Sunday, April 29, 2012

MOVING IN

First night in our new house - April 28, 2012!! 
We're all a bit under the weather with colds and sore throats but we're making progress!!! 
Brent and Ann came over last night and brought BBQ for supper! Thank you! 
We've been working hard all day... it feels good. :)

Friday, April 27, 2012

WE GET TO CLEAN!

Went to the house today around 9:30 am, fully expecting the cleaning crew to be there. They weren't. I had some errands to run in town, so I drove for the first time since we've been here. Wasn't too bad. :) At around 12:30, we called the landlord and told him the cleaning crew still wasn't there...in the meantime, Donald had started cleaning the carpets with a Hoover Steamer from Brent. One guy and his wife finally showed up around 2:30. He had a little vacuum thing with him and she had one bottle of spray Lysol and rags. The man said, (in very hard to understand English) "Take 25 minute and I go back to other job!" What!?! I told him that they were supposed to clean the whole house and he said he didn't know that and that they didn't have any cleaning supplies! What in the world?!?! So I called the landlord again and told him that we would take $400 off the next month's rent and just do it ourselves. Ridiculous. Donald did a great job on the carpets...I managed to get the master bath cleaned...finally got the air conditioning turned on as we were walking out the door. Ava is still doing awesome, considering that she isn't getting naps and sleeping in the pack-n-play at night....I told her we could go and do something fun (like swimming) when this is all over. 
She's getting more attached to me...she cries and clings to me when I leave her behind and she wants me to lay down and sleep with her at night. She's hard to resist but I really don't want to start that habit! 
Tomorrow, we hope to get the kitchen clean and unpacked. Maybe we'll sleep there. Maybe. 

Thursday, April 26, 2012

TEXAS UPDATE

They delivered the trailer yesterday. The water is on and the power should be on sometime today. Cleaning crew should be there today and hoping to move some stuff in this afternoon...hopefully sleep there tomorrow night. We need to get a fridge, washer and drier...hook up the internet and start garbage service. Making progress. 
Ava is sick...nasty cold. Not fun to deal with right now.
I have a Dr. appt with my new Dr. this morning...should be interesting! Only 4 weeks left! Lot's of contractions!
Feeling like we're a bit off the grid right now...I have HORRIBLE cell service and not so hot internet. Doesn't look like it'll be any better at the new house. Should be interesting. 

Monday, April 23, 2012

BAD DAY

Today was not a good day. We drove by the house again and found that nothing had been started and we were supposed to move in tomorrow! The truck was scheduled to deliver tomorrow...starting on Wednesday we'll be charged $50/day for storage! Talk about crunch time! Our realtor found us a different house so we went to check it out, didn't like it and decided to wait and see what would happened with the original one...the man told us that it would be ready to move into tomorrow evening...how are they going to get all of the painting and cleaning done in one day!?!?! We got back to the cabin and the more we thought about it, the less we wanted deal with the people who own the house. Donald called them up and told them the deal was off...then we tried looking for other houses. No luck. Nothing out there. So we had to eat crow, call back and tell them that if they could get everything done by tomorrow that we could make it work. So I cancelled the trailer delivery (to reschedule tomorrow for a Wednesday delivery if they actually pull through for us)....Take all that and top it off with horrible Texas drivers, unsmiling postal workers, a very crabby 2 year old and a very stressed out pregnant mama and it makes for a very bad day. We're wiped out. Tired.
I called the Dr. today and the first thing they told me was that they would have to talk to the Dr. to see if he would see me and assume responsibility since I'm so far along. Great. He said that he would but I would need to pay all of my deductible up front. When it rains, it pours. Oh well...
The only highlight was Ava getting her baby (that we forgot at Grandma and Grandpa Waldo's) in the mail. 
Ava has been singing a song that has actually been kind of a help to me...it reminds me that no matter where we live, as long our little family is together, life is good. It goes like this:
Home, where I have my bed.
Home, with my Mom and Dad.
Any home, with my family,
Is palace enough for me...

Sunday, April 22, 2012

YAMHILL, OR to WILLIS, TX (PART 2)

