Our new home

Check out the slide show for pictures of our new home in Smithfield Virginia! So far we love it and are having fun settling in. I'll update pictures as more stuff gets put away and decorations are put up, but for now we're still trying to find the necessities. It was a beautiful 60 degree, sunny day today and we are loving all extra vitamin D. It's so bright that Alison has had to take naps in her closet, which is okay by her since it's the size of her old room.

Merry Christmas!

We drove to Tennessee to spend Christmas with the Shear family. The tree was the first thing to catch my eye as we walked in the door. I had talked to Rachel about presents and told her to just get some small things since we were driving the Honda to Virginia. All I had to say was, "Um, Rachel...that does not look small." Christmas Eve we all opened up pajamas and an ornament. Rick let Alison open a special present from him. It was a bear that has a pouch in the tummy that you can heat up and smells like lavender. It's supposed to be calming and relaxing and I can testify that it truly works. Thanks Poppy!
Christmas Morning, Alison and I were up at 5 (not by my choice) and when we ventured down stairs for some milk, we found Cheyenne and Kaitlyn already sitting on the couch waiting to open presents. 6am was the official call time, but I appreciated the company so early in the morning. We munched on cookies all morning while we opened presents, which was a lot of cookies considering it took us until 10:00 to finish. Alison of course enjoyed going person to person getting bites of different cookies.
One of Alison's favorite gifts was an Elmo computer and spent most of the morning by Aunt Cie watching her take pictures with her new camera.
Alison fell asleep in daddy's arms in the middle of opening presents. We opened the rest of her gifts for her and she was just as surprised when she woke up.
It was so nice outside that we went to fly kites with Aunt Chey. I loved being able to be outside without a coat on in the middle of winter.

Our trip was refreshing and just what we needed in the middle of this big transition. Ben and I took turns being sick and were very thankful for extra help and care. The only bummer of the trip is I picked the day Sophie had planned a day at the spa for us to be very sick. Hopefully we'll get to reschedule, but I was really looking forward to some pampering.

Our last Sunday at Knox

Our last Sunday at Knox was an emotional day. During both services we did the advent part of the service and then the elders prayed for us. After the second service they had a reception for us where they gave us some small gifts and took up a love offering. I felt kind of like I was at our wedding reception because we stood in place while everyone came to talk to us and we didn't get to eat any of the food. Except on this occasion each conversation was a tearful goodbye. That night we had a Christmas party with the Sr. High. After a white elephant gift exchange, Ben sang some songs with the kids. Most were our favorite Christmas songs and we ended with Ben's favorite worship song since that's what all Christmas songs should do-turn us to worship Christ. One of the most beautiful things is hearing kids worship and I just had to capture this memory.

"Everything I am is for your glory. Everything I am is for you alone."
These are the words to the chorus of this song and it resonates deeply within me. I hope this is forever the song of my family's heart. I pray that we will forever live our life all for God's glory; giving all things to Him. It especially hits me as I listen to Ben beautifully sing the words. God has poured blessing after blessing upon Ben and he uses every gift he is given for Christ. Ben could easily choose to follow a career that would make lots more money and to the world's expectations make him far more successful, but he daily chooses to give all of himself to Christ.
Our hardest goodbye was to the Marlow's. We instantly became friends with them when we moved to Michigan and have lots of wonderful memories with them. Andrea and I were pregnant at the same time and had the babies only 6 weeks apart from eachother. Every time we get in car Alison says, "Jesse!" because she thinks we're going to church to see him...which is often the case. They are the most generous and serving people I've met and I'm going to miss them terribly.

Loading Day/ 5 year Anniversary!!!

Some High School boys came over this afternoon to help us load the POD and my friend Julie took Alison for the afternoon so we didn't have to worry about her escaping. The floor of the POD was super slippery because of all the snow, making it hard to move stuff in. However, the boys didn't seemed phased by the challenge and had fun creating ways to get boxes to the POD. They used the lawn mower and stroller as dollies. I couldn't stop laughing at the sight of these boys pushing around the stroller.
They even put some stuff in the bike trailer and rode the bike up and down the driveway taking loads. I was really moved by these boys willingness to serve wholeheartedly and beyond what we expected. I had one box left to finish and by the time I took it to the POD all of the boxes were already moved in.
Our house is empty and the floors are a complete mess. When everything was said and done, we went to dinner as a family to Olive Garden (we've gone there for a lot of special occasions while in Michigan...finding out we were pregnant, last date before Alison's arrival, celebration of all baby weight off, accepting job at Hope) and enjoyed our usual Zupa Tuscana with warm breadsticks. The past five years have been so full and I hope the next five are just as great. Ben said sweetly in his note to me that he's fallen in love with me more each day these past five years and it really struck me. Not only because I was jealous he got the better line, but how true it really is for me. I've learned so much about Ben throughout our marriage and I love how it never ends and only brings us more in love. It took me until this year to learn that Ben is amazing at making stuff up at the drop of the hat. Most of the time he doesn't even fully know what he's talking about but is so conviencing that you believe him. I know this may sound like a bad thing...it's really not, but what amazes me is that it took me 5 years (well I guess more like 8) to figure that out. For all these years I've just taken his word. Simple things like this make me love Ben more because I know who he is better. I knew when we got married really young that I would have moments of "what was I thinking?!" but I underestimated how amazing it would be.
Tomorrow is our last day at Knox and will be full of tearful goodbyes. Then we're off to Tennessee Monday morning with a car loaded of kitties, presents and entertainment. I'm sure it will be an adventure I'll never forget.

