So, it was a great weekend--shopping day with my girls on Saturday, Tom built two beautiful book cases so we can unpack the last of the book boxes, the kids all got to spend lots of time playing outside, and Lilly even jumped over a few hurdles and played with some of the sweet neighborhood kids outside and even at their houses without mommy right by her side. Amazing. And, best of all, we think we have found our new home church, and it feels good to tentatively start to put our feet down and get involved.
Grammy and Pop Pop arrived safely last night to take care of Jared and Anna while Tom, Lilly, and I will head up to Philadelphia to see Dr. Campbell this morning. He will have the results of last week's MRI and ultrasound, and we will be discussing what he thinks is the best way to address the ongoing infection in Lilly's hardware. I wish I could tell you what some of the options are, but I would only be speculating. Lilly is tentatively scheduled for surgery on Wednesday the 21st; so our stay in Philly could be all week (depending on what exactly they do and how her recovery goes.)
So, we are getting packed up this morning. I am so much less organized than I like to be when packing for a medical trip...I guess it is getting more routine, and the fact that there is no air travel makes packing a lot less stressful. I think Ihave also learned that I don't need to bring NEARLY as much stuff to entertain Lilly--books, coloring books, little toys, etc.--because she doesn't usually feel much like playing or coloring when we're at the hospital. I am eager to have this infection wiped out...but the hospital stay is something that I am not looking forward to. The first few times, it was a novelty and, even though hospitalization is hard, my adrenaline seemed to make it all quicker. This time, however, after our hospitalizations in FLorida this summer and all that they entailed, I have to admit I am sort of dreading it this time. The folks at CHOP are fabulous, don't get me wrong. Couldn't ask for better care, hands down. But the sleep deprivation, the lack of regular exercise or regular routine of any sort, and--most of all--seeing Lilly in pain and discomfort are things that make me want to curl up and stay in bed.
Our prayer is that God would bring healing to her little body. That Dr. Campbell would have wisdom to know the best course of treatment for her and that God would guide his hands during surgery. That Lilly would continue to be strong and spunky and endure these hard hospital visit with grace. That Jared and Anna would thrive in their regular weekly routines (and Anna would feel comfortable with her new swim team--practices start today). That their bond with Grammy and Pop Pop would grow stronger with this extended time together. That everyone back on the home front would stay safe and healthy.
I'll keep updates coming on Facebook and more details here. Stay tuned!
Monday, September 19, 2011
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Headed to Philly
So in the midst of transitions to school and our new home, we have been continuing to manage Lilly's infection using potent oral antibiotics. Her second round of meds was beginning to run dry a few weeks ago, and we had started to stretch out her doses in the hopes of making them last longer. But sure enough, after being off of them for about 2 days, Lilly began to fever again and complain of pain in all the usual places--tummy, left side of abdomen, left arm, and left side of her lower back, and upper left leg. Confirmation that, while the antiobiotics are effective at keeping the bacteria at bay and not allowing it to enter her bloodstream, once she no longer has the help of the meds, the bacteria (that are likely colonized on her hardware, where there is no bloodflow) can re-enter her bloodstream and cause her body to fight them with a fever. So, thankful to have one refill available on her prescription, we quickly picked up some more meds and got on Dr. Campbell's calendar to see how we can address this infection.
Lilly and I are headed to Philly this afternoon for some radiology studies on Wednesday the 14th. We have a room waiting for us at the Ronald McDonald House in New Jersey, just over the bridge from Philly. I am so thankful to be a quick and hopefully easy 3+ hour drive to CHOP from our new home!
We will head back up to CHOP next Monday the 19th for an office visit with Dr. Campbell and at that point we'll discuss what he thinks is the best way to address the infection. She is tentatively scheduled to go to the OR on Wednesday the 21st. So Tom has taken the whole week off in anticipation of surgery and recovery time, and I have already let her new kindergarten teacher know that Lilly is likely to miss the whole week of school. She is due for her next expansion soon, too, but I'm not sure if Dr. C will address that at the same time or if we'll be back for the expansion surgery.
Hopefully her week off won't make it hard for her to return to school after she is just beginning to get used to it...but I suspect it will. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Last night at dinner, she was debating which was the lesser of the evils: going to school or having surgery. Sheesh!