Saturday, April 14th: Spent the day with Rob, Laura Mae and Mamam. Ate lots of good food and tried not to think about goodbyes.
Sunday, April 15th: Had meeting at Grandma and Grandpa Waldo's. Grandpa Rob had to work right after meeting so goodbyes were short and sweet - probably better that way. There were some tears. Grandma Waldo and Mamam were excited for us and our new adventure.  We had a delicious lunch and then headed back to McMinnville for Lyle and Troy's gospel meeting. It was hard to sit there and not dwell on the fact that it was our last day in Oregon and that we would be saying goodbye to Uncle Lyle. We spent the night at Davison's with Lyle.
Monday, April 16th: Early morning. We packed the car, said our goodbyes and headed out by 6:30 am. Not easy. Goodbyes are hard. We drove to Nyssa, OR and got there around 4 pm. Ava complained about her legs the whole way. Stopped in to see Great Grandma Waldo (Ellen) at Nyssa Gardens. It was good to see her. Uncle Ray met us there. Mike Summers and Tom Hinkel stopped by as well. Had supper at Justin and Jill McKerrow's. Love that family. Cody got to have supper with us too. Ava had fun playing with the kids and now wants a white princess dress like Cora's for her birthday. :) Went on to Boise, ID to stay with Loyd and Jenny Benjamin for the night. Picked up Dad at the airport at 9 pm. 
Tuesday, April 17th: Another early morning. Dad and Donald dropped Ava and I off at the airport around 7 am. Our flight left at 8:20 and Dad and Donald started their long drive to Texas. Had a short layover in San Francisco and then went on to Houston. Ava fell asleep right away so the flight to Houston was wonderful. :) We had the whole row to ourselves! Got into Houston at about 5 pm and Ken and Karla picked us up at the airport. Ava was amazing all day. Had a message from ABF saying that the trailer had arrived that day...way too early! It wasn't supposed to get to Houston until the 23rd!! Stress! Stayed with Ken and Kathy for the night. Dad and Donald stayed with Dexter and Jan Jennings in Colorado.
Wednesday, April 18th: Relaxing morning!! Ava and I slept in...it was wonderful! I started working on the house search and got in touch the Ron Garris to look at houses. Karla took Ava for a couple of hours while I went with Ron to look at houses. It was depressing and overwhelming at the same time. We ended up with two potentials and then found out that one was already rented so that left us with one...anxious to see Donald and Dad. They stayed in Wichita Falls, TX for the night.
Thursday, April 19th: Another relaxing morning. Waited impatiently for Dad and Donald to arrive...the house search continued. I had left a house up on the computer that looked OK and Ken saw it and decided to drive by and take a look! Ron managed to get the rent lowered by $100! Dad and Donald got in at 2 pm! Finally! We all headed out to check out the house. It was the best one we had seen yet so we decided to take it! (After it was painted and cleaned) We took the boat across the lake to eat at Sam's Boat. Crawfish for the first time ever! The boat ride almost put me into labor. :) Good thing to remember. :) We spent the night in the cabin at Pecan Grove. 
Friday, April 20th: Bible study at the Center. Since a bit of the pressure was off to find a house to live in, we decided to head to Old Town Spring for lunch. Back to Willis to sign the lease papers.   Out to supper with the Newman family for some Indian food. Back to the cabin for the night. 
Saturday, April 21st: We had a relaxing morning at the cabin. Dad's flight left at 1:15 pm so we left about 10:30 am. It was hard to say goodbye although I feel we'll get to see them more often than we did living in Oregon. Wandered around Houston a bit, trying to find our way back to I45. :) Donald needed a Culvers fix and we need groceries. We drove by our house and found that they hadn't started painting yet...hope they get started soon! We move in on the 23rd! Spent the evening relaxing at the cabin...Donald and Ava love to fish. Someday we'd like a house near the water...in the country...to raise our kids...someday. 
Sunday, April 22nd: Whew! What a week. Meeting out here at the farm and lunch at the Center! Ava finally got to see Dixie and the girls had fun playing and fishing with the dads. :) Our schedules have been wacky for the past 2 weeks...put Ava down for a nap around 2 and she still isn't sleeping. Donald is fishing down at the lake with Brandon.
Update for Sunday: We drove by the house today and still no work has been done. We're feeling a bit of anxiety as far as the whole house situation goes...Hope it all works out. We went to Walmart and bought some fishing stuff, including a pink Barbie pole for Ava. :) We got home and tried out the new poles...standing on the dock, we saw a weird pattern on the water. As it came closer we saw that it was a Texas Coral Snake! It went under the dock, out the other side and up onto the bank. Donald and I have both decided that we need to get pistols and shoot every snake and spider that we see! 
I found out Ava and I can sleep in the same room and she doesn't throw a fit! Even naps in the middle of the day! Yay! She's growing up so fast. She has done so well with all of the changes. Tap is adjusting to the craziness although I think he's still a bit wore out from the trip. All of this seems so surreal...we live in Texas! I'm looking forward to unpacking and getting settled in our new house...time to get ready for baby! My hands and feet are swelling more that before...not fun. So thankful that Dad was able to drive with Donald across the country. Love him. :) He drove with me when I moved to Bend and now he's helped us with our move to Texas. So thankful for him....and for Mom for letting him. :) 
Ava is learning how to say her "L's." She's more aware that "L" does not sound like a "Y" and it's so cute. :)
Ava was eating and orange yesterday..."Mom, it has the peel on it and it bothers me!" 

