a good night's rest (I did finally go to sleep!), Michael, Zaira, and I returned the moving truck.  We also made a trip to the HOA office to register our family in their system.  Then a trip to the post office to obtain a key for the mail box in the community.  So funny...we had to pay $25 for a key to the box because they have to change out the lock!  We will not be able to get to our mail for 6-8 days!  I am glad we do not have any important mail coming!  I guess we can wait for the junk mail to arrive at the new address!

Then after a sparse lunch (We knew the food would not last forever, but couldn't it have lasted for one more day!), the girls and I went grocery shopping.  GPS in hand, we found our way to the various stores of interest.  I normally shop at one store but that store does not exist in San Antonio, so we discovered HEB Plus... the store is HUGE!!!!  It took us two hours walking through the store to find things.  Also, there were people every where giving out samples.  I know other stores do this but these people were NICE... they welcomed us to San Antonio and offered to help us find items on our list!  It was actually fun to go shopping!  Even the checker was nice (and cute but the girls rolled their eyes when I said this! LOL!) and was very talkative and productive as we were checked out.

An all around good move!  We have been blessed and having the furniture in place is a big step in making this our home.  We did leave family pictures and my cross collection on the walls in the old house.  I hope to get most of these when we go back in a couple of weeks.  But most of all, it is home because we are all together again.  We are setting up rules for the house and just enjoying each other.

More adventures to come...but not if I sit at this computer!

All Dressed Up for Alice

A break from moving was just what the doctor ordered...or at least this Momma ordered.  When I first realized the two dates would converge...I was horrified and thought we could never make it work...and although I still had my doubts all the way up until the time we finished loading the truck...I now know it was the best thing we could have ever done!

We learned about three months ago that there would an Alice in Wonderland play at the local community college.  This was right about the same time we were creating our costumes for the Hushpuppy contest (see past post for details!) so the children though it would be fun to save their costumes for a second appearance of their all time favorite characters!  At that time we never imagined that the play would be on the same day we were packing it up to move to San Antonio!

As you all know by now, we packed the truck in record time...thanks to our dear friends!...we even had time to enjoy a meal together...then as soon as the last of our guests (minus Francis and Ross who wanted to see everyone in costume!) were back in their vehicles and down our drive way...the children made a mad rush to change for the play.  There were a few changes to costumes for various reasons...it worked for the day...and in some cases surprisingly so...and then we were on our way to Wonderland!

We arrived just in time to wait in line to enter the theater.  We are convinced that some of those waiting with us thought we were the actors!  In fact, several asked if they could have their picture taken with us...we agreed and had a lot of fun!  Then we entered the theater and a man asked if he could take our picture because he thought our costumes were cool!  We would later find out he was the play director!  And then the theater manager took our picture as well.  SO much fun...and if I even feared fora minute the children were getting prideful...they told me that the most fun of the experience was seeing everyone so excited and smiling!  They enjoyed making others in the audience happy!

Our little Alice did the right thing by taking a nap when we were on our way to the play and continued to have her own little dream sequence while we waited to enter the theater.  She missed all the hoopla of picture taking but we could not resist taking a few of her any way.

Then the play began!  It was an amazing rendition of the story!  They really worked hard to keep the spirit of the story but still make it their own!  Awesome job!  The cast was amazing!  The set was awesome!  And we went away to Wonderland with them...escaping from the weariness of the moving for a couple of hours!

After the play, we also had the joy of meeting the cast...who loved the costume...we all agreed that pictures were in order!  The director shared his contact information so we could exchange pictures.  It was just an amazingly fun break for us!  Can I say amazing and awesome enough times in one post!?!

The children especially loved the Cheshire Cat and the Queen of Hearts.  It was hard to believe the queen was a puppet!  I personally like the way the clock showed Alice falling into the rabbit hole...very clever!  And during the question and answer time it was brought our attention that love of books was the main theme of the set.  The backdrop as well as the main entry for all the characters into the story was a book shelf.  The director was clever...he used the titles of the books to tell part of the story.  For example, the book that opened the door for Alice to fall into the rabbit hole was entitled...Journey to the Center of the Earth and the caterpillar was introduced by opening The Insect Book.  The director later told us that he wanted to stay true to the idea that the story was actually a book that we could all enjoy and he wanted to encourage the love of reading!

