Moving

So tomorrow is our day to leave Montana. I don't know if I'm happy or sad.  I think ultimately it is a mix of the the two emotions with some excitement thrown in.  Since I'm going on a vacation first I'm just kind of packing for a vacation but knowing I'm leaving my little house for probably the last time.  I do love this first house of ours.  It has its quirks since it is 100 years old this year.  I love those quirks.  I love the tall ceilings, the many windows, the shady front porch, and the wood floors that creak when you walk across the room.  I'm not ready to pack, to load, to leave.  Mostly I think that comes from being too hot.

I really don't know what I'm supposed to take with us either.  I'll get it figured out at some point.  I am thinking that I'll get it figured out about the time I get to our new house.

Mia words

Figure I'd better get some of these down while I can. 

Mia tells Buddy to "drop it" and "good dog Buddy."  She now says: hat, Gadget (as in Inspector Gadget), ball, puppy, Wylie, Jackson (this generally comes out more as Jackie), mine, no, book, help, eat, food, juice, bubble, water, flower, hi, hello, bye-bye, night-night, good night, good morning, sometimes says I love you (kinda), Tracy, Kate, Barrett, thank-you, please, and cute.  She is learning new words every day.  I'd kind of forgotten what an explosion the vocabulary goes through at this stage.  Although I do seem to think that Bear didn't become quite such a parrot.  He seemed to absorb and not say much and then once he started we haven't been able to stop him.  Mia seems to have hit the ground running on the whole talking thing.  I wonder if it is girl versus boy or older versus younger, or just Bear vs. Mia.  Doesn't really matter I guess.

Bear had a funny one today.  I had a nice gentleman open my garbage can for me this morning.  I was taking two bags of garbage out and he was walking by.  Nice.  I do like small towns for that stuff.  At any rate Bear was asking me why that stranger opened the garbage for me.  I explained he was being nice and was being a gentleman.  Bear looks at me and says, "He was being Barrett James?"  I just had to smile and giggle a little.  Apparently Bear's name is synonymous with being a gentleman.  Not a bad thing by any means, just amusing to hear.

I will get some photos some day but things are crazy with the move going on.  I know I've been promising for quite awhile now.  I'll have to just sit down and do a ton of uploads.  Not sure when that will happen but I need to do it.  At least I've kind of kept up on some Facebook photos.  A few here and there anyway.

12 days until we move

We are down to crunch time.  Still no rental.  Yikes!  We have a couple of leads but it seems this new town works on a whole other time frame.  Slowly.  I somehow have gotten used to the semi-big city speed of Missoula.  I didn't think that would ever happen.  It seems farm country operates at a much slower pace.  Something I'll have to get used to again.

In about 10 days I'll be done working.  Such a bizarre feeling.  It will be very strange to have Tom supporting me and the kids.  I have a feeling it may be a year or so before I'm used to that.  At least the job is a good one.  They've even bumped up the wages before he starts.  Can't beat that.  They are moving us as well.  Thank goodness.  If they weren't I'd be way way behind on packing.  I'm still not sure that I'm not behind. 

I'm not entirely sure what to take with us.  The kids and I are leaving first and Tom and Buddy will follow.  I'll head down and visit my mom for a few days and then drive and meet the movers.  That is if we get a rental in time.  It will be fun to visit Grammy in the summer.  It has been awhile since we did that and last time we did it was for my dad's memorial, which was as fun as something like that can be, but...

The travel will be an adventure.  Especially since it will just be the kids and I on a long road trip.  Just under 900 miles all total.  That is a lot of miles to be in a car by yourself with a 4 year old and an 18 month old.  Guess it will add a few blocks to my character house.

At least my "to-do" list has gotten shorter.  Good thing since I'm running out of time.  The major things now are to close the bank accounts, turn off utilities, pack the kids and I with as much as we can fit in the car, and get out of here.  Not too bad.  Meanwhile I have to finish my last 8 working days.  EEEEEK!  I think my little freak out is done.

Now off to get some laundry and dishes done to put that new water heater to the test.  Hmmmm... Maybe I'll drink one more cup of coffee first.

Birthday

Happy 4th birthday Bear.  Amazing how it was 4 years ago today that I was sitting in a hospital in Missoula having just had my first baby.  I can't believe it has really been 4 years.  It seems like it should, at most, be a year or two ago.  My little bitty baby went from that to a sweet little boy.  He is so generous.  Always makes sure everyone has some of whatever and/or that everyone is included.  I just hope he stays that way through-out his lifetime.  I fear for those moments when he runs into those folks who aren't so nice.  I suppose that will always be the case as his mother.

His stats from the doctor appointment: 43 inches tall and 44 pounds.  Tall and skinny.  Everything else looked good.  He was a bit nervous about getting shots but we ended up not being able to since it was the day before his birthday.  Some goofy state regulation that won't let them give the vaccines even a day early. 

I'm being pestered by little sister to read a book.  I'm off to do so...