Sunday, February 11, 2007
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
HAPPY BIRTHDAY BEN!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY BENJAMIN!
I was looking over at Wikipedia and found that Ben shares a birthday with a number of popular people.
Aaron Burr (1765), Babe Ruth (1895), Ronald Reagan (1911), Zsa Zsa Gabor (1917), Mike Farrell (1939 ... he was BJ Hunnicutt on MASH), Tom Brokaw (1940), Natalie Cole (1950) and Axl Rose (1962).
I'll post some other pictures of Ben and the kids later today.
For Ben's birthday, he and a few friends are going to play laser tag and go bowling. He's pretty excited!
Thursday, February 01, 2007
The Move
Sit back for a long story ...
We were scheduled to close on Seneca at 9:00am on Wednesday January 31. At 9:30, we were to close on Clear Creek.
Tuesday January 30
Tuesday morning ... Jill and I are on the phone discussing the next day's scheduled events. As we understood it, we'd be able to close on both homes and then head back to Seneca to have the movers move us out and then into Clear Creek. We call our realtor to confirm this. She says that we probably need to be out of Seneca by 10:30 AM!! What?!! So we ask her to talk to the buyer to see if we can have some spare time.
Tuesday afternoon around 2:30pm our realtor gets back to us and says that we have to be out before 10:30am on Jan 31. I call the movers and they say that there's no way they can swing that ... they weren't supposed to be at Seneca until 12 noon. So I cancel the appointment with the movers and I call U-Haul. I reserve the big 26 foot truck. By 3pm I'm shutting down at work and heading home. Jill and I are in a frantic.
I finally get the truck and park it in front of Seneca. By 4:30pm I'm loading boxes. Thankfully the weather is mild and sunny. From 3:30 to 4:30 I had been calling in the reserves ... the Ward Elder's Quorum. A good friend of our shows up with two priests at 4:45pm and they are able to load all the boxes onto the truck and most of the big ticket items. By 6pm, a few other friends and neighbors show up and help finish up the big stuff. I send them home at 7pm because now all that's left is rubbish laying around the house ... we just have to box it up and pack it in the truck.
Meanwhile, Jill is taking care of Camille and packing what she can. The other kids are strewn across the town at friends' homes. By 8pm, I'm working on the endless junk that's been sitting around for years in the garage. A few more friends stop by and help and talk. Jill goes and gathers the kids and takes them over to another friend's house to put them to bed. Once she gets them to sleep, she comes back over and we finish up with the remaining things around the house.
By 11:30pm, we're both pretty exhausted. Jill goes over to our friend's place to go to sleep and I stay at Seneca and sleep on a bed of pillows with Fritz to keep me warm. I usually don't fall asleep very well when my mind and body have been going at full-speed all day long, so I think I finally dozed off at 3am.
Wednesday January 31
7:30am - I wake to the light of day. It takes me a few seconds to realize where I'm at and what condition I'm in (very sore). I get up and assess the situation. I just have a few things to box and put out in the garage and then we're done. 10 minutes later, the cleaning crew (more friends from the ward) arrive and begin to de-toxify the place.
I begin taking some boxes over to our next-door neighbor's. The truck is pretty full, so we're putting the last dozen or so items in our neighbor's garage so we can pick them up later. As I'm opening the garage, I hear the pitter-patter of ice falling on the sidewalk and roof. Once the door is fully open, I see the ice falling along with an occasional snowflake. By the time I've moved the stuff over, it is snowing. Now I'm just waiting on Jill who is taking Emma to school and distributing the other kids through-out our network of friends. While I'm waiting, I watch the large chunks of snow fall. On any other day, I probably would have enjoyed these quiet moments, but on that day, every snowflake brought more dread.
Earlier in the week, the father of a family in our ward died. Jill was the YW advisor for their daughter. The funeral would be on January 31. So most of the ward was getting ready for the funeral while we were trying to move. While I was waiting, the missionaries in our ward called me and said that they, along with 4 other elders would help us un-load at 2pm! It was welcome news! Jill finally showed up. We loaded some boxes into the van and then drove to the title company. We were 15 minutes late, but it wasn't a big deal. We closed on Seneca and then drove to the other company to close on Clear Creek. By this time, I stunk and was tired and hungry. As we signed papers, the snow continued to fall outside.
