Trying to Relax and Enjoy the Ride

So much to do. So overwhelming. It would be one thing if we were packing everything for the move. We have to decide what to take in the camper, what to store in Virginia, what to store in Kentucky, and what to get rid of/sell/donate.

I've decided to stay calm and just try to pack the camper. We are camping for Labor Day weekend and leaving the camper in Buena Vista. It makes sense to put as much stuff as we know we need in the camper so we don't have to cram the truck next week with stuff we should have packed. Then we will be able to focus on emptying the house when we get back.

HokieHubby was supposed to get a call confirming the details of the new job on Monday. When he hadn't heard from them by lunch on Tuesday, I told he ought to call to see what was up. Turns out they are waiting for some of the other candidates' bloodwork and polygraph results. Now we wait some more to find out what the new start date will be. Hopefully it won't be too much later than September 11th. We already made our reservations for a campground on the 20th. I guess we will get a couple of days to settle in and relax before he starts.

I keep making notes of projects for improving the inside of our new home. The cabinets and pantries need a little help. I plan to stack clothes in my little cupboard, but right now there's a hanging bar in each and no shelves. The kids' wardrobe will be for school storage. I bought large utility totes from my 31 Gifts girl for each kid and that is where their clothes will be kept. We are trying to minimize to amount of toys. This is very tough with 4 kids, all 8 and under.

It's all part of the adventure. It's tough right now, but it will be awesome later! I hope.

Naming the New House While Trying to Empty the Old

So I want to name our new home, but I totally stink at naming things. The previous owners called it Campasaurus Rex. We are Hokies, so maybe something related to Tech. I keep thinking about turtles and how they carry their homes on their backs. I want to call it something fun. Maybe it will come to me.

We've taken some stuff out to my mom's house. I think I may have underestimated the amount of stuff we will be keeping. We have too much stuff. I was hoping to sell furniture, and what doesn't sell I plan to donate. Much of it isn't worth storing, and certainly not worth hauling 600+ miles. I have donated about 6 large bags of clothes.

I start to feel overwhelmed when I look beyond the necessities. There's just not enough time to do all this the right way. We are home today and tomorrow, camping Thursday through Monday, and Kentucky bound the next Sunday. I suppose I could focus on loading the camper since we intend to leave it on the hill after camping.

Ack!

Taking the Plunge from Ptown

We did it.

HokieHubby got the job in Kentucky.

We bought a 30' travel trailer.

We are the stars in our own reality show: "Extreme Downsizers."

It's a madhouse around here. I consider it a miracle every time I manage to get a meal on the table. There is stuff everywhere. More than usual.

I'm not sure if the kids really get that we are not taking all of their stuff with us, but I guess they'll figure that out later! I should probably take pictures through the whole process.

Anyway, the adventure continues! I plan on renaming the blog, and writing more often. I also need a name for my behemoth camper/tiny new home.

Back in the summer of 2010...

HokieBoy has been going to speech therapy at the public elementary school for 2 years now. In that time, we've learned a good bit of how speech therapy works. We've learned what to look for, that some skills are just not appropriate for young children, and how to help children make correct sounds. Recently, HokieBoy's therapist indicated that HokieGirl may qualify. I had not been overly concerned, because I felt she was hitting the most of the right sounds for her age. (By the way, she just turned 4, but she looks and acts a little older, like maybe a late 4. It throws people off sometimes.) But, when a speech professional suggests that there may be a problem, well there is certainly no harm in having an evaluation. If there is a problem, therapy through the schools is free, and HokieBoy's therapist is great.

So, today was our opening evaluation. We dropped off the other kids with a friend and headed off just the two of us girls. We walk into the meeting room, and here's where I realized the set up must have felt a little intimidating to my girl. It was a conference room with a long table and 7 adults already seated. I pulled a chair out for her and sat down.

She whispered, "Mama, can I sit in your lap?" Of course! While I'm answering questions I let HokieGirl play with my hands. "Look, Mama! I made your hands into a triangle! Look! Mine is a smaller triangle!" I murmured, "yes!" into her ear and continued answering questions about her birth and baby milestones. "I made your fingers make a diamond! Here's a tinier diamond! And now I'll make the tiniest diamond!"

At this point the speech pathologist pulls out her box of toys and invites HokieGirl over to play, while I continue to answer other questions.

Wait. A Blog Entry? No Way!

It's been a very long time. I could go on and on about how long and how much has happened since I last blogged, but I won't. Instead, I think I'll write about the future. HokieHubs is heading to another state with HokieBoy. He is interviewing with another Fire Department. When he gets the job, we are going to do the unthinkable: by an RV (travel trailer) and park it in a campground while we decide what our next step will be. That's right. A 30-ish foot camper with 4 kids and a puppy. I'm insane. I'm also excited. I know it will be challenging to downsize. But I think it will be exhilarating. We will be forced to part with much of our belongings and only keep that which we truly need. Some of our things will move in with my mother. Some of it will be sold. Much of it will be donated. An awful lot of it will go in the garbage. I think this will be an awesome experience for all of us! At least I keep telling myself that!