INNOCENT GOODBYES

The hardest part about leaving Oregon was watching Ava say, "Goodbye." She said goodbye with such cheerfulness and excitement that it made me sad to watch her. 
"Goodbye, Grandma and Grandpa Waldo!"
"Goodbye, Mamam!"
"Goodbye, Dennis and Jen!"
"Goodbye, Kenny!"
"Goodbye, Troy!"
"Goodbye, Uncle Steve and Auntie Doris!"
"Goodbye, Uncle Lyle!"


I hope we'll be back to visit soon. 

Friday, April 13, 2012

YAMHILL, OR to WILLIS, TX (PART 1)

Monday, April 2nd: More packing.
Tuesday, April 3rd: Ava had a fever but no other symptoms of sickness.
Wednesday, April 4th: More packing and Ava still had a fever.
Thursday, April 5th: Trip to Tillamook to spend the day with Rob, Laura Mae and Mamam. Ava's fever mostly gone.
Friday, April 6th: Last Dr. Appt with my awesome midwife. I'm going to miss her! Made a couple of "last stops" in McMinnville. Lyle came to stay and help pack. Potluck at the Chehalem Senior Center to say goodbye to the field. I started feeling "icky" late at night.
Saturday, April 7th: I think I came down with a bug...dizzy, nauseous, tired. Lyle and Donald worked hard on the packing.
Sunday, April 8th: Our last Sunday morning meeting at Fred and Linda's. I still felt really sick so I stayed home from gospel meeting. Donald and Ava went with Lyle. 
Monday, April 9th: Felt much better! Lyle and Donald went to Dr. Hau's and dropped Ava and I off to do some shopping! Yay! I finally got some clothes for the baby. :) We got home and did some packing.
Tuesday, April 10th: The real work began...ABF delivered the trailer at about 8:30 am and Lyle and Donald started loading it up! Ava stayed in her pajamas most of the day and got filthy dirty! :) I started to swell up in my hands and feet so I had good excuse to sit down once in awhile. 
Wednesday, April 11th: Loaded the truck some more. Dennis and Jen Benjamin came to help and we got almost everything loaded into the truck! Ava fell asleep in the recliner and slept for a couple of hours while we packed around her. They decided to load the beds so we stayed a Benjamin's for the night. It was tough knowing that we had just spent the last night in our house. Lyle left to study for meeting. We packed up the car and went to gospel meeting (a little late) and then went out for ice cream at Jem 100 with Lyle, Troy, Dennis and Jen. Jen and I stayed up till 2 am just chatting. :) 
Thursday, April 12th: Got up and had breakfast. Donald went with Dennis to get new tires for his car. We found out that instead of having to pay $5000 to sell the house, it was going to be $7363.44!!! We were so disgusted. We're not feeling the love for realtors right now. Not a good way to start the day. Made a last stop for coffee at Symposium with the Benjamin's and headed to McMinnville. Got an email from Cheryl Plews saying that she had stopped by the house like we had talked about but we weren't there...I felt horrible!!! I had totally forgot that she was going to stop by because we hadn't stayed at the house like we had planned on.  We signed papers at Ticor Title at 12:30. We went back to the house and Lyle met us there to do the final packing of the trailer, turn in PO Box, tie up loose ends and enjoy the donuts that Cheryl had left at our door. Driving away I said, "Goodbye house!" and Ava said, "Goodbye house!" Then Donald and I both cried a bit. We went back to McMinnville and stopped at Wells Fargo to wire money to the title company for the sale of the house. We spent the night at Steve and Doris' for the night. What an emotional day.
Friday, April 13th: Doris made us a yummy breakfast and Ava ate a whole waffle, an egg and about 5 pear halves!! Headed back to McMinnville to sign a missed paper at Ticor Title. We decided to take one last trip over The Wilson to Tillamook and stopped at our favorite coffee hut in Carlton to fill our our punch card and get a free coffee. :) Drove by the house one last time. Now we are at Rob and Laura Mae's for a couple of days.
Ava has been such a trooper through all of this...Missed naps, no kitchen table, packing and getting rid of furniture! We really enjoyed having Lyle stay with us. We could have never packed without him...he's superman. :) I think it was really good for Donald to have him there with us. We're both a little stressed and wore out...hoping to relax for a day or two....

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

PRECIOUS MEMORIES

This is what happens on most mornings when Uncle Lyle stays with us. Ava climbs up on his blanket covered lap while he reads (sometimes he reads her Bible stories), works on the computer or they watch old cartoons on the iPad. :) Ava loves her Uncle Lyle. I think it's #1 on the list of reasons why it's hard to move to Texas. 
Photo taken by Lyle Waldo "Morning with Ava"