By 10:30am we were done signing. Jill went to the funeral and I went to go get something to eat since I hadn't eaten since the day before. Before I grabbed some grub, I stopped by Seneca one more time to pick up the cleaning supplies. I put them in the van and then did one more walk-through of our place. It was very emotional. I didn't think I'd get so attached to a home, but I did. It was really the first home I've had since leaving 1622 in Ontario back in 1995. You've heard of people say that they saw their life flash before them ... I kind of know what that means now. As I walked down those stairs for the last time, a flood of memories came back ... it was emotional overload ... moving in to the place, bringing Ben home from the hospital, the kids playing in the back yard, Christmas, birthdays, bringing Erick and Camille home from the hospital, FHE's, Sunday afternoons, playing toys, mowing the lawn, raking leaves, friends and family over for dinner, watching movies, Saturdays, and on and on and on ... I broke down into a puddle of tears. I knelt down and said one last prayer of gratitude. I was grateful for how well that home served me and my family. It was a good home. But of course I realized and understood as I got up off my knees, that our home is where our family is. And now I was about to begin getting our new place ready to care for my family.
I drove away from Seneca and went to Jimmy John's to get some lunch. My body was sore and my hands were quivering as I ate my sandwich. After lunch, I drove over to Clear Creek and did a walk-through. Technically we weren't supposed to move in until funding went through. But they gave us the keys anway and we began to move in. Jill was still at the funeral and the U-Haul was still parked over at Seneca. I made one more phone call to our hometeacher and then I went on got the big truck.
By 1:00pm, I had parked the truck over in front of Clear Creek and then unlocked the front door and walked in. The alarm went off. I opened the security panel and tried to turn it off, but it wouldn't. 30 seconds later the alarm kicked into the "intruder alert" mode. Finally I hit the "off" button and it stopped. So I officially broke into my own home! 10 minutes later I'm talking on the phone and I see two fire trucks in front of our house! Sure engough, they were responding to the alarm system. I told them that all was OK and once they saw the U-Haul, they realized what was going on. A police officer arrived on the scene 15 minutes later too.
By 1:45pm the snow had stopped and a van full of missionaries shows up. Out walk 6 elders. Things were looking up. 90 minutes later, the moving truck is empty ... if only move-outs were as quick as move-ins. I get them to follow me over to Seneca where we grab the stuff in our neighbor's garage. By 3:45pm, we are completly out of Seneca and completely in Clear Creek. Jill and I take the U-Haul back and then head over to Clear Creek to get beds and clothing put together.
Later in the evening, our friends show up on our doorstep with our kids and suddenly there's a party going on between our kids and our friends' kids. By 9pm, they are all gone and the our kids have their melt-downs. Everyone is in tears and we're all tired. Finally we get them all asleep and Jill and I order pizza. We unpack a few boxes and try and get organized a little for the carpet people.
Thursday February 1
Today we had some furniture delivered and we're getting our internet and cable transferred. Tomorrow we're having the carpets installed. Saturday will be the big unpacking day.
Jill has set up a chiropractor appointment for me tomorrow.
I'm simply amazed at how efficient Christine is. Of course, she's moved so many times that she has it down to a science. We've learned that we need to get rid of a few things. So over the next several months, we'll be depositing clothes and other items at the local charity store. I'll also be selling stuff on eBay.
Epilogue
I know that the Lord watched out and is watching out for us. If things had gone as we had planned, I don't think things would have gone very smoothly. I think the movers would have taken too long and we probably wouldn't have gotten into Clear Creek so soon. I think that the way it all worked out turned out better for us than if things had gone as planned.
I AM THANKFUL FOR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS! We've never really asked anything of our home teacher, but the couple of times we have, he's pulled through big-time. I am SO GRATEFUL for the missionaries and all those who helped us. My heart is so full of gratitude for them. The outpouring of love and support for us was tremendous!
