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!

Mom's Knee Replacement Surgery

Well, it's Tuesday morning and I'm up early again... my mental morning alarm clock just can't seem to get ahold of the 3 hour time change between Georgia and Arizona.  I guess it's just as well because by the time I adjust to waking up later than 4:30am here, I'll not be able to sleep into 7:30am at home.  C'est la vie!

Alas, I pray that my mom had a decent night of sleep last night.  Doc Moultrie said that the knee replacement surgery went just perfect!  The "Low" of the day was that she had to stay in the recovery ward for 7 hours because they didn't have a room for her to rest her weary head. However, by 6pm, she was wheeled into a double room, fit with designer draw curtain, sardine-like, squashed in chair and side table.  Monday night was her first night staying at Northwest Hospital. Dad, the kids and I went to see her yesterday after dinner and she was in pretty good spirits (the meds hadn't worn off yet -smile).  I have a feeling today will be her toughest day because the numbness in her left leg will have dissipated and the exercises she has to do (to get her new bionic knee working correctly) will begin.  If you are reading this and it's Tuesday, June 28th or 29th, please say extra prayers that she will be perseverant and be able to withstand the pain that will come with the recovery process (esp. while in the hospital).  It won't be easy. 



Swimming with mom pre-surgery



The kids and I have been on somewhat of a "mini vacation" up to this point because we've been living up hours in the beautiful swimming pool here at mom and dad's house.  And what a view overlooking the golf course and mountain ranges!  Temps have certainly been warm enough to swim - 108-112 degree highs since Friday.  

Dad is going back to see mom this morning and then I'll go up later this afternoon to stay with her for a while.  I'm hoping that she will have other visitors also.  While she's going to have to do therapy, she's also a "people person" and she will enjoy having her friends come in and "love on" her a bit so that she doesn't grow lonely or discouraged.  I sent out an email to all her "peeps" yesterday saying she'd welcome visitors beginning this afternoon (Tuesday). I hope they take me up on it and at least stop by room 246 to say hello.  

That's about it for now.  I'm going to take the kids to see CARS 2 sometime this week and we're looking forward to a wonderful band and chorus concert scheduled for the July 4th weekend.  Mom should be home by Thursday afternoon, so maid and food service will be top priority at that point.  Dad/Poppa also has another surprise outing for the kids but I'll wait to post about that until it happens.  He already surprised Daniel and took her GOLFING on a Par-3, nine hole course Saturday.  As long as the boys are keeping busy and staying out of trouble mama is happy to hold down the roost! (Jah, jah)  Signing off for now. ~Karen

After surgery, 6/27/2011