Also, I have to say...Zaira lit up seeing Humpty Dumpty...she just could not stop giggling with joy and then watched worriedly as he teetered and tottered on the wall...imagine her surprise and concern when he did in fact fall!  I think she was very thankful to see him intact at the end of the play!

I wish we could have stayed longer BUT...alas...we could not stay down the rabbit hole forever...we had to awaken from the dream and get back to the order of the day.  Thankfully... said the children...not back to lessons!

Moving Day Update

Saturday morning we were off to a great start!  We picked up the truck on time and arrived just before the 'crew' of packers arrived!  I cannot tell you how relieved I was to see the cars and trucks arrive with strong helpers to fill the moving truck...the bulk of which came from the local Knights of Columbus:  George, Elroy, Luis, Edna, Dale and others.  Then there was one of the college men from St. Mary's...Joe.  And then our dear friends...Vicki, Bill, Francis, Ross, Holly and Isaac.


No one wasted any time...getting right to work sorting through the garage and then the main house for all the heavy items that had to fill the truck...then like a Tetris game...filling in the opening with boxes.  It was hard to believe it was all done in three hours!  The hardest items to load were...the piano, dining room table, and the refrigerator.  The frig would not have been hard but we made the mistake of not taking off the doors...only the handles...and it would not fit through the kitchen door.  By the time it was over, we had to take the back door off the hinges!  I worried that they would leave me with a mess when it came to this craziness....I was so thankful for Dale who took the time to put it all back together!  And of course, I was thankful for everyone who worked so hard to get the loading done!

We all enjoyed an awesome lunch...feasting on chili, hot dogs, sweet & sour meatballs, deviled eggs, and more!  I was so glad we could enjoy the time together after the labor!  I have now made a promise to all the groups involved to have a garage sale at the end of the moving process and donate the proceeds to the various groups or charities of their choice.  Believe it or not... we still have that much more in the house!

Just as we were completing the loading, I got a phone call from a friend who wanted to help in the afternoon.  I was so happy to tell her it was done!

While I cleaned up the meal 'dishes,' the children dressed for the play we wanted to attend...yes...I know we are crazy but we had to go....it was Alice in Wonderland and we had planned this for months!  More on this later...do not want to confuse the purpose of the post!

We were able to return home from the play just in time to do a quick change and rush to church for the Saturday Mass.  Realizing that we would not arrive until after the Liturgy of the Word...we read the passages as we drove to the church!  Then I asked each boy to tell us a word that they thought might be used in the homily.  This was a great idea because it made them think about the readings and the homily message.  We arrived just as the Gospel was completed.  Deacon Billy gave an awesome homily on the importance to persevere in prayer not to change God's mind, but to form our hearts to the will of God.

It got me thinking about my own prayer life these last few weeks.  I have asked God over and over if this move is the right one for us.  I really have fought the move to San Antonio...I really had no desire to move.  I thought I was being persistent asking God to change all of this around so we would NOT need to move.  However, the more I pray about the move...I would ask God about the reasons we should be staying and it would always be that gentle (but firm) push to leave.  I could not get around the idea that we are supposed to be in San Antonio.  It also goes along with the idea that I told a friend earlier this week.  I know in my mind that we are supposed to go to San Antonio...but it has not reached my heart.  However, God is slowly changing my heart as well.  He knows our needs...He knows that this move will be good for us.  And through persistent prayer...the raising of heart and soul to God...I have felt that change in me to accept this move as the will of God.

Another friend told me this week...God was taking off band-aids to little hurts instead of doing open heart surgery...it was such a good analogy of how I have felt over the last six months.  So then it was reconfirmed because I mentioned to Amanda that I had spoke to this friend about the move and Amanda interrupted using the same words as my friend...there was no way Amanda knew what my friend had said.  It really was a message I needed to hear.

I also had a revelation about the move...it was a personal moment that only God could bring to light...a deep hurt from childhood.  You see...I grew up in East Texas and was taken away against my will....literally...my parents had to move to be able to provide for our family and I wanted to stay...they had to send me away to camp to pack my things!  So when I returned to East Texas 10 years ago...I saw this as my second chance to make this work.  When Michael told me me we had to move, I was heart-broken!  I did not want to leave...it was like bringing back those childhood memories!  It was one of those band-aids that needed to be taken off to heal.  God is so good...He is the only one who could have known that and healed that pain.