Tom's folks are coming down to stay with Jared and Anna, so they can stay in their routines, for which we are really grateful. So glad it's an easier drive to VA than to FL for our parents when we need their help!
Prayers for Lilly's healing are most appreciated!
Lilly and I are headed to Philly this afternoon for some radiology studies on Wednesday the 14th. We have a room waiting for us at the Ronald McDonald House in New Jersey, just over the bridge from Philly. I am so thankful to be a quick and hopefully easy 3+ hour drive to CHOP from our new home!
We will head back up to CHOP next Monday the 19th for an office visit with Dr. Campbell and at that point we'll discuss what he thinks is the best way to address the infection. She is tentatively scheduled to go to the OR on Wednesday the 21st. So Tom has taken the whole week off in anticipation of surgery and recovery time, and I have already let her new kindergarten teacher know that Lilly is likely to miss the whole week of school. She is due for her next expansion soon, too, but I'm not sure if Dr. C will address that at the same time or if we'll be back for the expansion surgery.
Hopefully her week off won't make it hard for her to return to school after she is just beginning to get used to it...but I suspect it will. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Last night at dinner, she was debating which was the lesser of the evils: going to school or having surgery. Sheesh!
Tom's folks are coming down to stay with Jared and Anna, so they can stay in their routines, for which we are really grateful. So glad it's an easier drive to VA than to FL for our parents when we need their help!
Prayers for Lilly's healing are most appreciated!
A Catch-up Photo Journal...
So, for the final few weeks before school started, we did alot of fun things (other than be amazed by natural disasters and the miracle of birth in our home.) Here are some photos for your enjoyment:
In addition to fun with family, we began a new school year on 6 September, with Jared starting high school, ANna starting 6th grade, and Lilly starting Kindergarten. Lots of transitions for all. Thankfully, Anna and Lilly are at the same elementary school, riding the same bus, which has made it a *little* easier for Lilly to transition to school, but she is still suffering from pretty severe separation anxiety and each morning we are still having tears before school. Here are some photos from day 1:
So our first week of school went off well, except on Thursday the rains were so heavy that the roads to the girls' school had flooded and busses couldn't get through. they were stuck at school until Tom could pick them up in his truck after 6pm...crazy long day! School was cancelled on Friday becasue the rain was continuing and the roads were still flooded...so it was a long weekend for us, and we got lots done in the house. Even had some friends over for dinner on Saturday!
 |
| Lilly at Orkney Springs, where Jared spent a week of overnight band camp. We attended family day at the end of the week to see them perform their field show--fun day! |
 |
| Reunited with Jared after his absence all week. |
 |
| Lovin' on my Anna |
 |
| Jared loves this little girl! Fun to watch him walk around the grounds with Lilly on her shoulders. Hmmm...maybe a girl magnet? Nah, not my Jared. |
 |
| We had a special visit from one of the families in our adoption travel group, who were passing through VA on their way from FL to NY. So exciting to see Kim, Michael, Sophia, and Bella and how much these girls have grown since we last saw them in Guangzhou! |
 |
| The kids and I got to celebrate my brother, Justin's birthday at their home in Ellicott City. I LOVE living closer to my family and being able to share special days like this! |
 |
| Justin is officially a "coffee geek" and has his own facebook page called "saturday morning espresso." He does some amazing latte art. |
 |
| Here are LIlly and Anna with their cousins, Abby, Delaney, and Elli at the American Girl store in Tysons Corner mall. We went to their American Girl Bistro for a back-to-school lunch with their dolls. What fun! |
 |
| Here's Lilly with her "Baby Kit" Bitty Baby |
 |
| My sister in law, Lita, with Elli |
 |
| Delaney and Lilly and their dolls. |
 |
| Our dossier is officially sent to China...this is one of the last photos we snapped of ourselves as a couple as we still needed some "couple" photos to include in the dossier. Now we are working on an update to our home study since we've moved...more paperwork and notarizations and fingerprints...ugh. But we are still somewhat hopeful we could travel late this year or early next year! |
 |
| My parents and my brother, Doug, joined us for Labor Day weekend. Here, Nana is giving each of the granddaughters a special teacups from her collection. They got to choose their favorite two. So exciting! |
 |
| Here's my brother, Doug (aka "Uncle Duck") at Justin's house. |
 |
| Lilly saying thank you for the beautiful tea cups. |
 |
| Anna loving her Nana. |
 |
