I have had some comments lately, from non homeschoolers, expressing concern at the number of children who will be present on moving day.  See, men from our church (non homeschoolers) are coming to help us move, but they are coming alone, without wives and children.  The families from our homeschool support group are doing what typical homeschoolers do -- do things as families.  So needless to say, there will be a large number of children present on moving day.  It is assumed, by non homeschoolers, that all those children will just get in the way.  How do you explain away those concerns?  Homeschoolers are used to serving together as families.  And that's what they are coming to do -- to serve another family.  I know that there are little ones that won't be of any help.  But I also know -- from experience -- that there will be some older ones who will be assigned to keep watch over and occupy the little ones.  I've also heard comments that the young teens will work, sure, for a little while, and then they will get distracted and wander off.  And yes, that happens.  But I also know the parents of these young men, and I know that the majority of them will be expected to put their own pleasure last and to serve right alongside their parents.

I'm actually kind of excited about the opportunity to give non homeschoolers a taste of family unity and the community that we so are blessed with in our support group.

I'm not saying there might not be some arguments among the younger ones, or that a toddler seeking the potty won't momentarily be in the way on the stairs.  But as homeschoolers, our philosophy is that are children are not "in the way,"  They learn valuable lessons as they "walk along the way" with us, as they minister with us, as they serve, as they live.

I'll let you know how it goes. :-)

Blessings,

Barb

Whew!  Again, I'm so achy I can't stand it.  I know this is horrible, but after days like this I walk like my mom, which is not a good thing and I worry it does not bode well for my future.  I know the key will be to get and keep my weight under control, so I'm looking forward to using my bro-in-law's treadmill once we're moved.  So, this is what we accomplished today:

• DH & 14yods took a load of scrap metal to the recycler's -- got $38.  Not bad.
• A friend came over and DH rode with him to the new place where they loaded up a full size bed set (complete with box spring and mattress)
• DH disassembled many old shelving units and dressers and stacked the various pieces of wood in the back yard, and put many other items in the alley to be carted away
• I unpacked all the boxes we had taken of kitchen items, including setting up a food cabinet and a bookshelf in the pantry
• Swept and mopped the younger kids' room & put some clothes in their armoire
• 14yods took his bedroom boxes to the basement
• DH worked on clearing space for 14yods's bedroom in the basement -- still some work to do here
• 14yods cleaned paint off the wood floor in the dining room
• I unpacked several boxes of school books into the one small bookshelf (stole one of the two we'd taken for the cookbooks!) that we'd already taken to the new place
• I collapsed all boxes that had been emptied
• I cleared most of the remaining unpacked boxes from areas where furniture will need to go -- still need to move a stack of boxes in our bedroom
• Loaded up empty boxes & some towels & rugs into the van to bring home (still don't have a washing machine at new place)
• Picked up Popeye's for dinner
• Pulled some more clothes from my closet & some old coats & blankets together; DH loaded them in car to drop at Amvets tomorrow
• Showered and dressed kids
• Paid a few bills, checked & answered e-mail, cleaned off desktop
• DH is shredding
• Time to go to bed!

Blessings,

Barb

Oh my.  The apartment is an absolute wreck.  Boxes everywhere.  Clothing in tubs.  Ahhh!  But we are getting closer to the day.  A week from tomorrow.

DH made great progress on cleaning 30-some years of family accumulation out of the basement of his parents' home.  He's so amazing.  And living in the big city, there's only so much room in two alley garbage cans to put the stuff.  So he loaded it all in the back of our van (minus two bench seats) and brought is here and loaded it all into four of the nine big garbage cans we have here.  Wow!  Can this guy cram stuff into small spaces.  I'm always amazed at his packing ability.  He's a popular moving helper because he can really maximize the space in a van or truck.

We go to the new place for the last time before the actual move day tomorrow.  And we load up the van with boxes every time we go, so I have a bit there waiting for me to unpack already.  We even took two small bookshelves in hopes I could get the school books unpacked and ready for the following Tuesday.  But I think I've decided I"m going to put off starting school until the 8th.  I can do that as a homeschool mom and not stress it, right?! 

