Moving Week

Wow...it has been a crazy week! Probably the craziest week I have ever had! Our original plan was to close on our house last Monday (oct 15th) but none of the paper work was ready on both ends of the closing deal so we decided to postpone it until Wednesday. Tuesday night (oct 16th)we got the Uhaul and Dan's dad and sister came to help us get the Uhaul loaded. We got nearly everything loaded and ready to go for us to move out of the house completely on Wednesday afternoon. The next morning (Wednesday) we loaded last minute items and I cleaned the house a bit. Dan's dad came and got both Ariel and Caleb and took them to their house for the night so that we could move in to our new place that evening and not be chasing kids around. Well this is when all my careful planning fell apart...goes to show that you can try to control all the things you want but in reality God is the one in control and He was REALLY trying to get my attention!

Wednesday afternoon we were under a tornado watch all day long. It didn't rain (THANKFULLY) but the weather was awfully unstable. The closing was at 3:30 and during the closing, the agent was getting text messages from his dad who was a storm chaser that there was a tornado that had touched down in Benton County. Then our Realtor walks in and had no paper work in hand and stated that the closing almost wasn't going to happen due to financial reasons on the sellers end. There were a few confusions while we were at the table doing the closing and we had all agents working for us trying to get the deal closed. All in all, everything went well, they all straightened out the confusion while in the midst of a tornado warning.

After the closing Dan and I went back to our old house and loaded the fridge and the washer and dryer (with the help of friends of couse...I am not that strong) and then around 7:00 we were off to our new house...with no electricity!!!

In order for a person to occupy a home after an inspection on the home is complete, they have to pay impact fees in order to get a certificte of occupancy. Well the seller was on the verge of foreclosing on the house that we bought so therefore he wasn't able to afford to pay the impact fees until after closing. In order for us to be able to get electricity turned on at our new place, those fees had to be paid for...free and clear. Needless to say, we didn't get electricity until Friday at 4:00!! We are so blessed to have friends and family so close. We had at least 3 couples ask us to stay the night with them until we were able to get power. Thanks guys for all tour help in moving us and also offering us a place to stay.

My plan was to get into the house on Wednesday evening and then spend the rest of the night unpacking while Dan's parents had the kids...and since I had no electricity that didn't happen. We had a friend from our home group come over as we were moving things into the DARK house and he brought a generator and we were at least able to hook up a lamp in the living room and also turn on the microwave light. We got the entire Uhaul unloaded in less than an hour!!! We had decided to spend the night at Erron and Libby Smith's house in Rogers and we asked everyone who helped to meet us a Braum's for ice cream before we went to the Smith's to stay the night. As Dan and I were pulling out of our driveway the transmission went out in our van. At this point all I could do was just laugh. I thought..."this can't be happening!" We went to Braum's and decided that since we would be further away from our house if we stayed at the Smith's house that we would at least try to make it to Caleb and Leah Mitchell's house in Centerton. So that is where we stayed the night.

Thursday morning Dan and I went to the new house and unloaded the van that was full of all of our electronics and our tv. Then we took the Uhaul to our old house and got Dan's truck (that was full of all of our outdoor stuff) and then went and dropped off the Uhaul and then went back to the house. At this point I was trying so hard to get as much stuff as I could get done accomplished since I didn't have the kids. Dan called the tow truck and had the van towed to a transmission shop in Springdale. I called Dan's parents to see what the plans we were as far as bringing the kids home that evening and all I could do was to pray that they would keep them for one more night. They were unable to unfortunatly due to prior arrangements that they had made but that is where I cried for the first time during this whole ordeal. As a mom you want everything to be straight and orderly when your kids are around especially when a move is going on and since there was no power at our house I felt as though I wasn't able to fullfill my part as being a mother in providing a secure location for us to sleep that night. As night fell we still didn't have power and at that point I wasn't sure what we were going to do. Leah and Caleb thankfully came through once again and we were able to stay with them but I still felt as thought I was bombarding in on them...and all I really wanted to do was be in the home that Dan and I had just purchased! We had Chick-fil-a that night for dinner (meal 3 of about 15 that were fast food or in a restaurant).

Today I am feeling somewhat back to normal. We are still living out of a cooler since our fridge did not fit in our kitchen (we went and bought a new fridge tonight and it will be delivered tomorrow), and I am just now washing my first load of laundry in over a week! We have DSL, Dish Network, Phone, Electricity and Water now. I am about 3/4 unpacked and feeling better with each box that I crush! I love my new home and my kids love it too! Ariel has slept so well since we have been here. Going to bed at 8:30 0r 9:00 and waking up at 8:00...sleeping all the way through the night and taking two seperate 2 hour naps during the day. I have my van back as a well...we spent a whole paycheck today on the transmission and also a new fridge...rediculous!

It's great to be alive and that we are all healthy. This week has taught me to be patient (which is so hard to do!!!) and to not rely on my schedule! I don't have pics because honestly I have not been in the picture taking mood but I will take some pics of the interior of our new place sometime this week and post them.