So...although I will still miss everything about East Texas...we move on...and NOW...the rest of the story!...tomorrow...I am tired!  LOL!

The Day Before the Big Move

What a day!  We have been so busy!  BUT...first we took the morning to be with our beloved Veterans at the VA Clinic...doing what we love to do most...serve our Veterans coffee, donuts and sandwiches!  We are going to miss them so much...I could not resist the chance to see them one more time in November to celebrate Veteran's Day with them!
Also, I was given the joy of meeting a friend from our church men's group (Knights of Columbus) who let me know that he was just about to call me to find out the directions to our house!  He is coming along with several other men to help us load the moving truck!  I told him I wanted to hug him...I was so relieved and now I can sleep easy tonight knowing we are taken care of for the move!

Then spent the morning just enjoying the veterans...and the other volunteers.

We then took care of the errands around town before heading back to the house to pack some more!  I am surrounded by boxes and furniture from all the rooms in the house!  We have tried to stream line the effort so those helping would not have to work too hard!

I also made chili in the slow cooker for tomorrow.  I have hot dogs that will go in a second slow cooker and sweet & sour meatballs in a third pot.  I have cookies made and LOTS of sodas and water.

The garage is a MESS so I hope we can get to everything that needs to go in the truck.  I have decided to just get the big stuff and worry about the others stuff later.

Meanwhile...Michael has spent the week painting over...burnt orange in the front living room (sage and cream)...flat paint in the kitchen (same color in a semi-gloss for easier cleaning)...pink & purple in the boys' room (cream)...BRIGHT blue in the laundry room (sage and cream)...and over a white wall in Zaira's room (changed it to a light pink).

Time to get some sleep now and have faith that God has this move in His control and stop worrying about the small stuff.  God is so good!  ALL the TIME!!!

Double Digit Birthday!

TEN years old today...it is hard to believe that we were busy waiting for the 'little one' to arrive just a decade ago!  "HE" surprised us all since Sean was convinced we were having a girl (God told him so!) names Emily Janet!  Also, the midwife and doctor both told me the baby would be a little one for sure.  We were so surprised when not only did we need to think quick about a name...same initials...EJ...but also that he was ten and a half pounds!  The midwife knew he was going to be big when she saw his massive shoulders...she was truly worried about me but all was fine!

Believe it or not he was a little red head for the first couple of months and then the blonde took over.  He has kept the red headed disposition...from the beginning he has 'demanded' the attention of all he meets.  He would point us in the direction he wanted to go if we carried him.  And once he was on his way...he was on a run wherever he went unless he was climbing to unlock a door to escape!  He was always into something!

Even though our little tornado is growing up, he can still wreck a room in nothing flat!  LOL!  I would love to have some of his energy.  However, he can also slow down as be so sweet and if you have never heard him sing...well he melts my heart to hear his voice!  I am so glad he enjoyed his day...in spite of his desire to wait for presents with Michael, we tried to make his day special!

He woke up this morning to chocolate chip pancakes with whip cream and a cherry on top!  He was so excited that his birthday was declared a Reynolds family holiday and that meant no school and no work!  He (and his brothers) spent the day playing on the Kindle Fire, my computer, and Amanda's handheld contraption!

After a lunch of hamburgers and fries, they played some more!  But after a couple more hours of that...I finally convinced them that a little outside time in the brisk fall day was a good idea.  This after the dog nearly knocked me down trying to get my attention!  Hank missed them!

So while they played, I cooked a dinner of chicken (rotisserie...yay...no work for me!), mashed potatoes and fried okra!  I also baked a cookie cake!  I was so proud of Edward...picking out a good meal instead of the normal snack fare he would have normally asked for...maybe he is growing up a little! <WINK>

Now he is looking forward to his special gift of a new room in a new house...we will be heading to San Antonio again this weekend with a big moving van!  More on that after the weekend of fun!

Going to Closing to Open a Door

All the details (not really...you would be bored to tears!) on the home in San Antonio...but not today...we are exhausted!  I will type it all up tomorrow!

