Settling in

These days I am feeling a little like a fish out of water. I don't mean that to sound bad, it's just the best reference I can come up with. What I mean, is that things feel a little strange.

While I have done well at becoming familiar with my surroundings, my new world doesn't feel quite normal yet.  Again, it's not bad, just different. When you get into a routine, you seem to run on autopilot much of the time.
I am trying to reprogram that pilot!

One thing I can say for certain is that prayer is a very powerful thing.  The one thing that does not change when you move to a new place is God.  He brought us here for a reason, He will guide us where we need to be. I just have to remind myself of that occasionally; although sometimes God makes a point to remind me!

We have been here just over a week.  We have unpacked countless boxes! 
With every box I empty, I am trying to bring back a little normal. Everything from the kids' stuffed animals and favorite board games, to hanging pictures and cooking meals that are familiar to them. 
It's really amazing how a home cooked meal can make you feel secure.

It's important to let them feel like they have an active role in the process. I have let them decide where they want certain items to go.

Cameron had said for months that he wanted an "office".  
Why a 13yr old boy would want an office is beyond me, but nonetheless he was insistent.
When we found the house, we saw that one of the bedrooms had 2 closets.  One of those closets was completely open.  I knew immediately what this would be.

Yep, Cameron now has an office!  He took his time setting things up just the way he wanted them.  He set up his desk, his bookshelf, everything.  All I did was provide a light bulb for his desk lamp.

He loves it! 

And I love that.

I am happy to report that the kids have already made some new friends, and so have we.
Just one day after arriving here, we attended the "New Families Dinner" at their new school.
We are normally not crazy about going to these things, it sits just outside of our comfort zone.
However, having been in town less than 24hrs, we were tired and hungry and had no groceries to cook.  It was nice to skip the restaurant and let someone else cook for us!
We were immediately welcomed by several families!  They were so friendly and welcoming to us, we were blown away! Several of them had kids the same age as ours.  By Friday we were invited over to dinner, and the kids were blending right in, as neighbor kids made their way over to meet them.
What a blessing this was.  
The following night was a "Back to School" party, held by one of the families near the school.  It was so nice to show up and see faces we recognized. This gave us the opportunity to get to know some of the other families, and the kids had a great time!

All of this allowed one of my biggest worries to subside.  The first day of school.

I was still nervous for them, but it was a joy to hear kids calling their name when they got out of the car! 

So, are we in a "routine" yet?
No. 
It's day to day at this point.  But, we are trying. Hence, the "fish out of water" feeling.
I think, after a few weeks, it will happen, although slowly.  
I pray every day for peace, and for guidance.
That's all I can do.

Tammy

Step 1 - arrival...

Well, we made it!
Wow, that was certainly a long drive.  
After breakfast and some tough, tearful goodbyes, we hit the interstate around 7:15am.

We arrived just after 7pm.  It was still light out, so the kids were excited as we made the last few turns toward our new home.
They squealed when we pulled up in the driveway behind the moving truck, which arrived an hour before.  

After I dug the key from it's hiding spot, the kids scrambled inside to check things out. Naturally, they wanted to be sure their rooms were adequate.  Fortunately, they were happy with their new digs!

A word of advice, though. When loading a moving truck, you should remember to hold on to your pillows and blankets if you plan to arrive late at night.....possibly even an air mattress.  Better yet, book a hotel room! 
Sadly, I didn't remember either. So, we grabbed some dinner and stopped at WalMart for some last minute bedding. Then we all went home and curled up on the floor....OUCH.

So, thoughts so far?
I like it.  I think my kids even like it.
It's pretty here.  They have all four seasons, and the people are so nice and polite! 
Of course, I do miss home!  My family and friends are so important to me, it breaks my heart to leave them behind.  
But, at the same time, it's the fact that I am so close to them that makes this transition manageable.

Sound backwards?  Not really.
Think about it.  When you are close to someone, you have the comfort of speaking to them regularly, and keeping in touch in a way that is almost like being there.

I think we will enjoy it even more once we eliminate all the boxes! I am making great progress, though! At least, my back is telling me I did a lot today!

One thing I can say, in a move like this with kids, it's important to let the mess and the boxes go for a little while and get the kids out.  
I want them to love their new home, but I also want them to love their city and their new surroundings.  The sooner I make them feel comfortable, the sooner they will make friends and feel at home.

So, now that we have gone out for dinner, we are going to relax a bit. 
We are one step closer to feeling at home!

Tammy

Life brings BIG changes....

It's been a while since I last wrote anything.
Things in our world became so crazy, so full of schedules and obligations, jobs, and meetings, that I simply ran out of time and energy.

To be honest, life never really gives us a lot of free time, but sometimes you have to find a way to squeeze in the stuff you find valuable.

I may slack off some in the beginning, but I am making it a priority to post on a regular basis from now on.
From now on I will have all new things to write about.
Some dear friends of mine urged me to write, as I travel with my family to a whole new chapter in our lives.
I guess I should start at the beginning. So, here goes.

A few years back my husband and I made the decision it was time for him to leave his job with the police department in Nashville. It was a job he enjoyed, but we both felt he had gone as far as he could. It was time for a change.
So, he accepted a promising job with a company down the street.  He would be doing fraud investigation, something he really loves.
We prayed for direction, and felt that this is the way He was leading us.
Over the years to come he became better at his job, gaining a promotion to Supervisor after 2 years.

So this leads me to now.  About 6 weeks ago, we received word that my husband had been given the role of project manager.  It was one of those things he had waited so long for, a job he really wanted,
had worked hard to earn, and could NOT turn down.

The catch?
The job is 800 miles away, in Omaha, NE.

We are from the south.  We grew up with humidity, southern charm, and grits for breakfast.
How do we adjust to life in the Midwest?
That is the question.  That is now my job.
It is my goal to make this transition go as smoothly as possible.
So far, things are still crazy!  As you can imagine, we were immediately thrown into a whirlwind of
events....
Pack the house.  Sell the house.  Visit Omaha, find a house.  Find a school.

Pack some more.
Pack even more.
Wow, we have WAY too much stuff!
Sell stuff..lots of stuff.
There have been many trips to Goodwill.  
I have probably furnished someone's apartment.

So now, the truck has gone before us and we are left with our "goodbyes."
That is, by far, the hardest part of this transition.
As excited as we are for my husband's success, as well as the adventures to come, it's never easy to move so far away from family and friends.

I will let you know how that part goes.  It's time for bed, we have a long drive tomorrow.

So, off we go! 
Pray for us.  For we will be driving 12hrs tomorrow with 2 kids, a dog, a turtle, and 2 guinea pigs.

Can you imagine!?

Tammy