| The delicious 70th birthay dinner for Pap Pap. Justin and Lita grilled salmon and Joshua made zucchini bruschetta. Abby made goat cheese-tomato bruschetta. And the meal was topped off with some yummy lattes! How fun, once again, to live close enough to get together with my family!! |
In addition to fun with family, we began a new school year on 6 September, with Jared starting high school, ANna starting 6th grade, and Lilly starting Kindergarten. Lots of transitions for all. Thankfully, Anna and Lilly are at the same elementary school, riding the same bus, which has made it a *little* easier for Lilly to transition to school, but she is still suffering from pretty severe separation anxiety and each morning we are still having tears before school. Here are some photos from day 1:
 |
| Jared, ready to head out into the pre-dawn darkness at 6:15am. He's been doing great at getting himself up and moving in the morning! Long days with after-school band practice 3 nights a week... |
 |
| I hated to wake Lilly on the first day, but now her body clock has adjusted and she is pretty much waking up before I go in to awaken her. |
 |
| Anna getting ready on day 1. Her outfit was chosen during our fun shopping outing with her friend Melanie and her mom Catherine back in Florida. Great memories and a cute look for my growing-up-so-fast girl. |
 |
| Start the day with a healthy breakfast! |
 |
| Get those teeth nice and clean! |
 |
| Ready to go! New backpacks for both girls (thankfully found one small enough that Lilly can manage it but big enough to hold a folder and her lunch box). |
 |
| Waiting for the bus to come! |
 |
| So glad her sister is with her... |
 |
| Whole gaggle of kids at our bus stop! |
 |
| The look of anxiety as the bus pulled up. Today--day 5 of school--was the first day she boarded the bus with no tears, praise God! |
Thursday, September 1, 2011
After a week like that, what else can surprise us?
So, on Tuesday of last week, we were having a fun summer day. Anna was at a friends' house playing. Lilly had a little friend here to play. Jared was--where else?--at band camp. Tom had just left for another TDY, this time to Texas. Around mid-day, I was standing in my kitchen making cookies for the band-camp-carpool kids as Lilly and a little friend played (and had just run into the kitchen to investigate the yummy smell that had wafted over to their play area). Suddenly, a large truck began to rumble outside. Then the truck became a number of very large aircraft rattling the windows or perhaps crashing into the ground, or perhaps the airplanes were actually bombs at the Eglin bomb range (but how could that be, since that is in FL?) or even a terrorist attack? Then, as I watched my kitchen sway one direction and my sunroom sway another, and as I held onto the kitchen counter to steady myself, and as the girls with big wide eyes asked me "what's that noise?" it dawned on me, "we're having an earthquake!"
I quickly hustled the girls under the kitchen table, then momentarily realized that outside was a better option. We ran out the front door, clipping the leash onto the bewildered dog to exit with us, and met up with neighbors, also wide-eyed, in our cul-de-sac. That was Tuesday.
On Thursday, the forecasts for Hurricane Irene were not looking good for our upcoming weekend. Earlier in the week, when it was uncertain whether the storm would head toward the Gulf or up the Atlantic, I had hurriedly mailed to our Florida tenants the cables that power the generator we had left behind in our Florida house thinking they would need it more than we would. The cables had inadvertently gotten packed with our household goods and I wanted to be sure the tenants had them in case they lost power during Irene. But by Thursday it was clear the storm was heading up this direction, steering completely clear of the Florida panhandle. Tom began re-thinking our plans to head to New Jersey to see his family and celebrate a bridal shower for our beautiful niece, Tanya. By Friday, it was entirely clear that staying home--keeping the roads open for those who HAD to evacuate and reducing the risk that we might be driving in bad weather, sitting in heavy traffic, or stuck in New Jersey if roads were damaged or closed--was the wisest choice despite our desire to be in NJ with family.
In the meantime, our dear friends Mike and Beckie Lerma, whom we know from our time at Vandenberg AFB, California nearly a decade ago, and who recently moved to coastal VA, e-mailed to see if we might be around for the weekend as they were likely to evacuate their home and move inland. Initially I had offered our house as a safe haven, even though we were planning to be away. When we decided to stay home, I let them know we would be thrilled to have them here so we could spend time together after so many years. In fact, we had never even met their 4 children; when we saw them last, they were young childless newlyweds who used to babysit 3-year-old Jared and infant/toddler Anna. So the thought of hosting their family was exciting to me. The fact that Beckie was full-term pregnant with their 5th and due any day made the idea of staying in our home--with a doctor nearby--appealing to them.
