Saturday, June 12, 2010

Home sweet home

So you feel as though you were with us on our Great Road Trip of 2010, here are the highlights from each state we lumbered through.
Idaho...
...Utah...

...Wyoming...


...Nebraska....





...Iowa...






...Illinois...





...Indiana...





...and finally, Michigan...



This is the old gymnasium on our property. Apparently these willows have to go as they are messing royally with the sewer system. I love willows. But I suppose, given the choice, I would love a working sewer system more. You may revoke my tree hugging card now.




This is downtown St Louis.




This is our humble abode for the next 6 weeks or so. It's a two bedroom little house, maybe 900 square feet. How do we all squeeze in, you may ask? Are you kidding me? We've been on your couches since Christmas! This feels like a palatial McMansion!




This house sits right across the driveway and is the one we'll be moving into right around the end of July.





All in all, we clocked 2,013 on the good old Penske and I don't plan on traveling further than say, 20 miles, for about a year. But if you'd all like to visit me, I've got a fab two bedroom guest cottage in mind! Truth be told, the trip was not too bad and I don't think we'll even get Post Traumatic Stress Disorder symptoms whenever anyone shows us an ear of corn.

I haven't had a job in a bit now, so it's kind of fun heading to staff meetings and the like. We are reading each and every sentence of the Houseparent Training Manuel as part of our, wait for it, houseparent training. There's lots to learn, from parenting to paperwork to budgeting to everything else. I went to my first baseball game as a house mom to cheer on our 14 year old, who did awesome I might say. Mike started cheering and calling him "Wheels" since he's a fast runner and the name might stick. I can't talk about the kids here at the home(s) and I can't mention their names, so we may have to come up with nicknames for each of them - one down, a few more to go!

The girls are loving having room to run, and I must say, so do I. Not that I'm running, it's just a figure of speech. I only run from big, hairy spiders. I have gone on some country road bike rides though, which has been quite lovely. Anna feels as though it's Christmas as she rips through boxes we packed 7 months ago and discovers toys and clothes she forgot she had. She changes outfits about three times a day now. Cora is excited as she can now ride a grown up size bike. Moose loves the bugs and the tractor and the teenage boys who swing him up to the basketball hoop to dunk. All of them love getting most of our groceries from the food provided by churches in a big storeroom. Subsequently they have all discovered Chef Boyardee to their Italian father's dismay and chagrin.

Mike loves his sock drawer. You never want to see a grown man cry, but these were tears of joy when he finally got to unpack that suitcase and put everything in an actual dresser. It was a beautiful moment - we embraced and wept and than held a ceremonial suitcase burning in the backyard.

I love everything. It's a beautiful place and we're having a great time. I miss all of you and if EVER you felt guilted into leaving comments for lonely, friendless, me, now's the time.






























































































































11 comments:

  1. I try to post comments but they never seem to work, but I still try.. I am so happy you have made it to your new beginning of your new journey. I am sure you will have a very fulfilling life there. ~hugs~

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  2. We're so glad you are there and safe and happy, but we miss you sooooooo much!

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  3. You have such a way of story telling. When will you write a book? Lillie is still talking about having you guys here, dreaming of you moving back in or her moving in with you, and she's even written down stories about it all. We would love to have you around, but glad you're enjoying your new surroundings.

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  4. Glad to hear you and your family are safe and sound. Sending some adjustment love your way! I understand the lonely, friendless feeling...all too well.

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  5. You made it!!! =) Yes, it is a nice feeling to have a home to come home to after being "on tour". I recall camping for two weeks in the middle of summer before the start of school when we moved to NorCal and were waiting for an apartment vacancy. (It was worth waiting for, though, we had a lovely place right on a lake.) It was rather lonely moving somewhere where we knew literally no one, though. I pushed myself to be even more boisterious and friendly than normal, and well, I may have frighten some people off, but I made a few new friends among my neighbors, coworkers, and student's parents. =) So if you ever need a friend, just remember, we are only a mouse click away! =) Thank goodness for FaceBook and your blog--no more waiting on old Snail Mail and buying stamps--which are ridiculously expensive these days, I must say! Although, I sometimes secretly still miss the feel and smell and sound of unwrapping the paper evelope (almost like a Christmas present), the friendly scroll of familiar handwriting, and the stickers and doodles and embellishments that went with them, but still, without the convenience of the internet, I have to admit, I would not have the time to keep up with most of my old friends. I send lots of hugs and wishes for you and your family to make lots of new friends (I know you will, you already have friends all over the country)! And I saw a tourism advertisement for Michigan this morning on TV and couldn't help thinking of you guys. Drop me a virtual line sometime if you ever feel inclined (or just lonely). =) Celeste

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  6. Yaay! You guys made it!!! Hope you enjoy all those creepy bugs and humidity!! The only 2 things I hated about living in Indiana was all the bugs and the humidity! But I do miss all the trees and green! Well, I hope you guys enjoy this new adventure and maybe some time when we are back in Indiana for a visit we could swing up there and say hello! Take care and it was good seeing you again!

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  7. Glad to hear you are settling in nicely. The drive looks riveting! :) We haven't had time to miss you yet . . . but perhaps I'll get the time to miss you when you get the time to take up running. (tee hee). Until we meet again and Forever in cyberspace, Lorna

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  8. Hey wait a minute! You have more friends responding to this that I have never even heard of so quit pretending to be friendless you goober. I had my first teary day today missing my "home" and not yet loving the people of my new home. You adjust so much better than I do. I did go to a church group tonight and made some connections and loved it so here's hoping I survive! Good to talk to you the other night. Don't hesitate to call even to just let me hear your voice so I remember I am NOT actually in the middle of the United States all by my lonesome. Sniff sniff. Love you!

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  9. loved the pics doll ~ Happy homemaking and tractor riding :) - Sami Jo

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  10. Oh man...I'm behind in my Williams' family adventure novels! I just about wet myself looking at your pictures from Nebraska on...silly goose...I'm so glad that you are happy and settling and enjoying this exciting adventure! Sounds like a dream come true! Give yourself a hug from Idaho! Love, Kel

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