I have a friend coming over Wednesday to help me with packing up some of the "stragglers."  And my mom and three of the ladies from my homeschool support group are handling lunch for the movers, so it's nice to know that task is delegated and I don't have to give it much thought.  Just have to get them "connected" by e-mail.

We've been taking load of items to the local thrift stores and even were able to bless some friends with various items like dressers & beds.

And -- YEAH -- DH is finally back at work full time.  His boss was introducing him to people yesterday as his "Catering Sous Chef."  Wow!  That was a surprise.  So it appears DH has gotten a promotion, and, while nothing has been said yet about a raise, his boss did say it would afford an opportunity for a few more hours, which will help to make up the income we're losing from the church janitorial work.

I must say that, while I'm not eager to stay where we're moving forever, I'm honestly going to be in no hurry to move again soon.  This is exhausting, and my body is getting older.  I just ache almost constantly.  Although, if we're going to move, I suppose before I get any older would be a good idea.  Oh well.  God will lead where He wants us to go and will provide the means to get there.

I've been concerned recently as I look at the costs of higher education for our 14yods.  He so wants to be a missionary/rescue/aid pilot.  Wow!  Training is not cheap!  I don't know how we'll ever manage.  So your prayers about that would be greatly appreciated.

Better go.  Lots to do.

Blessings,

Barb

In some ways, I feel good about the progress.  DH finished the pantry yesterday, and I will start unpacking kitchen items on Monday.  The floor looks really nice.  He did a great job.  A contractor came out Thursday and will fax my bro-in-law an estimate for the repairs tomorrow.  My sister-in-law will come next week to finish sponging one wall and put the border up in the dining room.  The reamining items that are "left over" from the "previous occupants" will be removed next week (some in the kitchen and some in one bedroom).  DH is working on decluttering the basement to make room to set up our 14yods's bedroom and space for those items needing to be stored (Christmas decor, catering equipement).  I definitely see potential and am eager to get our belongings in their proper places.

Our homeschool group has cancelled their annual back-to-school picnic and replaced it with a "moving party."  Two of the moms -- pregnant and unable to lift boxes -- and my own mom have offered to prepare lunch for the workers.  DH will recruit men from church to help also.  So, the big day is the 30th.  That doesn't leave a lot of time before school startes (yikes), but I'm keeping track of the boxes/bins with school books in them and those will be unpacked right away.

My biggest frustration was going through piles of unopened mail from as far back as 2006 and as current is this last week, and finding matters not taken care of since the deaths of both of my parents-in-law and my sister-in-law.  Enough said. 

Another frustration is the further delay of DH's employer to get the remodelling done and get him back to work.  Things are starting to get really sticky.

Please pray for us.

Blessings,

Barb

Yeah, finally back online after a storm knocked out the network.

I added a few more books to my Half.com book sale today.  Books will only be available until August 29, so hurry and check it out.  I'm not lugging them all to the new house!

We've done lots of work at the new place.  The living room is all painted & bordered.  The dining room just needs to be sponge-painted and bordered.  I hung curtains in the living room the other day, which made a HUGE difference in how the room looked -- sort of had a "finished" look.  Our bedroom closet is painted.  Most of the things that were stored in what will be the younger kids' room have been moved out.  The pantry was primed and painted and the flooring ripped up.  That will be just peel-and-stick on Friday and we should be ready to start unloading some of our things in there.  A contractor is coming to look at the bathrooms on Friday.  DH will start cleaning out 30+ years of family belongings from the basement on Friday also.  I'll need to ask my bro-in-law about a new washing machine.  All in all, it's starting to feel liveable.  Long days spent working up there are hard on the kids, and I'm very eager for it all to be over and to get into the school routine.  We did take some of their toys there the other day so they'd have something to do besides sit in front of their uncle's TV/DVD player.  Yikes.

Blessings,

Barb