So, Saturday I got up WAY early, was the first customer in the door to the local Shoppers Food Warehouse (great prices), and stocked up on ingredients for lots of meals and bottled water so we could hunker down for the coming storm with our friends. I spent the whole morning cooking several meals in case of power outages and no means of cooking. The house smelled great when they arrived in mid-afternoon, and it was so fun to see their precious kids and hear about their exciting pioneer-style life in a VERY rural area of VA. It was so amazing to see how far they have come since we last saw them and shared a meal together.
Because of their rural location and because it was their 5th child, Beckie had been planning a home birth. Knowing she was due any day, they had come prepared with a brown cardboard box with their "birthing kit"--everything they would need to deliver a baby at home. So when Mike emerged on Sunday morning and said that Beckie had been having contractions all night long and they were pretty sure this was it, I knew we were likely to be welcoming a new baby in our home at some point on Sunday. We gave them their space, and I checked on them periodically--to pray over Beckie and bring crushed ice and water--and I could tell she was progressing simply by her countenance and posture each time I checked. Mike was by her side nearly every minute, and Tom was upstairs giving them space, simply on "stand by" in case of emergency.
Mostly, I spent my morning focusing on taking care of the older 4 cuties--ages ranging from 7 down to 18 months--with the help of Jared and Anna, who rose to the occasion and engaged fully with the group of littles in their house. We played around the house, ate snacks, went for walks with the dog, played at the park, looked for fish in the pond. By late morning, the 18-month-old was down for a nap and I began making lunch. As I was slicing sandwiches and apples, I heard what I thought was the toddler awakening from her nap upstairs. I wiped my hands, ran up the stairs, and paused to listen outside my bedroom door where we had set up her pack-n-play. Dead silence. Still napping. So, back downstairs I went to finish lunch. Again, louder this time, I heard a cry, and realized it was a distinctly newborn cry, coming not from my upstairs bedroom, but from my basement! I flew down the stairs to see Beckie cuddling her new little boy, Ezekiel Thomas Anav Lerma, who was a tiny little miraculous bundle. Tom was not needed at any point, though he did go down and check the baby and Beckie once Ezekiel had arrived.
The rest of the day was a complete blur to me--still caring for the older kiddos, preparing meals for all of us, and making sure Beckie was comfortable. She is an amazing woman, and was able to make it upstairs to join us for homemade chocolate birthday cake for Ezekiel that evening. What an amazing celebration.
The Lermas left late Monday morning, headed back to check on the status of their farm and animals and get back to their normal lives with a 7th family member in their midst. The exciting weekend had come to a close and I was left pondering God's amazing sovereignty to bring our families back together for such a miraculous and momentous occasion.
After our exciting weekend (the whole cul de sac was abuzz with the news of what had transpired in our basement), it was time for us to get back to our own routines. With school starting next week I was planning on using the week ahead to make sure we were ready and to have some summer fun with my kids before my house is quiet during the day.
Except by Monday evening, it was becoming clear that Lilly was beginning to feel ill. Her most recent course of antibiotics had been running dry, and we had begun to cut her doses and stretch them out in order to make the meds last for more days. But her last dose was on Sunday. When I took her temp on Monday night, it was 101.8 and she was complaining of pains in the usual places--left abdominal side, left arm, left leg, tummy. She slept very little Monday night and I gave her the last remaining drops of linezolid Tuesday morning in an attempt to give her body any help I could. Thankfully, we had one remaining written prescription for a refill of the antibiotics so off to CVS we went to have it filled. It will be ready for pick up this afternoon. Tom was able to touch base with Dr. Campbell yesterday, and she is scheduled to see him in clinic in a few weeks, with possible surgery to clean out her hardware that same week before her next expansion.
