Memorial Day

We went down to Austin and watched the parade, then we went to Lia's for yummy cinnamon rolls

Leo's monster

First big home day

Today was the first "stay at home day", as Leo says, where we didn't have to go back to the Minneapolis house to work all day.

One of our first tasks was to officially accept the offer on our house! Just need to wait on inspection now.

It was fun to be able to focus on our new space. 

We took some of the shelves out of the laundry room to make space for the chest freezer. Then we moved in Peder's dresser, and the buffet. Peder had a blood donation appointment, so the kids and I did some garage sale-ing. They got a few new toys and Felix got a new bike!

We also got a new flag pole for our flag and put that up out front.

In the afternoon, Ellen & Pam came by for a visit. Then Rellie went over to Nana & Grampa's on her bike to pick up the mail. Busy day all around.

We got an offer!

It's a good one!

Exactly our asking price when all is said and done.

Listed!

I'm feeling a bit sad about it, seeing the photos. Someone else will live here and it won't be ours anymore!

Done?

Not really, but incredibly close.

So close that the photographer and inspector are coming to our house tomorrow (today, I guess, since it's 1:30am). The timing is great. The irises and a few other things are just starting to bloom!

This afternoon I worked on the yard, and then after dropping off the kids, I went back and did everything else.

I'm starting to feel a bit nostalgic and sad about leaving this place that served us so well for so long. The idea that someday, soon, hopefully, it will belong to someone else is a bit unfathomable.

We are so close

Down to the home stretch of getting everything ready to list our house.
Its almost empty. Just a pile in the basement that we are ready to take out as soon as the rain stops for more than 5 minutes.

Some more fix-it things, painting doors and windows, and getting the yard into decent shape.

So very close.

Night off

Tonight, I gave myself the night off. I stopped at the Mpls house just to pick up Felix from the bus (while waiting, I finished scrubbing the tub I'd let soak overnight, and to put up the shower curtain).

That's it. That is all I did.

Big tub

I did try out the new big tub. Learned that the tub is almost exactly the volume of our hot water heater.
It's nice. I didn't care for the jets at all, but I loved being able to just stretch out and soak.
I was thinking that the last time I was in a tub like this, I was giving birth.

soooooo tired

We got up, did a little organization at the Richfield house, stopped at Target for some supplies, then over to the Minneapolis house to WORK.

-placed potted plants out front
-emptied the third floor
-got more stuff out of the basement.
-accomplished some code compliance stuff
                 got rid of the diaper sprayer
                 put in a stair railing
                 installed what seemed like hundreds of smoke detectors (really 6)
                 anchored the dryer vent
-cleared off the front porch
-painted Rellie's room
-prepped the upstairs bath for painting & shined up the faucets

I am sore and tired. I just try to keep reminding myself that we get this done, sell the house and our weekends can go back to being ours again.

We still have a ton left to do:
Empty basement
Clean up basement
Paint Bath & Our bedroom
Haul give away stuff to thrift store
Mow lawn
Finish up garden stuff
Paint front of house

still sick

Kinda.
I feel okay enough in the morning, but then go to work and am ready to crash. Can't concentrate and need to sit down a lot. I also want to cry. Not sure why. Probably stress.

I have lots of things to feel stressed about, but the stress of too much to get done is not the whole story.

This is fear. I have a lot of fear. I have a lot of shame. I have a blanket of fear wrapped up hiding my beautiful core. I was speaking with someone today about my struggles right now and that was how she put it. She reminded about me how much I envy those I see who see their struggle and trials as part of God's love and trust in them.

I still don't know about the truth in that, but I do long for that faith. Faith in myself because someone else has faith in me.

So now I wonder if I do enough to show my children I believe in them.

Quarantine

I couldn't go to work today. I slept like hell last night. The antibiotics are kicking in nicely, so I feel decent.

After dropping off the kiddos, I stop over at the old house to make sure, ya know, it handn't burned to the ground, or something. The house is fine, and I started tackling a few things. 

Different

Going back and forth between the houses, I notice the differences. 

It is so much quieter. I can't put my finger on exactly what the noise is back at Oakland, but I know it's just quieter here. 

It's darker too. At night, we can turn off our lights and it really is just darker that the other house. 

Mack Truck = Strep

I didn't go to work today. I spent much of the day trying to get the old house ready to sell. Did a bang up job on the kitchen, then lost some steam. Fortunately my mom came over and cleaned a bunch for me. 

Nina called to tell me that her daughter had been throwing up on Sunday too, and has strep. 

Huh. 

I thought about my sickness and realized that is what this was. 

So I went to the doctor, and sure enough, strep test came back positive.

I picked up Leo, got my antibiotics and then went back to Oakland Ave to get the big kids off the bus.

We came home and everyone immediately hopped on their bikes.

 I love that. 

After dinner we played a game of Guillitine and after the kids were in bed we enjoyed our first rainstorm here.

Mack Truck

That is what hit me Sunday morning. I felt yucky. Nauseated, tired, sweaty chills. I threw up. First full day in the new house and I spent all of it curled up on the couch. 

Meanwhile, my mom took all of the kids, FP worked at the old house and my dad mowed our lawn and cleaned the gutters at the new house. 

At the end of the day I was able to go out and sit in our front yard and watch the kids zip up and down the street on their bikes. ❤️

Moved!

mostly.
There is still more stuff to get out of the old house. Lots to do at the old house. But the important stuff is here. We are here. Kiddos are sleeping on their mattresses on the floor. We are sleeping on a mattress on the floor. The cats are exploring.

I don't really even remember this day. But it was joyful. Steve and my dad were power houses. They helped move all of our big stuff. I had expected Steve to hang with the kids, and dad to give advice on organization and keep us from breaking all of our stuff. Nope. These guys did as much as we did all morning long.  My momma took the kids out and then cleared of shelves and cleaned out my discard heap on the back porch, as well as loading and unloading the truck. I kept reminding them, that their health was more important than our stuff.  I can never thank them enough.

So now were here and there is much more to finish. But that will happen in time. I really didn't believe we would actually do this. As I was standing up on the third floor I looked out on our neighborhood, and at our yard, and I felt really grateful that I had the chance to live here. I also felt really happy with our choice to move.

One last sleep

Left in our new house. Everyone has expressed some sadness to be leaving the only home they have ever known. 

Felix felt we needed to be able to go back a few times, Leo told me "I love our house", and Relia just needed to cry, and be heard. 

Counting down

Only 3 more sleeps in what Leo is now calling "the old house". He is struggling to understand that we aren't trading houses with the woman who sold us the new house. He keeps asking if she will be doing this or that with our yard/house.

We confirmed that the kids will be attending STEM next year. Nice to know that. I've been bugging the staff, because I just couldn't believe that it was as easy as handing in your paperwork.

Life is about to change, and I am feeling it. It honestly feels exactly like pregnancy brain. I'm so darn foggy lately. Hoping this weekend goes smoothly.