In search of distraction . . .

With only 5 days to go until closing, our deal to sell our house and buy a new one has crumbled . . . by no fault of ours. I had spent the week doing all the last of the packing and all of the changing of addresses and phone numbers, and then without warning a phone call at noon yesterday put the brakes on the whole deal. One of the parties involved had to walk away from the deal and the dominoes started. I am so bewildered. I'm living in a house of brown boxes. And I'm not sure where my mail is going to end up. My kids are currently watching the Weather Channel because we packed all their toys and videos. . . and there isn't anything else nice on cable for them to watch. I don't think I've ever before had directions changed so drastically in my life like this. So I guess the process of listing the house starts all over or something. Sighhh. I was offered a "mental health" day from work to stay home and deal with the news, but I felt like I had to be doing something normal. And now I'm home and I don't know what to do with myself. I can't settle down enough to read a book or play a game with the kids. (they're all packed . . . the games, not the kids.) So this is it. Letting everyone in on how crazy it is around here this week.

One week . . .

We're down to a week until we move into our new house. Not a "new" house, but new to us. This whole process has been overwhelming. I hope it's the last time we do this. I think it would take a stern call to sell everything and join the mission field to ever make me move again. There's something about clearing my walls and putting my things I use daily into cardboard boxes that makes feel not-so myself. I'm hoping this isn't a bad sign that I'm too into my stuff. Life feels scattered and messed up. I kind of feel that even though I've carefully labeled all the boxes I've packed, it's like I've already lost all the important stuff. Like, "where is the digital camera card?" I can't say right now, but it's packed somewhere. Where are blank envelopes? Don't know. Where is the play-doh, paint, and paintbrushes? Can't say right now. All this has me feeling a little crazy. My perfect household inventory in my brain is so messed up that it makes me feel a little crazy.

I am looking forward to the adventure of meeting new neighbors, figuring out where I'll grocery shop or rent videos . . . all that comes with getting to know a new town. Just feeling a little overwhelmed today.

I'll try to get out an email with our new address and phone number soon. We'll be in Mahomet, so not too far away.

Does the President sin . . . ?

From the mouth of the 6-year-old. We were driving home from school this afternoon . . . and Aidan was sitting in the back of the van, quiet . . . contemplative. And he asks,
"Does the President ever sin?"
"What?" I ask.
"Does the President SIN ever," he repeats.
"Well, yeah, everybody sins . . . even presidents," I say.
"I'm talking about the President of the United States, Mom," Aidan says.
"Even the President of the United States sins," I explain.
"Well, does the President ever lie?" he asks.
"Which president are you talking about?" I ask.
"George Bush, Mom," Aidan says.
"We hope he doesn't, " I say.
" There was a President that lied," Aidan says. "That was Bill Clinton and he was the president when I ws born. So I guess presidents lie."
"Well all the people who live in the country get to vote for who we want to be president, and we hope that the person we elect doesn't lie," I explain.

Then we get a little off track when Aidan wants to know who the President of The World is, which as far as I know hasn't been decided yet. And then we get around to talking about how the President of the United States has just about the most important job in the world.

"Has a girl ever been a president?" Aidan asks.
"Any president," I ask, "Or THE President of the United States?'
"Of the country, Mom," he insists.
"Well, not yet." I say.

Then I explain about Hilary . . . but by then he's moved on to a new topic . . . what candy he'll be eating from his Easter Basket when we get home.

Happy Easter and We're moving . . .

Getting excited for Easter weekend. We don't so much do the bunny and the egg-thing, but I always know that church on Easter Sunday is gonna be a big rockin' party. And that's kind of how I like to celebrate the best stuff. We'll probably get to see some family . . maybe eat something good. Also, in the last three weeks we sold our house and bought a new one (new to us.) It's been a whirlwind. Our house here in Urbana sold in 6 days, which I didn't expect. So riding on the wave of "Whaaahht? Huuhh?" we bought a house in Mahomet. It's a little rural . . . 1/2 acre with well water. But I think we'll be happy there. We pretty much planned our summer out based on Lion's Club pancake breakfasts and Masonic Lodge street BBQ's. We don't get those a lot here in Urbana. The house we bought was built about 20 years ago as a replica to the Ewing House in Williamsburg, VA, so it of course appealed to Josh's history background and my wanting to have a place to live in background. It's really pretty charming, and begging for a big ole cookout in the yard (Hint hint, nudge nudge) So we'll be in by the end of April. Yikes.

So great to see friends at Annual Banquet last weekend! Watching the "our generation" slide show made it seem like only yesterday. Except that my 6-year-old was sitting nearby shaking his head in confusion. Other than that, it seemed like just yesterday. A few things I forgot about . . . I used to wear penny loafers with jean shorts . . . a lot. What? And I wore a "Dumb & Dumber" (the movie) T-shirt when I was baptized at Winter Retreat. Again, What?