So, back to school next week. With the separation anxieties triggered in Lilly by the prospect of school, I am thankful we can get her back on the meds to keep the infection at bay for a few weeks to allow her to get into the routines of school before any more medical trauma. I know Anna is anxious about her new school--she'll be in 6th grade, top of the elementary school, and has met a few other 6th grade girls in the neighborhood. Jared has his freshman orientation today and will get his schedule tonight at the "Cougar Kick Off" for Oakton High School; band camp seems to have really paved the way for him to feel at home here already and he does not seem overly anxious, except for the size of the school and the prospect of getting lost.
The weekend ahead promises some fun, as we welcome my parents and my older brother for a few days, then spend Sunday with my younger brother's family near Baltimore.
Nothing can surprise me anymore...thought I am delighted anew by the fresh grace and mercy of the Lord each morning!
I quickly hustled the girls under the kitchen table, then momentarily realized that outside was a better option. We ran out the front door, clipping the leash onto the bewildered dog to exit with us, and met up with neighbors, also wide-eyed, in our cul-de-sac. That was Tuesday.
On Thursday, the forecasts for Hurricane Irene were not looking good for our upcoming weekend. Earlier in the week, when it was uncertain whether the storm would head toward the Gulf or up the Atlantic, I had hurriedly mailed to our Florida tenants the cables that power the generator we had left behind in our Florida house thinking they would need it more than we would. The cables had inadvertently gotten packed with our household goods and I wanted to be sure the tenants had them in case they lost power during Irene. But by Thursday it was clear the storm was heading up this direction, steering completely clear of the Florida panhandle. Tom began re-thinking our plans to head to New Jersey to see his family and celebrate a bridal shower for our beautiful niece, Tanya. By Friday, it was entirely clear that staying home--keeping the roads open for those who HAD to evacuate and reducing the risk that we might be driving in bad weather, sitting in heavy traffic, or stuck in New Jersey if roads were damaged or closed--was the wisest choice despite our desire to be in NJ with family.
In the meantime, our dear friends Mike and Beckie Lerma, whom we know from our time at Vandenberg AFB, California nearly a decade ago, and who recently moved to coastal VA, e-mailed to see if we might be around for the weekend as they were likely to evacuate their home and move inland. Initially I had offered our house as a safe haven, even though we were planning to be away. When we decided to stay home, I let them know we would be thrilled to have them here so we could spend time together after so many years. In fact, we had never even met their 4 children; when we saw them last, they were young childless newlyweds who used to babysit 3-year-old Jared and infant/toddler Anna. So the thought of hosting their family was exciting to me. The fact that Beckie was full-term pregnant with their 5th and due any day made the idea of staying in our home--with a doctor nearby--appealing to them.
So, Saturday I got up WAY early, was the first customer in the door to the local Shoppers Food Warehouse (great prices), and stocked up on ingredients for lots of meals and bottled water so we could hunker down for the coming storm with our friends. I spent the whole morning cooking several meals in case of power outages and no means of cooking. The house smelled great when they arrived in mid-afternoon, and it was so fun to see their precious kids and hear about their exciting pioneer-style life in a VERY rural area of VA. It was so amazing to see how far they have come since we last saw them and shared a meal together.
 |
| Sharing dinner on Saturday night as we braced for the winds and rains of Hurricane Irene, expected in the wee hours of the night |
Because of their rural location and because it was their 5th child, Beckie had been planning a home birth. Knowing she was due any day, they had come prepared with a brown cardboard box with their "birthing kit"--everything they would need to deliver a baby at home. So when Mike emerged on Sunday morning and said that Beckie had been having contractions all night long and they were pretty sure this was it, I knew we were likely to be welcoming a new baby in our home at some point on Sunday. We gave them their space, and I checked on them periodically--to pray over Beckie and bring crushed ice and water--and I could tell she was progressing simply by her countenance and posture each time I checked. Mike was by her side nearly every minute, and Tom was upstairs giving them space, simply on "stand by" in case of emergency.
