All moved in...now onto homeschooling and house hunting.

Our movers arrived with all 432 items/boxes last Tuesday - whew, that's a lot o' cardboard!  Greg's boss generously allowed him to take the whole day off to help us unload and settle in even though it was only his 2nd official day on the clock.  He is enjoying his new job as Continuous Improvement Specialist at FMC and is learning more and more every day there about the oil supply business.  He was assigned his first project on Thursday and he's pretty gung-ho about chipping in and leading others to work together to be consistent. 

The kids and I spent all day Wednesday and Friday unpacking boxes.  Thursday, we took a break and SaraKay had a playdate with a friend and her girls that live here in the apartment complex.  (Yes, a new friend!!! Yay!) Daniel and I went on house tours with our realtor for a few hours Thursday morning, and then we all came back to the apartment and kind of chilled out. 
Saturday, Greg and I told one another that we needed to have a more relaxed weekend than we'd had the last 3 weeks because we were wearing a bit thin from all the unpacking and busy, busy, busy.  Now, if we could only magically locate our bedroom comfortor and sheets without busting into more cardboard!  (smile)

Sunday, we went back to The Woodlands Church because the kids wanted to see what their kids worship was like and Greg and I wanted to hear Dr. Charles Lowry one more time.  Next Sunday, we'll probably start looking for somewhere a little closer to home.

We drove around a few more neighborhoods this afternoon and enjoyed an Italian meal out at Buca Restaurant. 

Last night, after going to the pool together and then onto H-E-B to shop for a few

groceries, Greg and I hosted a movie "preview" to watch "The Wand Of Lore," the film

in which our kids took part during Vidalia's Movie Camp, mid-July.

I got inspired by a FAMILY FUN article to make a FAIRY house out of melon.  The kids

had a ball and the movie was so, so cute!  They had had such fun being actresses and actors in Jackson, John and Ala's REAL movie.

So, we're settling in, and while we miss friends in sweet Onion country, we are thankful to be able to follow God's lead and bloom where He has planted us for this season of life.

 

New Home - Houston, TX!!!

Wonderful friends at FBC Vidalia threw us a
"going away" luncheon our last Sunday there.

Jackie & Stacey were my hostesses with the "mostesses"

We've arrived in Houston, Texas and have begun our next adventure!
13504 Schroeder Rd Apartment #4104  Zipcode: 77070

Old Home in Vidalia all cleaned out and ready to sell

Ft. Walton Beach, FL

It was a long set of two days getting here, but we all made it in one piece and not ripping our hair out, so I consider that a success.
It was nice to have our first night's stayover near Destin, Florida... can't beat a white sand beach!  We drove 7 1/2 hours the first day and  were on the road about 12 hours the 2nd day.

Our Moving VanLine

We stayed at Uncle Barry & Aunt Adele's house that first night, and let the kids play with their older cousin up until about lunch on Friday.  Then, we headed up to North Houston to start setting up house.

We're living out of totes and boxes... fun, fun!

Our first Sunday here in the Houston Area (July 24) we visited Kerry Shook's church, "The Woodlands Church - Fellowship Campus)

Woodlands Church - Worship Thru Music Sun. AM - July 24

We've been able to set up bank accounts, move into our town-home, secure insurance,
set up initial drs appointments, purchase bathroom necessities like shower curtains & hooks (that accidentally got packed away in the vanline truck) as well as eat at some good ol' Texas favorite restaurants.  Greg started work today at FMC, and the kids are I are sticking close to home since we don't have a 2nd vehicle to use to run errands.  I'm hoping that the pool opens up soon.  Without a tv or radio or mp3 player, it's very quiet except for the elephant-like tromping around that's going on above me in the kids' bedrooms.  Geesh, they're loud walkers.  I've never lived in a 2-story house with them, and this is quite the experience!

The Moyes let us stay the night with them when all our good were packed
on the moving truck.  It was a true blessing to be surrounded by such
wonderful and gracious friends the night before we drove out of Georgia!

Packing, packing, chug... chug.

The time is upon us now... and wow, has God provided answers this week!  Having been gone the 2 weeks prior helping mom in Arizona, I cannot express my extreme gratitude to my Provider for His hand of blessing this week!

With the assistance of our relocation counselor from FMC, we've been able to secure not only the Vanline service to come out and pack & load us on July 18th and 19th, but also to get our home here in Vidalia on the market and to ready ourselves with temporary housing in Houston.  It's been a rush!  And now... the saying "goodbyes" is upon us.

This Sunday, my Sunday school class at FBC Vidalia is hosting a "going away covered dish luncheon" for our family... and this means so much.  I never want anybody to make a fuss over me whatsoever, but I'll tell you - with as fast as this move has come upon us, and with me having been out of the state for 15 days, getting to say a proper goodbye to friends in our church family this Sun. is a true joy to my heart!

Both kids have had the chance to participate in Toombs County Region For the Arts MOVIE CAMP this past week and that's been so fun for them. They've been little "actors and actresses" this week, learning to not only perform lines but to actually make a movie.   It's been a relief to me, to see them enjoying themselves so much on what could have been a very stressful week for us all.  I feel like I've had our home phone, cell phone, and laptop keyboard surgically attached to my ear and limbs for four, straight days.
It's been worth it though because we're almost done wrapping up details for this big move back to Texas.  North Houston... here we come!!!
 

Our Big Announcement.... We are...

Moving to Houston, Texas!

Spelunking.@ Raccoon Mtn. Cave this past spring break

Greg put in his notice at TRANE this past Friday morning, July 1st.  He will work until July 15th and then it is our goal to leave for Houston around the 20th.  Greg has taken an engineering position with FMC Underwater Oil/Natural Gas Company.  He will begin on Monday, July 25th. 

We are sad to leave our many friends in Vidalia, GA, and I'm especially sad about leaving my piano students.  However, this move will put us back within very drivable distances to both sets of grandparents as well as all aunts, uncles and cousins.  This will be such a blessing because we have rarely gotten to have visits with any of them in the past 4 years.  The kids embraced the news about moving to Houston & we'll actually be in the same town as Barry's family (Greg's older brother).  I'm grateful for the kids' response to the news of the relocation, especially since we broke it to them via skype while I was away from daddy out here in Arizona.

The kids and I are still staying with my folks out here in Tucson, AZ; the three of us will be here until the 9th.  We fly back into Jacksonville, FL and will then have one more day at their beaches with daddy before heading back to sweet onion country to pack up our belongings and settle things with the relocation people/moving van-line. 

Nana (my mom) is doing fantasic with recovery here at her home, and she's been faithfully doing all of her knee exercises.  I've been cooking up a storm as this is of the main things that I can do to keep things clicking along while mom is laid up much of the day. Dad and I took the kids to see CARS 2 today in the theater.  This weekend, he's going to surprise them with tickets to Barnum&Bailey, Ringling Bros. CIRCUS.

I'm thankful that we've been able to be out here for the surgery as well as the 2 week recovery period, and Greg is thankful for the quiet, undististurbed house... well, most of the time, anyway.  He's gotten our guest bathroom painted & updated and is now working on fixing up a few other things before putting our sweet, little yellow house on the market. 
Till next time.... thanks for sharing in our big moving news.  We appreciate your love and your support now and always!  And if you know anybody who is looking for a 3 bedroom home, with wood flooring in all the main areas in a wonderful neighborhood in Vidalia, give us a buzz!