this moment {picture-less}

Virtual high-fives for anyone who can guess what I'm doing at this moment!

*hint* It rhymes with schmacking

I did it

I started packing!  After repeatedly calling John yesterday complaining about how much I had to do, yet I had no boxes to put anything in, he came home with boxes and tape and markers.  And then my friend Brandi came over and picked up my kids so I could have time to pack.  And then later that night, my friend Robyn showed up with boxes (thank you sweet friends!). Drat!  Looks like I actually have to do this!  So I did!  And it feels good!

We have decided to make our last few days here all about our favorite things to do in this town.  Today?  Possibly a thrift store (my favorite) and then most definitely onto the ice cream factory for some fresh deliciousness (their favorite)!  We are still going to be living very close to this place, but I really wanted some fun things for us to do in the midst of all of the things we have to do.  Some time to fill love tanks while most of our time is spent side by side working away.  So this seems to fit well.

I am thankful that we had the foresight to take a little mini road trip last week!  We had so much fun just living in a pile on top of each other for the week.  Really, I treasured every minute of it!  We started at my brother and sister in law's place to finally (finally!) meet my sweet baby niece.  She is full of cuddles and smiles- I just love her!  We also got to go trick-or-treating with my nephew.  That was so much fun!

 Our destination after we left there was to a drive through safari.  We had so much fun!  The highlight of the day was when the ostrich stuck his head through our sunroof!  We were all squealing and ducking away from certain pecking.

before the pecking began- typing this my brain is screaming "run for your life!!!"

the zebras were crazy friendly!

Thinking about it makes me smile.  It was one of those perfect days when you are totally making your kid's dreams come true.

Off to pack up some books.
Who do I think I am with all of these books?!?!

surely there is something I should be doing

I should be cleaning, or organizing, or dumpster diving for boxes.  I for sure shouldn't be updating the blog!
Seems like with all that I should be doing, all I want to do is nothing.  Funny how that works.  Maybe funny isn't the right word...

So, in the spirit of procrastination, here are our Halloween pictures, a week late!

Buddy was a knight.  Check out the shine coming from his sword!  Sha-shinggg...

Moonpie was Tigress from Kung Fu Panda.

John and I were Bert and Mary Poppins

Ok seriously, I need to go do something.  

look who thinks she can just start blogging again...

Wait, did I just do that?  Did I just click "new post" after a whole month of not blogging?  And it seems that after a whole month, I'd have lots of pictures and words to share.  So let's see, where to start?

Maybe this.

We are moving.  Next week I will be in a new home, in a new town, serving in a new church.  And I feel all the feelings that go along with that.  Excited, sad, happy, overwhelmed.  But mostly I feel confident.  Confident that it is the right move for us, confident that we are leaving our current ministry in great hands.  Confident that God has written these plans and humbled by His goodness.

We are moving into a house with THREE whole bedrooms!  We will have a huge yard, almost an acre!  We will be living across the street from the church that we will be serving in!  We will be close to where we currently live.

These are good things.
These are gifts.
And we are so very grateful!

So right now I am planning bedrooms in my head.  Our kids have always shared a room.  How do I sort toys and books?  I am planning packing in my head.  I am theoretically ordering shower curtains and wall clings.  And while all of things are going on in my head, I'm trying to slow our last days down in this home.  Sitting by our dining room window that lets in the softest, loveliest light, making origami with Buddy.  Singing, with John on guitar, in our poorly insulated living room.  Rocking in our chairs on the front porch with Moonpie.  Soaking in our final moments in this sweet little home of ours.