Mostly, I spent my morning focusing on taking care of the older 4 cuties--ages ranging from 7 down to 18 months--with the help of Jared and Anna, who rose to the occasion and engaged fully with the group of littles in their house. We played around the house, ate snacks, went for walks with the dog, played at the park, looked for fish in the pond. By late morning, the 18-month-old was down for a nap and I began making lunch. As I was slicing sandwiches and apples, I heard what I thought was the toddler awakening from her nap upstairs. I wiped my hands, ran up the stairs, and paused to listen outside my bedroom door where we had set up her pack-n-play. Dead silence. Still napping. So, back downstairs I went to finish lunch. Again, louder this time, I heard a cry, and realized it was a distinctly newborn cry, coming not from my upstairs bedroom, but from my basement! I flew down the stairs to see Beckie cuddling her new little boy, Ezekiel Thomas Anav Lerma, who was a tiny little miraculous bundle. Tom was not needed at any point, though he did go down and check the baby and Beckie once Ezekiel had arrived.
 |
| The first few miraculous minutes of life! |
 |
| LIlly wondered whether her baby doll was bigger or smaller than the baby. It was pretty close. He weighed in at around 5 lbs on our bathroom scale... |
 |
| The little boys had a blast climbing all over Jared and wrestling with him, just as Jared used to do to their daddy when Mike and Beckie babysat for us in California. |
 |
| fishing with Jared |
The rest of the day was a complete blur to me--still caring for the older kiddos, preparing meals for all of us, and making sure Beckie was comfortable. She is an amazing woman, and was able to make it upstairs to join us for homemade chocolate birthday cake for Ezekiel that evening. What an amazing celebration.
The Lermas left late Monday morning, headed back to check on the status of their farm and animals and get back to their normal lives with a 7th family member in their midst. The exciting weekend had come to a close and I was left pondering God's amazing sovereignty to bring our families back together for such a miraculous and momentous occasion.
 |
| They had even brought the infant carseat, just in case. Full minivan now! Family of 7 on the road! |
After our exciting weekend (the whole cul de sac was abuzz with the news of what had transpired in our basement), it was time for us to get back to our own routines. With school starting next week I was planning on using the week ahead to make sure we were ready and to have some summer fun with my kids before my house is quiet during the day.
Except by Monday evening, it was becoming clear that Lilly was beginning to feel ill. Her most recent course of antibiotics had been running dry, and we had begun to cut her doses and stretch them out in order to make the meds last for more days. But her last dose was on Sunday. When I took her temp on Monday night, it was 101.8 and she was complaining of pains in the usual places--left abdominal side, left arm, left leg, tummy. She slept very little Monday night and I gave her the last remaining drops of linezolid Tuesday morning in an attempt to give her body any help I could. Thankfully, we had one remaining written prescription for a refill of the antibiotics so off to CVS we went to have it filled. It will be ready for pick up this afternoon. Tom was able to touch base with Dr. Campbell yesterday, and she is scheduled to see him in clinic in a few weeks, with possible surgery to clean out her hardware that same week before her next expansion.
So, back to school next week. With the separation anxieties triggered in Lilly by the prospect of school, I am thankful we can get her back on the meds to keep the infection at bay for a few weeks to allow her to get into the routines of school before any more medical trauma. I know Anna is anxious about her new school--she'll be in 6th grade, top of the elementary school, and has met a few other 6th grade girls in the neighborhood. Jared has his freshman orientation today and will get his schedule tonight at the "Cougar Kick Off" for Oakton High School; band camp seems to have really paved the way for him to feel at home here already and he does not seem overly anxious, except for the size of the school and the prospect of getting lost.
The weekend ahead promises some fun, as we welcome my parents and my older brother for a few days, then spend Sunday with my younger brother's family near Baltimore.
Nothing can surprise me anymore...thought I am delighted anew by the fresh grace and mercy of the Lord each morning!
Friday, August 12, 2011
I Found my Blog...
...amidst the new sea of boxes here in Virginia.
Here is the blog post that I started on day 2 of our journey north from Florida. As you can see, I didn't get very far.
You see, I was driving a vehicle for 3 days straight. And in my vehicle were 3 children. Lots of snacks. Some luggage. Lots of books and toys and stuffed animals. And a golden retriever who mostly watched Florida disappear out the back window but occasionally faced forward and drooled on Lilly. There wasn't much time for blogging.
My eyes were focused squarely on the lovely red Chevy Avalanche in front of me loaded with precious cargo that we didn't want to entrust to the packers: The "good" bikes. The computer. The TV. And my amazing man.
Then we arrived to our destination. Our lovely new home in Oak Hill, VA.
Physically, it felt good to get out of the car and stretch. Emotionally, we were each mourning losses from what we'd left behind, but also eagerly and, perhaps, somewhat anxiously anticipating what might lie ahead in this new place. And mostly, we were tired. But we had only just begun to move.