And as you may have seen on the Zonk Board, we had layoffs yesterday. I am so glad I was gone and missed "the meeting." Those are the most depressing meetings and days. Not much gets done during the day after those meetings. I still have a job.
Thank you for all your prayers! It's been a crazy two months, but I think we survived the tough part.
You can email me for our new address or just give Mom a call.
We love you all!
We were scheduled to close on Seneca at 9:00am on Wednesday January 31. At 9:30, we were to close on Clear Creek.
Tuesday January 30
Tuesday morning ... Jill and I are on the phone discussing the next day's scheduled events. As we understood it, we'd be able to close on both homes and then head back to Seneca to have the movers move us out and then into Clear Creek. We call our realtor to confirm this. She says that we probably need to be out of Seneca by 10:30 AM!! What?!! So we ask her to talk to the buyer to see if we can have some spare time.
Tuesday afternoon around 2:30pm our realtor gets back to us and says that we have to be out before 10:30am on Jan 31. I call the movers and they say that there's no way they can swing that ... they weren't supposed to be at Seneca until 12 noon. So I cancel the appointment with the movers and I call U-Haul. I reserve the big 26 foot truck. By 3pm I'm shutting down at work and heading home. Jill and I are in a frantic.
I finally get the truck and park it in front of Seneca. By 4:30pm I'm loading boxes. Thankfully the weather is mild and sunny. From 3:30 to 4:30 I had been calling in the reserves ... the Ward Elder's Quorum. A good friend of our shows up with two priests at 4:45pm and they are able to load all the boxes onto the truck and most of the big ticket items. By 6pm, a few other friends and neighbors show up and help finish up the big stuff. I send them home at 7pm because now all that's left is rubbish laying around the house ... we just have to box it up and pack it in the truck.
Meanwhile, Jill is taking care of Camille and packing what she can. The other kids are strewn across the town at friends' homes. By 8pm, I'm working on the endless junk that's been sitting around for years in the garage. A few more friends stop by and help and talk. Jill goes and gathers the kids and takes them over to another friend's house to put them to bed. Once she gets them to sleep, she comes back over and we finish up with the remaining things around the house.
By 11:30pm, we're both pretty exhausted. Jill goes over to our friend's place to go to sleep and I stay at Seneca and sleep on a bed of pillows with Fritz to keep me warm. I usually don't fall asleep very well when my mind and body have been going at full-speed all day long, so I think I finally dozed off at 3am.
Wednesday January 31
7:30am - I wake to the light of day. It takes me a few seconds to realize where I'm at and what condition I'm in (very sore). I get up and assess the situation. I just have a few things to box and put out in the garage and then we're done. 10 minutes later, the cleaning crew (more friends from the ward) arrive and begin to de-toxify the place.
I begin taking some boxes over to our next-door neighbor's. The truck is pretty full, so we're putting the last dozen or so items in our neighbor's garage so we can pick them up later. As I'm opening the garage, I hear the pitter-patter of ice falling on the sidewalk and roof. Once the door is fully open, I see the ice falling along with an occasional snowflake. By the time I've moved the stuff over, it is snowing. Now I'm just waiting on Jill who is taking Emma to school and distributing the other kids through-out our network of friends. While I'm waiting, I watch the large chunks of snow fall. On any other day, I probably would have enjoyed these quiet moments, but on that day, every snowflake brought more dread.
Earlier in the week, the father of a family in our ward died. Jill was the YW advisor for their daughter. The funeral would be on January 31. So most of the ward was getting ready for the funeral while we were trying to move. While I was waiting, the missionaries in our ward called me and said that they, along with 4 other elders would help us un-load at 2pm! It was welcome news! Jill finally showed up. We loaded some boxes into the van and then drove to the title company. We were 15 minutes late, but it wasn't a big deal. We closed on Seneca and then drove to the other company to close on Clear Creek. By this time, I stunk and was tired and hungry. As we signed papers, the snow continued to fall outside.