It's a blizzard!!!

I was woken early this morning by a teething kiddo. When I sat down on the couch to get cozy and watch some Sesame Street, I found a blizzard was right outside. All schools were canceled and the news poured in stories of horrible road conditions. Of course this was the one morning we really needed to get out! It was Ben's last day in the office and we needed to pick the Honda up from the shop. Apparently the crazy black squirrels in Michigan like to not only eat through your trash bags, but they like to eat your car wiring as well. Yep, that's right. A squirrel (or as the dealer put it, some small animal) chewed through a wiring panel under our car and the whole shebang had to be replaced. Thanks to the "small animal" insurance covered it and we were spared the couple thousand dollar bill. Conveniently this all happened a couple of days before Ben was supposed to drive it down to Virginia. So, being the prayerfully flexible people that we are, we rented a car and Ben drove the van down instead. Well, my prayer was answered and the Honda was fixed and the insurance mess was taken care of before we have to leave Michigan. However, when I looked outside this morning I decided it was worth the money to have the rental car for one more day and I tried to convince Ben to stay home from work. He wasn't persuaded and ventured out to shovel the driveway. Alison and I spent the day at home staying warm and finishing up some packing. Once it stopped snowing we went outside, but only for a couple of minutes since we were not snow-proof. I really wanted to throw her in the huge mound of snow and teach her how to make snow angels...maybe next year. I watched several cars throughout the day get stuck in our street and spend hours trying to get out. I wanted to help, but I knew me and a 1 year old were not really going to do more than lend moral support. Our POD was supposed to get to our house between 12 and 4pm. They called Ben and told him that because of the weather it might not make it here today and they don't deliver on the weekend. The Lord was gracious to us again and the POD did eventually make it to our house. Ben got home around 6 and shoveled the driveway for the second time (as George Boomer said this morning, "what's worse than shoveling a foot of snow is knowing that you have a snow blower in the garage-but it won't start"). I made a phone call and then realized that I hadn't heard Ben for awhile and began to worry. I know I'm the biggest worry-wort, but I went outside to check on him anyway. I walked around the house and there still was no sign of him. As I made my way to the front, I saw our huge POD at the end of the street...stuck...with a little silhouette of Ben shoveling it out. Ben was my hero today. He shoveled the driveway, dug out a POD, made moving arrangements, bought groceries and made pizza for dinner. He can't move his arms right now, but he's still my hero.

My little helper

My mom brought us some Christmas presents this past weekend when she came to visit. No surprise here, Alison was in love with the BAG. Although her love for bags is cute I was somewhat disappointed because my mom bought Alison her first baby doll. The past couple of times we've been in the toy section Alison has yelled repeatedly "BABY". I knew for sure she would love this gift. However, the gift was opened, the baby was thrown on the floor and she began filling the bag with all of her books.
My mom and sister were here to help me pack, so of course there was a lot of commotion. This morning I began filling a box of stuff from the pantry for Beth to take home with her. Alison came over and took over my job. It dawned on me that for the past couple of weeks she has watched me do this motion a lot. She had picked up on my actions to a 'T' and filled the box without me asking her to. In the video I'm telling her to put it the box because from behind the camera it looked like she was going to wonder away, but really she was just walking to the other side of the box. So Alison packed the box for Aunt Beth and even tried to sneak a few extra surprises in there.

Pictures

THANK YOU NANA FOR THE DRESS, PURSE AND DUCK!!!
I just couldn't get a good picture so I took a short clip so you could see all her cuteness. Thanks Elizabeth for all your hard work in making this dress. The first thing Alison wanted was the duck and loved using the purse as a hat. I wonder when the day will come that she uses things as they are intended.