Less than 12 hours after setting foot in our new, empty, lovely house, the BIG TRUCK that had taken away all the boxes and furniture just 3 days prior showed up with a team of great guys to unload and fill up this new house.
Boxes surrounded us yet again.
That was nearly 2 weeks ago. And I'm not sure what happened to all the days in between then and today, except that we've been unpacking. And registering at new schools. And researching new swim teams. And driving the marching band carpool (thank GOD for carpools...and new friends for Jared right off the bat here.) And playing with new friends on our street. And swimming in the community pool that we can walk to (but don't have to clean and balance chemicals as we did in Florida!!). And shopping for all those things we need for the house as we set up and spending hundreds of dollars to attempt to restock the pantry to a functional level.
Let's see, what else have we been doing?
Moving is most definitely like giving birth--you forget the pain until you're in the midst of it again. So here we are...reminding ourselves that it usually takes us 6-12 months to truly feel at home and settled, both in the house and in a new community.
Until then, I am trying to be at peace with the chaos.
Here is the blog post that I started on day 2 of our journey north from Florida. As you can see, I didn't get very far.
You see, I was driving a vehicle for 3 days straight. And in my vehicle were 3 children. Lots of snacks. Some luggage. Lots of books and toys and stuffed animals. And a golden retriever who mostly watched Florida disappear out the back window but occasionally faced forward and drooled on Lilly. There wasn't much time for blogging.
My eyes were focused squarely on the lovely red Chevy Avalanche in front of me loaded with precious cargo that we didn't want to entrust to the packers: The "good" bikes. The computer. The TV. And my amazing man.
Then we arrived to our destination. Our lovely new home in Oak Hill, VA.
Physically, it felt good to get out of the car and stretch. Emotionally, we were each mourning losses from what we'd left behind, but also eagerly and, perhaps, somewhat anxiously anticipating what might lie ahead in this new place. And mostly, we were tired. But we had only just begun to move.
Less than 12 hours after setting foot in our new, empty, lovely house, the BIG TRUCK that had taken away all the boxes and furniture just 3 days prior showed up with a team of great guys to unload and fill up this new house.
Boxes surrounded us yet again.
That was nearly 2 weeks ago. And I'm not sure what happened to all the days in between then and today, except that we've been unpacking. And registering at new schools. And researching new swim teams. And driving the marching band carpool (thank GOD for carpools...and new friends for Jared right off the bat here.) And playing with new friends on our street. And swimming in the community pool that we can walk to (but don't have to clean and balance chemicals as we did in Florida!!). And shopping for all those things we need for the house as we set up and spending hundreds of dollars to attempt to restock the pantry to a functional level.
Let's see, what else have we been doing?
- Rejoicing at getting our I-797 approval from the US Department of Homeland Security so we are nearly ready to send our dossier to China for Isabel.
- Continuing to give Lilly 3 doses a day of potent antibiotics to hold off her infection until we can see Dr. Campbell in Philly.
- Awaiting assignemnt of a primary care provider so we can get a referral for an ENT specialist for Anna to get a hearing aid for her left ear.
Moving is most definitely like giving birth--you forget the pain until you're in the midst of it again. So here we are...reminding ourselves that it usually takes us 6-12 months to truly feel at home and settled, both in the house and in a new community.
Until then, I am trying to be at peace with the chaos.
Cantilinas on the Move
Started on Saturday, July 30th:
PCSing is like giving birth: you forget the pain until you're in the midst of it again.
We are sitting in our pet-friendly hotel room in Wytheville, VA as I type. This past week has been such a flurry of PCS chaos and emotion, my mind and spirit were all a-jumble as we left Niceville last evening. I have since had a lot of time to reflect and think, having put roughly 450 miles behind us in the past 24 hours.
The pack-out began last Friday, with packers in my home Friday, Monday, and Tuesday. We spent the intervening weekend pulling all the original boxes out of the garage attic and getting everything ready for the packers. As more and more of our household goods disappeared into boxes, both Lilly and Tad the golden retriever grew more anxious...
PCSing is like giving birth: you forget the pain until you're in the midst of it again.