I decided to leave the above intro because it truly represented how I felt after the closing day for the house in San Antonio.  It was actually a long three days after all was said and done.  Here is what took place:

Friday...we woke up early and packed the rest of the things we wanted to take on our first trip into the van.  Then we headed out on our journey...we arrived at the title company just in time for our scheduled closing...then waited for AN HOUR (!!!!) because the closing before us went over.  While Michael and I signed our lives away (along with Zaira trying to sign on the dotted line!), the other children walked around the shopping center next door (I would find out later they raided the Super HEB that had sample displays throughout the store!  LOL).  I had told the children it would not take more than hour, so Amanda came in to check on us just as we were sitting down to start the process.  You can imagine her annoyance when we told her we still had an hour of signing!

Little did we know that it would be a lot longer than that hour!  We ended up not leaving the title company for TWO more hours!  Just before we had everything completed, we noticed the survey was wrong and we had to contact the surveyor for the correction.

All was good in the end and then we were told there were no keys!  Thankfully, our realtor was with us and he volunteered to go back to the house to obtain the key from the lock box.  Michael went with him and I took the children to the store to buy food for the weekend.  We had no furniture or refrigerator for food but we were all determined to live in the house right away...we brought along blankets and pillows and an ice chest!

The children were so excited...running around to all the rooms...looking for cubbies and hide outs.  Then they ran around the playground and some of the neighborhood...even meeting some children.  After a late dinner, they all fell asleep with little effort!  Michael had to go to work so I was left in a quiet house to ponder the plans for the rest of the weekend.

Saturday...Michael arrived home early in the morning with children watching for him at the gate!  They were off to the playground again!  Michael fell asleep and did not wake up as the boys and I unpacked the boxes (we needed the boxes to take back and pack more!)  Well...there was that one incident when I looked out and saw the dog covered in mud...Michael had to go out and find the hole that Hank dug up in the lawn!  Then there was the time when Amanda decided to try to disarm the alarm system (it tells you when a door is opened in the house and is quite loud...she just wanted to turn down the sound)...we did not know the code so we were given 30 seconds before the alarm went off (a far worse sound then the occasional reminder of a door opening!).  I worried that the police would be arriving to welcome us to the neighborhood...we called the realtor...after several minutes he was able to track down the code.  Thankfully, the alarm company was not activated so no friendly police officer arrived!

By this time (only because I woke Michael from his sound sleep!), Michael was up with us and helped when Hank decided to get his head stuck in the rod iron fence and moan to get free.  Actually, we would find out that he was not stuck but was moaning because he could not fit the rest of his body through the area.  LOL!

The girls and I decided to help Michael by taping off the rooms that needed painting.  I just could not stand the burnt orange living room (no it will not be painted maroon but it was tempting!) and the boys should probably not live in a pink and purple room.  AND...if anyone has looked at the pictures I sent out a few weeks ago...then you would know that the BRIGHT blue laundry room needed to be toned down!  We decided the best option was to paint while there were no children around and without the furniture to contend with.  Michael has a week to get this all done.

Another exhausting day for the children that included another run around the neighborhood a few times! Before they crashed, I read a story to the boys about Padre Pio as we would be heading to church for Holy Mass at the Padre Pio Shrine.  Michael had another night of work! SO...I enjoyed another quiet evening but I crashed hard myself!

Sunday...I woke up early and thought about how nice it would be to enjoy a cup of coffee out on our deck but I forgot to bring my coffee.  I decided to make a 'nice' breakfast in our make shift kitchen (only one pan and a small spatula!).  I had it all ready when every one woke up.  Then we hurried to get ready for church.  We arrived at the shrine just as the rain was coming down hard...it was nice to see someone ready with an umbrella for us.  We were still a little wet but it was a nice gesture from strangers!

Then I was showing the boys through the foyer and looking at the pictures and crosses...when a woman came up to me...she thought we had met and I told her that it was not likely as we had just moved to San Antonio.  Lo and behold...she was a homeschool mom...we had not met but we were able to talk about the very active group at the church and in San Antonio.  We also were introduced to others who arrived early and the priest.  They were very kind and wanted us to get involved.  We were even asked to take the gifts up for communion!

