New Happenings

Sorry, no pictures this time! This is mainly because I'm not exactly sure where the camera is, let alone the cord to download photos. It seems that is the story of our lives lately and will likely continue to be for the next few weeks.

This is the start of our big two weeks! Our first load of "stuff" was hauled off in the livestock trailer today to be stored in a shed until we close on our new house. I know... livestock trailer? Hey, 32 feet of free storage space is very, very much appreciated! Thanks, Nick! Everything else will be out of the house by Thursday. Wow!

Our last night in our current home before relocating for a week to grandma and papa's is Tuesday night. I took my final early morning run on my regular route today. Ben and I have been making frequent trips to the neighborhood park, knowing that one of them will be the last one, at least traveling there by stroller. Yes, I'm feeling a little nostalgic. A lot has happened in this home and there are things about this neighborhood that I will miss.

However, my excitement definitely overshadows my nostalgia. I'm so excited to have a bigger yard and more space in our home to spread out. As I filled box after box of kitchen items, I found myself excited knowing that I'd have plenty of places in our new kitchen to put everything. I can't wait to have a playroom for Ben! I've got big plans for making his play space more usable and to have a place that is just for him. I'm so looking forward to moving in just in time to watch the leaves change on the beautiful trees in our yard. I can't believe I'm even going to say this, but I'm looking forward to painting the walls in the new house. They are all white - it is like a blank canvas. There is nothing like a fresh coat of paint to make a place your own! Yes, there is a lot of work ahead of us and my organization-loving self will have to deal with the chaos, but there is so much to look forward to.

How could I end without a quick Ben update? My favorite thing he is saying lately is, "Don't cry, be happy." He loves climbing. He has been climbing all over the furniture and knows that in chairs, he should sit like a "big boy." And, he says "big boy" over and over again as he sits down. He has developed an affinity for Elmo. I have to say, as much as I try to limit the time with TV, popping in a favorite Elmo video and handing him some goldfish grahams (another favorite) can be very convenient right around supper time. He also loves to run. Lately, it seems like he never walks anywhere - he is always running. He oftens says, "Run, run, run," while taking off. I am constantly amazed by Ben's vocabulary. He can identify nearly everything in his environment and has been putting words together more and more. Ben is beginning to learn how to "dress up." He has figured out how to put on Brant's and my shoes and also loves to wear hats around the house. Finally, I love that Ben still loves to read with me. He even "reads" by himself and flip the pages and say words he knows from the pictures and pages. We'll often catch him doing this in his crib in the morning. It is wonderful! It just gets better and better!