1. We moved. That's pretty much the whole list. We didn't just move across town though. We moved to a whole different state. A whole different country, if you will, e.g. Texas.
I must say that Texas is lovely this time of year, which I'm told makes up for the fact that it is unbearably hot for the rest of the year.
So far we have celebrated Easter in style with my sister and her family(niece projectile vomited Easter breakfast onto floor, couch, Claire's new swimming suit, possibly the cat), moved into our new digs(we have a pool, yay!), dined on the local fair(Chick-fil-A and In-n-Out Burger), and visited local landmarks(DFW airport, Super Target, and Love Field). I'd say we're enjoying it.
The move hasn't been too bad for the wee chubby one, but for the rest of us, it's been a different story. Claire has really been taking this whole terrible 2s thing seriously. I think she's spent more time in time-out than she has doing anything else. It wasn't easy on me either.
First, there was the whole leaving-of-the-old-house. It was really hard on me. I cried several times when I thought about the fact that this was the house where I brought home my babies. This was the house where Claire took her first steps, said her first words, and all manner of other firsts. It was the first house that Rob and I made our home together. Sure we lived a couple of places before this, but they seemed like other people's houses. This house felt like we made it our own.
I'm a sap. What can I say? It was rough and it didn't help that the radio station was apparently sent a memo about me leaving and proceeded to play songs that made me all weepy. It was ridiculous.
The girls and I left before Rob and before all of our belongings so at least I didn't have to see it empty.
So, we stopped off in Joplin for the weekend/beginning of the next week so that my mother could ride to Texas with us for visiting and assisting/child rangling. Yes, rangling is a word.
Whilst in JoMo I had the opportunity to assist with and attend a great benefit concert for a wonderful little boy named Chandler who is the son of one of my closest friends from elementary/middle/high school. Chandler was born with a heart defect and the concert raised money to help with his medical bills.
After driving 4 hours with my crazy children the day before, this was the best medicine for a haggard mother. During the concert(which was put on by a local gospel quartet at a huge-mongous church) one parishioner stood up to offer a blessing and said something so simple, but so profound. He was in his 90s so just being out and about was pretty impressive. He said that he was often caught up with the sadness that he felt for himself and his family's trials and tribulations, but after hearing Chandler's story he wondered what he had to feel so sorry for himself about.
At that moment I felt like a big jerk. Just the day before I had been driving through the heart of Missouri on a gorgeous spring day, sun shining, with my two healthy girls in my newish car, on my way to get my hair done, eat dinner with friends, ultimately move to a new state and a new home, and crying like a fool. What did I have to be feeling so sad about? Not a
Our old house didn't keep all those firsts and memories, I took them with me. They aren't packed in boxes, wrapped in tissue paper, or even tucked neatly into a suitcase. They're in my heart, Rob's silly laugh, in my daughters' eyes, and their beautiful smiles.
We'll make more memories in Texas. I'm sure they'll be huge. You know what they say: everything is bigger in Texas.
Just as I thought TV was history(because our cable took forever to be installed and because we don't have Sprout in our subscription), it pulled the old switcheroo. We have Sprout OnDemand. Are you kidding me? You mean all I have to do is press a button and I have Caillou 24 hours a day? Nothing good can come of this. Luckily, I think the pool and the playground within walking distance will keep us out of the house...at least for awhile.
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