Merry Christmas!

To you all!

It's our third quiet day in Granville, enjoying cuddles and naps, movies and snow play.  Forgive me for not telling some of you local peeps...just needed a break from everything. Also felt a little silly to share a big farewell moment when we are still very much here.

Friday, we were here to complete one last project on the old house before ownership shifts. It snowed inches that day so we sought refuge at my dad's. We returned to Dayton for Saturday, gathering Christmas gifts and supplies. Sunday morning, we even tried out a new church to which we will certainly return. It's the smaller campus of Fairhaven Church and may be the church family for us.

Craving a quiet Christmas Eve of baking and laundry, we traveled back to Dad's and kept a low profile as we surely made ourselves at home. We wanted to spend the holiday with my brother, who would otherwise be alone. After a quiet morning opening gifts (and assembling 2 of 4 large Lego sets,) he and his dogs joined us for a loud lunch and gift exchange. In the evening my aunt and my little family traveled to my cousin's charming house in Columbus to see my dad's extended family. It was a lovely, long day.

Each day other than Christmas, there has been the lingering possibility that we would have to rush back to Dayton to sign papers. I woke up this morning and started cleaning and packing, only to get a phone call that it will be tomorrow afternoon. So we wait and enjoy the snowfall from inside the house and snuggle in for a bit more.

Plans

Well, it's not going to happen, friends. Our house will not be ours until after Christmas. There is some peace in it. I'm just bummed that I don't have our decorations that mean so much to me.

We did a bit of decking the hotel...Bean and I made these today. And surprisingly, before we left the old house, I remembered to snip some greenery with red berries, so that I would have something. (I don't know what it is...some creeping shrub, low to the ground that has tear-drop leaves and bright red berries.) We have a fireplace and mantel here, so after a few minutes of arrangement, it's looking festive.

Tonight after dinner, Sweet Man and I began to draw our new house...I on graph paper and he on his fancy~schmancy work software. So fun...we have some good ideas, I think. I must remember that taking a wall out with a keystroke is way different than with a sledgehammer.

One of our first purchases will be a wood burning stove as there is no place in which to burn wood (a non-negotiable on my wishlist.) Does anyone know what those funky, retro, suspended fireplaces are called?

Home sweet

Hey, y'all!

We did it...the ball that we began rolling back in September picked up speed and barreled away from me me as I watched helpless and full of uncertainty. We are in the midst of a move.

Bug, Bean, & I closed the door on our home of 11 years yesterday. I kept my cool until after the (really nice) movers left...well, except for when those sweet friends of mine gave me last hugs. With one kiddo in the car crying and one kid walking with me through each room (who actually found my dough hook that had rolled out of reach of the movers - yay!) I bawled...and said, "I loved you, house...but I hated you, too." So silly, huh? It really was a great house...both babes knew their first days there. Bean was born there. Parties and Christmases and projects and fights...so much life there.

What an interesting experience...to be moved. I felt fairly lazy, watching the guys work for 2 days. Until the last 3 or 4 hours when I got busy finding more things to throw on the truck...porch rug, vacuum cleaner (finally finished sweeping,) and a plunger (uh, duh...very valuable item, thank you.) Good golly, after purging 5 years ago, how did we fill half a semi with stuff? Consumerism, blech.... And then there was so much randomness that was shoved into every available space in my car. My little vagon vas crammed full...unsafely so. After a unload at my dad's house, we headed west. Be glad I didn't swing by your house, dear reader.

I can't say that uncertain feeling has left me yet. We're back in a hotel...familiar territory to us. Hot breakfast is a walk across the parking lot. Clean towels available. Fresh coffee all. day. long. We are fine, but we are edgy (in a psychological sense)  here on the edge of a new city. We're waiting for the paperwork to allow us to get our new keys. All our worldly possessions are on still on a truck.

And I'm eating everything in sight...yeah, it's bad.

It will probably be Christmas eve when we gain possession and who knows when we will unload the truck. I gladly don't have any control of this sitch. The fun begins once we begin to unpack.

I'm already very grateful that Sweet Man loves his new job. It helps even out those "what the h*** are we doing?" moments.

Today, the kids and I escaped the stale hotel air and drove around Englewood Reserve. Since we were so close, we just had to do a drive by of the new house. More specifically, we went up the hill to the park that backs up to our new backyard. We followed the walking path to the back fence of the property and I felt a smidge more certainty in that moment. My my, I think it's going to be a fine house for us. Sure, there is a wall that we want to remove immediatement and a kitchen to remodel. Sweet Man thinks he will do it soon and this time we'll know a bit better what we are doing. The backyard is a blank canvas. We have lots of work ahead...but it's a great house.

But gosh, what a good life I just left.