Although Zaira and I spent our time in Mass walking around the foyer (she has had way too much sleep the last few days!), I was able to participate because the foyer has multiple windows looking into the sanctuary and nice speakers fed the words of the Mass out to those of us who could not enter with loud children.  Zaira finally calmed down and fell asleep at the end of Mass so I was able to sit with the family for the special prayers at the end of Mass.

The message for the day was gratitude....citing from the story of the ten lepers who were healed by Jesus.  In the homily, everyone was asked to turn to their neighbor and tell something they were thankful for...the boys all said that they were thankful for the new house and each other!

After Mass, we stopped at the store to refill the 'frig' for Michael's week alone at the house.  Then I fixed a lasagna dinner...everyone insisted our first Sunday meal be lasagna!...Michael took the time to paint a swatch of the new paint on the wall to see if it would be able to cover the burnt orange.  That is when we discovered the walls in the kitchen were painted with flat paint!  Flat paint is so hard to clean, so he agreed to paint the walls in that room also.  His job just got bigger but it will be better in the end.

We then through empty boxes back into the van along with all the children and a wet dog!  We made it home just after dark and were glad to go right to sleep again in Lufkin!  We now have a week to pack up the remainder of our things for the moving van!  It is going to be a busy week!

Bees and Dogs and One More Meeting

We had a lot of fun tonight with two activities.  We had our regular beekeeper meeting and then we had our last obedience class with Hank.  Since the meetings were at the same time, we had to split up to make this happen.  I was very thankful for the help from Amanda and Katy.

Amanda took Henry and Edward (along with Brendan) to work with Hank.  Since this was the last class, they mainly worked on review and 'testing' Hank's ability to follow the commands.  He was able to earn two more patches (Leave and Down).  The instructor talked about an advanced obedience course.  I would love for Hank to join this group but I am not sure we would be able to make this before moving.

While they were busy outside, Sean and I attended the beekeeper meeting (along with Zaira and Katy).  The guest was the state apiary inspector.  We learned that he is the only inspector for all of Texas (there were once three but they have since retired) and he travels on most days throughout the year.

He spoke to us about how to treat for mites in our hives.  We were told that if inspecting hives and there appears to be more than 4% infestation, then some form of treatment should be taken to protect the hive.  He spoke about several options for prevention and treatment.  This was very helpful.

After he completed his talk, Sean introduced himself and ask questions about entering into the profession.  Mr. Baxter spoke about his experience (26 years) and how to go to school in order to find a position.  According to him, A&M is the only school in Texas that offers a Bachelor's degree in entomology.  He also mentioned that all graduates leave school employed in the field.

He also encouraged Sean to visit him at the university.  He emphasized this many times and I hope we are able to follow through with this opportunity.

Finally, we were able to enjoy refreshments with the group.  A daughter of one of our members just graduated from culinary school and offered to make a cake for the occasion.  She made an amazing beehive cake!

Along with all of this fun...which we really do love and will miss so much...we also had one more 4H meeting.  We hope to find a new 4H home in San Antonio but I do not think we will be able to go to any more 4H meeting here.  It was a sad thought as we started our 4H journey here but it will be for the best to just stop our activity here and move forward.

Life is Precious

Today was Respect Life Sunday...a day to remember that we believe that life is precious from the moment of conception until natural death.  This is not something we should take for granted...we need to always keep this in the forefront of all that we do...there is no other way if we are to be followers of Christ.  I may back down or agree to disagree with many issues but I can never budge on this belief.

So after Mass we headed into town to participate in the annual Life Chain event that happens across the nation in October (sometimes more often in some places!).  It is time designated to pray for life and witness to others along public roadways.

The boys were happy to spend this time with others who are also Pro-life.  Zaira, however, was only interested in walking on the edge of the sidewalk.  It was just to hard for her to stand still.  SO...she and I walked the line of prayer warriors and prayed along the way.  We met a lot of people and prayed with them as well.  I spoke with a family who came from Michigan to work the pipelines here in Texas.  They wanted to participate after speaking to a neighbor about the event.  I spoke to a family that just welcomed their seventh blessing into this world.  AND...most important...a woman who is interested in leading the Pro-life movement here...so thankful that when we move there will be some leadership here to organize future events.