Beth, baby Kate and my mom are to help me get ready to move. Beth suggested that we get the girls pictures taken for the grandparent's Christmas present. I thought it was a great idea and jumped on board. We took the girls today to Sear's and I quickly wanted to jump off the boat. Alison wouldn't stop moving and baby Kate was really fussy. We got a couple decent pictures, but I wasn't impressed with their efforts to make the kids happy. Then of course we got the big long talk about spending hundreds of dollars on the packages. I refused to be sucked in. I ordered a couple of sheets and got out 2 hours later with 2 cranky kids and a headache, but saved over $100. Most things can be cured with Mexican food, so we stopped at Abuelo's on the way home. When we got home Beth said we should try taking some our own pictures. I popped Baby Einstein in expecting some smiles. Instead I got Alison zoned out on the TV screen and Kate still fussing.
Kate doesn't like anyone touching her except Beth...so this picture is historic.

We Have a Home!!!

We officially have a home in Smithfield Virginia!!! It was a long, and not completely over process. I looked at a condo across the street from Ben's new office on my trip and really liked it. They told me we couldn't live there because of our cats but a couple of days later called back to say that the builder was finishing up a couple units and was going to rent them out. We sent them an application and a deposit and waited to hear what unit we would live in. Weeks went by and they kept saying that they were waiting for the builder to sign papers over so they could lease them out. It turns out that the builder decided to lease them out themselves and didn't do such a great job communicating that to the realtor we were talking with. So she's sending us our deposit back and we've contacted the builder directly. The lease papers are signed and we are set to go (minus the fact we're still waiting for our large check to get back to us so we can turn around and get it to the right people). Ben's driving the car down next Monday and then flying back so we can all drive together when we move. I'm thankful that he can take a car full of nessessities with him so we won't have to worry about it first thing when we get there. So, here are the pictures of our new home on Ginger Loop (why, oh why do we get the funkiest street names?).

George graciously took these pictures for us. I don't have a clue who the man is in the shot, but it's not George. Kitchen (with new, clean appliances!) and dining room

Living room with a gas fireplace looking into the veranda (big room with lots of windows) and master bedroom. I'm so thankful to have a fireplace. I always wanted one here in Michigan, where I needed it the most!
New bathtub that's mold free!!!
Walk in closet. I fully appreciate closet space now. The house we live in now only has one closet. I'm not sure how we've made it all these years. Actually, now that I look at it, this closet is about the size of Alison current room. Oh, I can't wait to get her some new toys and make her room a really fun play room.
This is why Ben wanted the place. I hope he actually parks in it. Not that he'll ever use his car, since the office is two steps away. It makes my heart pitter patter when I think of all the money we'll save in our gas budget.

This is how Alison felt when she heard the news

Everybody's been asking me how packing is going. Packing is going fine, except that every time I work on it I feel guilty. I know it's something that has to be done, but look what has happened to my baby.

I usually only put Sesame Street at 9 and during that time Alison usually plays until Elmo's World comes on during the last 15 minutes. Well, lately she's been sitting quietly in her princess chair for the entire thing. So when I let her watch 3 Sesame Streets a day...that's a lot of sitting! Granted it is cold and flu season and I'm working extra hard to keep this kiddo sick free, so a little rest won't harm her, but I don't want her to turn into a TV head! I was feeling so guilty today(for goodness sakes I've even resulted to letting her have her binki during non-nap time), but I kept reassuring myself that it's only for a short time. As soon as we get to Virginia we're getting her the best play room around and there will be no more sitting.

Since we can't decorate the house for Christmas I've been playing Christmas music non-stop. Ben whipped out this piano, that we've been storing our entire marriage that I've never actually seen, so we could sing some songs tonight as a family. This is a clip of Alison trying to sing with daddy as he was warming up the piano.

Let It Snow!

It snowed a couple of inches the other day so Alison and I headed out to play. It was short and sweet, but lots of fun. I have so many great memories of playing in the snow; sledding, playing games and building forts. I hope Alison has some great memories of the snow too.

My Little Princess

Alison wearing daddy's hat.

Row Your Boat

Today was the day of not getting the video I wanted, but the poor quality clips will have to do.
A couple of times I've sang 'Row Row Your Boat' with Alison just goofing around. I'll take her hands in mine and pretend we're rowing a boat. Tonight Ben was making pizza and I was making a pecan pie and Alison ran in the kitchen and said, "Row, row" and did the rowing motion. I was amazed at my little genius. We sang the song this morning, but that was 10 hours ago! She sang the song all the way through her bath but by the time we got the camera ready she was way past tired...I'll try again in the morning to get a really good take of the song.

We Love Kitties!

Elizabeth posted some kitty videos on her blog for Alison to watch. She was so excited! I still haven't captured the essence of Alison's passion for kitties on video. I attempted this morning and failed...but I caught something else. Check out Alison's outfit. I was putting on my big, warm socks this morning and Alison came running up and said, "Sock please!!!". She plopped down on the floor and flung her feet up in the air. I caved into her ultra cuteness and let her wear my socks (on top of the three layers she was already wearing). They covered her entire leg!