Another week gone

This will be my last week to work! I really can't believe how fast these last couple of weeks have flown by. It's just been so busy that it has been hard to keep track of time I guess. It's been sad saying goodbye to everyone. Ashley is hosting a party on the 18th that will be a lot of fun but the last going away party we had for a salon girl, we all ended up a crying, snotting, pile of girls on the floor mess. I hope to not end the night that way.

Today we woke up and realized we had NO plans for the day. We probably should have done laundry and worked on last years taxes but I just couldn't spend one more day inside so Eric and the girls and I went to the lake instead. Kevin hasn't been home in several days, he is getting in as much friend time as possible. We didn't forget about him or anything. We took Mac with us and that is always fun. Mac LOVES the water. There were some ducks out on the lake when we first got there that he was trying to swim out to. We kept calling him back in. I don't know what he would have done otherwise. I think he would have tried to swim all the way to them and I was worried he would get too tired and too far out.

Avery practiced floating on her back and Sydnee covered Mac and I in lake mud. I don't even want to think about all the poop and dead fish and whatever else that is in that mud. I just thought of it as a spa treatment :)

This move has really consumed most of our summer. I've tried to make sure the kids don't get short changed by having lots of sleepovers and going to the pool every week but I have to work a little tomorrow so if we don't make it to the pool my guilt won't be so bad since we had so much fun today.

On our way home we passed a girl on the side of the interstate with a flat so Eric stopped in the 104 degree heat to change a tire. She was a young girl with her car packed full of stuff on her way to Norman. She told Eric she was in the process of moving. A few months ago whenever it was raining non-stop I got a flat on my jeep and a couple of guys that worked for Cox stopped and changed my tire for me. I was sooo grateful to them. It was drizzling rain had hailed that morning and there were still chunks of ice on the ground. Kevin had missed his bus so I was taking him to school when I got a flat. I thought I knew how to change a tire but I couldn't even get the lug nuts off! Anyhow, it was nice to be able to pay it forward. Does it still count since it was Eric who did the work? Regardless she was relieved and happy I'm sure to not be stuck baking on the side of the interstate.

As you can see it was a good day. This week will be the craziest week I've had in a long time :( but from here on out the real changes begin.......

Mi Casa

Eric has been working very hard on the house to get it finished before the move. Here are a few pics.

Ready, Set........

I've decided in order to keep everyone updated on our progress with our move to Arizona, I would start a blog. I've never blogged so be patient with me if I fail to update often enough or tend to be boring. I did have a diary as an angsty teen though so maybe that experience will come in handy.

This move is a very big deal for us and thus far has been a roller coaster of emotion for everyone involved including our friends and family around us. I always think that times of transition are the hardest part of anything because change is so difficult for so many of us to deal with, myself being one of those resistant to change types. However, change also seems like a necessary evil to keep us stimulated and engaged in the world around us. Eric and I are looking forward to the move while also feeling terrified of the possibility that it is the wrong decision for us and our family. Plagued by all the what ifs that abound yet we continue to move forward and find ourselves only weeks away now from the "big day." For us it is an opportunity that will not resurface in our lives again until much later if ever. In the end we hope that it will be a fun and fantastic adventure full of growth and perspective for our kids and ourselves. I personally don't feel that fear of change is ever reason enough not to do something so based on that our moving plans continue.

THE PLAN
The plan is to load up and head out into the great west on July 24th. I am working the rest of this and next week and will have my last day of work on July 17th. My in-laws will be joining us for the move so that will be nice to have the extra help and more fun for the kids. We will be bringing 2 of the 4 dogs and 2 cats with us, which reminds me of a few more plans and phone calls that need to be made. My in-laws and Eric will be spending a few days in Tucson, Arizona with the kids and I getting to know the family there and sight seeing. I hope that it will be of some comfort for my in-laws to see that we will be well accommodated. Eric will be returning to Oklahoma for a few weeks to finish up some work that he has then he will rejoin us in Tucson.
During the time he is gone I will be busy getting the kids in school, unpacking and getting myself situated. Mmmm more transition.

I will be working at the salon my aunt and cousins own named Circa 79 salon and gallery www.circa79salon.com I get along very well with and am looking forward to with the fam. I am nervous about building a new clientele and dealing with new people though! I've been so spoiled with great clients for so long and any new clients are referrals that have been told nice things about me so I don't have to work so hard to earn their trust. I also will miss my clients so much, some of whom I've been with for the entire 15 years I've done hair. Just another side to the adventure I suppose.

As far as what Eric will be doing we are still working on that. The plan is that he will continue to do remodel work there as well and we have a few ideas about getting that started too. The thing we keep reminding ourselves of is that he started his career in Oklahoma from scratch too so there is no reason it cannot be done again. If worst comes to worst I'm sure he would be glad to be a stay at home dad ;)

Well those are the logistics so far. I will keep you updated as things change and I welcome your ideas and input as well. All in all we are excited and looking forward to our new life adventure and ready to get this show on the road!