As we drove home, we passed Henry's tree.  He has been taking pictures of this tree for over a year now on the first Sunday of the month.  It is a photo study that he enjoys.  Today was the day so I pulled over at this familiar spot of the road.  Henry hopped out and took his various shots of the tree.  Just as he was to the door of the van, he stopped and bent down.  We watched as he spent several more minutes taking photos.  When he got back in the car, he was beaming!  He showed me the most amazing picture of a small flower he found.  It was just a little "onion" flower but he felt drawn to it and wanted to take the "perfect" picture of this flower.

It makes me think about the precious lives we sometimes we ignore.  How easy it is...in our busy lives...to pass by with little care.  BUT...it is at that moment when we notice the precious-ness of life and we are blessed.  
When I returned home, I had the joy of helping a friend grade English papers!  I have not done that in YEARS...but I love doing it.  These papers were essays about Beowulf ...not one of my favorites...it is so gruesome!...but I like following a rubric to grade in a way that is fair for everyone.

It made me think about how we must all fight for life...just as Beowulf was willing to fight evil (Grendel, his mother, a dragon)...even giving his life to save his people.  Now not many of us will likely give our life physically for the Pro-life movement...we must at least be willing to give of ourselves to help pray for conversion and for an end to abortion.

Work and then Play!

Today I had a training meeting for spiritual direction in Northeast Texas.  I love getting together with our group but I was really wondering if it would be worth it to drive the two hours one way for a two hour meeting.  So...I thought of an awesome plan to make the trip SO MUCH more worth the drive!

I convinced the children to wake up before their usual sluggish wake up call and go with me to the training....well at least be in the same building!  I even convinced Amanda and Katy to tag along and watch the younger ones!

And how did I manage this amazing feat?!?  I promised them we would spend the afternoon with three of the most amazing people I know...my cousin Karen...my childhood friend Angel and her daughter Karma!

SO...we got to the training.  All went well...as I said...I love being with the group to discuss our journey to become directors.  The meeting was especially nice because we had a visit with our bishop to discuss general topic and then the future of this ministry in our diocese.  He spoke about the importance of understanding our own personal journey and then going out into the world to be the face of God for others.  He also spoke about a key phrase spoken by Pope Francis in an interview that has been widely publicized...this phrase is not reported but more important than all the rest..."the important thing we can do as a universal Church is heal the wounds..."  Our bishop said that is part of our role as spiritual directors and we need to continue what we are doing to bring healing from the Spirit for those around us!  Very powerful and humbling to think we play such a big role in God's plan.

SO...the children were great and had fun playing and watching videos in the next room over.  BUT...the big push was to get to visit.  SO...they quickly got to the van and we were off to the restaurant we picked out ahead of time.  Karen was patiently waiting for us....it was not too bad as it was a lovely day...we even found that there was a covered outdoor seating area, so we took over the area for our own.  I am so thankful the temperature went down and it was a sunny day.  Since there was only one other table being used, we really did have the area to ourselves so the children felt comfortable running around the patio.

Angel and Karma arrived a little later and we kept the waiter hopping with returns to refill drinks, chips and salsa!  That left us free to chat about everything from steam-punk to art to houses to mustaches and everything in between and beyond!  It really was a relaxing fun afternoon without a care in the world....just good company!  We all enjoyed a leisurely meal and conversation until children started nodding off to sleep.  I decided that, although it would be nice to continue the conversation, I should get the children in the car so they slept on the way home....less noise if they are sleeping than when they have had a nap and are full of energy on the trip home!

My only regret is that I did not think to do this all the time we have lived in East Texas...I really love these ladies and I wish we had realized how close we were to make these get-togethers more often.  Isn't it sad that it takes moving to make these things happen?!?  OH...no sense trying to go back...but I do hope they will try to find a way to visit us in San Antonio!  And of course, I will try harder to get back this was also!  I am so thankful for these times together.

One thing that did come out of this is the desire for Amanda and Katy to meet up with Karen to make some steam-punk costumes!  They definitely have a common interest there!  In fact, the entire group was a good blend of free spirits just waiting for an excuse to be creative...I hope we can get them together soon!

All tucked into bed now...it looks like we are all worn out from our travels and excitement.  Good night!