By 10:30am we were done signing. Jill went to the funeral and I went to go get something to eat since I hadn't eaten since the day before. Before I grabbed some grub, I stopped by Seneca one more time to pick up the cleaning supplies. I put them in the van and then did one more walk-through of our place. It was very emotional. I didn't think I'd get so attached to a home, but I did. It was really the first home I've had since leaving 1622 in Ontario back in 1995. You've heard of people say that they saw their life flash before them ... I kind of know what that means now. As I walked down those stairs for the last time, a flood of memories came back ... it was emotional overload ... moving in to the place, bringing Ben home from the hospital, the kids playing in the back yard, Christmas, birthdays, bringing Erick and Camille home from the hospital, FHE's, Sunday afternoons, playing toys, mowing the lawn, raking leaves, friends and family over for dinner, watching movies, Saturdays, and on and on and on ... I broke down into a puddle of tears. I knelt down and said one last prayer of gratitude. I was grateful for how well that home served me and my family. It was a good home. But of course I realized and understood as I got up off my knees, that our home is where our family is. And now I was about to begin getting our new place ready to care for my family.
I drove away from Seneca and went to Jimmy John's to get some lunch. My body was sore and my hands were quivering as I ate my sandwich. After lunch, I drove over to Clear Creek and did a walk-through. Technically we weren't supposed to move in until funding went through. But they gave us the keys anway and we began to move in. Jill was still at the funeral and the U-Haul was still parked over at Seneca. I made one more phone call to our hometeacher and then I went on got the big truck.
By 1:00pm, I had parked the truck over in front of Clear Creek and then unlocked the front door and walked in. The alarm went off. I opened the security panel and tried to turn it off, but it wouldn't. 30 seconds later the alarm kicked into the "intruder alert" mode. Finally I hit the "off" button and it stopped. So I officially broke into my own home! 10 minutes later I'm talking on the phone and I see two fire trucks in front of our house! Sure engough, they were responding to the alarm system. I told them that all was OK and once they saw the U-Haul, they realized what was going on. A police officer arrived on the scene 15 minutes later too.
By 1:45pm the snow had stopped and a van full of missionaries shows up. Out walk 6 elders. Things were looking up. 90 minutes later, the moving truck is empty ... if only move-outs were as quick as move-ins. I get them to follow me over to Seneca where we grab the stuff in our neighbor's garage. By 3:45pm, we are completly out of Seneca and completely in Clear Creek. Jill and I take the U-Haul back and then head over to Clear Creek to get beds and clothing put together.
Later in the evening, our friends show up on our doorstep with our kids and suddenly there's a party going on between our kids and our friends' kids. By 9pm, they are all gone and the our kids have their melt-downs. Everyone is in tears and we're all tired. Finally we get them all asleep and Jill and I order pizza. We unpack a few boxes and try and get organized a little for the carpet people.
Thursday February 1
Today we had some furniture delivered and we're getting our internet and cable transferred. Tomorrow we're having the carpets installed. Saturday will be the big unpacking day.
Jill has set up a chiropractor appointment for me tomorrow.
I'm simply amazed at how efficient Christine is. Of course, she's moved so many times that she has it down to a science. We've learned that we need to get rid of a few things. So over the next several months, we'll be depositing clothes and other items at the local charity store. I'll also be selling stuff on eBay.
Epilogue
I know that the Lord watched out and is watching out for us. If things had gone as we had planned, I don't think things would have gone very smoothly. I think the movers would have taken too long and we probably wouldn't have gotten into Clear Creek so soon. I think that the way it all worked out turned out better for us than if things had gone as planned.
I AM THANKFUL FOR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS! We've never really asked anything of our home teacher, but the couple of times we have, he's pulled through big-time. I am SO GRATEFUL for the missionaries and all those who helped us. My heart is so full of gratitude for them. The outpouring of love and support for us was tremendous!
And as you may have seen on the Zonk Board, we had layoffs yesterday. I am so glad I was gone and missed "the meeting." Those are the most depressing meetings and days. Not much gets done during the day after those meetings. I still have a job.
Thank you for all your prayers! It's been a crazy two months, but I think we survived the tough part.
You can email me for our new address or just give Mom a call.
We love you all!
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