We are sitting in our pet-friendly hotel room in Wytheville, VA as I type. This past week has been such a flurry of PCS chaos and emotion, my mind and spirit were all a-jumble as we left Niceville last evening. I have since had a lot of time to reflect and think, having put roughly 450 miles behind us in the past 24 hours.
The pack-out began last Friday, with packers in my home Friday, Monday, and Tuesday. We spent the intervening weekend pulling all the original boxes out of the garage attic and getting everything ready for the packers. As more and more of our household goods disappeared into boxes, both Lilly and Tad the golden retriever grew more anxious...
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Blogging in a Sea of Boxes
Yes, folks, we are on day 3 of our pack out. This move is really happening. Our computer is set up on a borrowed folding table, I have suitcases strewn behind me on the floor, my kitchen has officially been closed roughly 24 hours, the dog has taken to sticking to my side as he watches strangers put things into boxes. Lilly is trying to wrap her mind around this whole experience...thankfully her antibiotics are keeping fevers at bay and she is physically feeling well again. She is having major separation anxiety issues, not helped by the fact that I have lined up play dates every day to get her out of the house while packing continues. The older kids have been enjoying WAY more sleepovers than we ever let them do...soaking up every minute with FL friends before a new chapter begins.
In about an hour, the settlement on our new home will be completed, and we will be homeowners in both Florida and Virigina. Scary thought.
Our tenants are here in Florida, awaiting our departure so they can move out of the TLF on Eglin and get into their new home. We had them here for dinner and they are a wonderful family. We are blessed with peace of mind leaving our house in their hands.
Tom's replacement at the hospital is here, waiting for the change of command on Friday...spending these last few days securing a boat for all the water recreation his family plans to enjoy in this place.
Tom and I find ourselves bouncing from one task to another...slowly and steadily ticking all the items off of our to-do lists.
We are saying our goodbyes to dear friends...I am having a hard time leaving behind some of the wonderful relationships we've built here. Thankfully, facebook and e-mail and blogging make it easy to keep in touch. But there is no replacement for sharing a meal, a playdate, or some prayer time in person with another.
Isabel is blissfully unaware of the chaos in what will soon be her forever family. We recently learned she is living with a foster family, with an older brother and another child from the orphanage. We got some updated photos, which was a wonderful surprise in my e-mail inbox last weekend. Our last piece of paper needed for our dossier to go to China was supposed to be here before the move...it is looking like it might be slightly delayed and our tenants have agreed to continue to receive our mail here so that it can be overnighted to us in VA and we can press on toward Isabel.
As we begin our new adventure, I know God has new friends, new church family, new ministry opportunities, and new experiences for us to enjoy and learn from. Hared will hit the ground running with band camp starting at his new high school the day after we arrive in VA. A week from today, I will be driving the band camp carpool with folks I have only met through e-mail so far...life rolls on!
In about an hour, the settlement on our new home will be completed, and we will be homeowners in both Florida and Virigina. Scary thought.
Our tenants are here in Florida, awaiting our departure so they can move out of the TLF on Eglin and get into their new home. We had them here for dinner and they are a wonderful family. We are blessed with peace of mind leaving our house in their hands.
Tom's replacement at the hospital is here, waiting for the change of command on Friday...spending these last few days securing a boat for all the water recreation his family plans to enjoy in this place.
Tom and I find ourselves bouncing from one task to another...slowly and steadily ticking all the items off of our to-do lists.
We are saying our goodbyes to dear friends...I am having a hard time leaving behind some of the wonderful relationships we've built here. Thankfully, facebook and e-mail and blogging make it easy to keep in touch. But there is no replacement for sharing a meal, a playdate, or some prayer time in person with another.
Isabel is blissfully unaware of the chaos in what will soon be her forever family. We recently learned she is living with a foster family, with an older brother and another child from the orphanage. We got some updated photos, which was a wonderful surprise in my e-mail inbox last weekend. Our last piece of paper needed for our dossier to go to China was supposed to be here before the move...it is looking like it might be slightly delayed and our tenants have agreed to continue to receive our mail here so that it can be overnighted to us in VA and we can press on toward Isabel.
As we begin our new adventure, I know God has new friends, new church family, new ministry opportunities, and new experiences for us to enjoy and learn from. Hared will hit the ground running with band camp starting at his new high school the day after we arrive in VA. A week from today, I will be driving the band camp carpool with folks I have only met through e-mail so far...life rolls on!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)