We're Moving Where???!!!???!!!

Since Bob has taken care of all of the logistics of this humongous move we are about to embark on I often feel very removed from the whole thing. So removed that I will stop in my tracks some days and think: "I am moving to New Mexico...I am moving to New Mexico!!!...Wait, I am moving to New Mexico? Who moves to New Mexico? What are we thinking?!" And then just like that one of my children will need me and my thoughts come right back to the here and now.

As of today our house is  on the market. Bob  bought his plane ticket for his departure to NM. His first day in the new office is Monday, September 8th.  We have a Realtor in NM, have been pre-approved for a new loan, and are thumbing through the houses that are available to us in our price range. Each of the kids has begun to weigh in on what they believe is the most important to them in a new house.

(Photo courtesy of:epodunk.com)

I feel like we are moving to another planet. I don't know if the landscape can get any different from where we live than the dessert of the southwestern part of this country. I hear some parts of where we are going are still very much like the wild west. I am worried that my liberal, hippy, free the animals, kumbya mantra will get eaten and spit out by some gun-toting, George Bush loving, tobacco chewing, meat loving rancher and his family. Or sometimes I will have thoughts like: "What if no one speaks English down there?" (I know that this is completely absurd, but these thoughts cross my mind because the only experience I have with this part of the country is seen on the news.)

Moving away from a life that you have built to begin another life is completely overwhelming, but also exciting. Part of me cannot wait to spread my wings and soar. The negative Nancy part of me thinks I am going to spread my wings and realize that they are weighted down with cement and I am going to fall flat on my face and ruin not only my life, but the lives of my four children. Yikes.

(Photo courtesy of: city-data.com)

But, it's too late to turn back now, so NM  bound we are!

This and That (and some more pictures, too!)

I realize that I have not been in this space very often lately.Mostly it is because I have so much going on that I just don't seem to have the time to sit down and write. It is also because I have so much going on that I don't know where to begin. 

Our New Mexico move is progressing. Bob is handling everything for me so that I can focus on homeschooling and being a mother/wife. I appreciate this as I think my head would blow up if I also had to deal with all of the bits and pieces of that whole shabang. We should have our house on the market the week of Labor Day. We have had two Realtors come out to the house to take a look at it. We will be choosing one of them in the next few days. We are looking online for houses, and I am planning on taking a house finding trip sometime in the middle to end of September. My goal is to stay in Ohio long enough that my boys can finish their soccer season with the middle school team. 

Speaking of soccer - the boys had their first game this evening. They won  8 or 9 to 1. Josh scored one of the goals, and it was a beauty of a goal. I have been waiting years for this team to make it to this point. I know that sounds silly, but I just love this group of boys. They have been playing together for years and years. The reason that I have been waiting so long for this team to get to this point is because both of my sons are playing on the soccer team together. I love watching my boys play together. They seem to have a rhythm and style all their own, and it makes my heart swell with pride to watch them. I so look forward to watching them play this season. I cannot wait to see what they can accomplish together with their other teammates. I really think it is going to be a magical season. 

On another note - school started today for my kiddos. It was nice to get back into the swing of things, and it was also nice to have them all of myself all day long. Sarah did amazing with her schoolwork, and with a few modifications we were able to get through everything I had set out to get done on her first day.

Speaking of Sarah - she has a pretty long MRI scheduled for Friday along with a spinal tap (or Lumbar puncture). Then next week she has 4 days of IVIG scheduled. The MRI will show us how her lesions are doing and if there are any new ones. I am also going to see if there are any on her spine. She has had a couple of issues as of late that have been a bit of a concern to me, but they could be nothing so I am going to wait and see what the MRI results come back with. One of the issues she had was a bladder issue and the other was a tingling/numbness in her leg issue. I try to allow those isolated incidents pass like a grain of salt, but given the nature of Sarah's disease and how devastatingly quick the damage has been done to her eyes I cannot help but be nervous that the same is going to happen to her lower body. 

I know that there are many of you who have prayed for my family this past year, and I ask that you do me a favor and pay doubly hard for some friends of mine. They are going through an extremely devastating time right now with their daughter that makes Sarah's issues look like a walk in the park.  I know how hard this past year has been for me with everything that has happened with Sarah - I cannot even begin to fathom what my friends are going through. Please just pray for me that everything will be okay for their daughter in the end.  

We took another trip to NY last week only this time we went to upstate NY. We were in the Saratoga/Lake George area visiting family. We had so much fun. The pictures below are from a boat ride we took on the Minnie Ha Ha. (A.L. - I could not find the red roof ice cream shop you mentioned to me. I wonder if it still is open?) Lake George is very beautiful. I love upstate NY and could imagine myself some day living in that area or its neighboring state - VT.  While there we also went on a 4 hour zip line obstacle course up in the trees. It was an amazing adventure. I was pretty scared as I have a fear of heights, but I had to go as Sarah wanted to try the course. Except for one part - she made it through the whole thing with flying colors. Elizabeth too did a great job with her harness and hooks. I was very proud of both of my girls. 

Elizabeth celebrated her 8th birthday.  She had a great day. I took her to get a mani/pedi and also to an arcade and to the store to spend her birthday money.

The garden is doing well. I have a ton of cucumbers. I am looking forward to having another garden when I get down to NM. Their growing season (I believe they have 2) is set to being around the time we should get down there at the end of September/beginning of October. 

I think that is almost everything.  I hope your summer ended well and that your transitions back into the school world go smoothly. 

Downtown Saratoga

Downtown Saratoga

Lake George

Lake George, NY

Me about to climb that wooden pegged ladder up to the next level of the trees. 

Andy at the end of the course doing his final zip line. 

Elizabeth doing that same zip line. 

Around the Yard

Some of our first (small) garden treasures.

A much welcomed gift from Mom and Dad when I was feeling blue.

There is nothing more fun than to capture one of my kids in a moment of pure joy. Here Sarah is laughing hysterically while playing with the dog on my bed. 

Wednesday's Inspiration

New Mexico Bound

Yep, you read that right. Our family is headed to New Mexico in about a month. Bob got a promotion and we are super stoked about a getting a new start on life. Of course, I am nervous about the kids being kidnapped in some drug cartel heist and illegal immigrants showing up at our front door in need of food and water, but other than that I am super excited.  (Totally kinda kidding here.)

photocourtesy of wikipedia.com

We will be most likely living in Las Cruces, NM, but the possibility of us living in El Paso, TX is also up for discussion. Bob's first day in the new office is scheduled to be September 8th, but he could actually be leaving a bit earlier for a training session in Cheyenne, WY. We will follow sometime after Bob. We are waiting to hear from our "moving consultant" for the exact dates that we (meaning me, the kids, and the dog) will be joining Bob. We should know more sometime this week.

photo courtesy of: tripadvisor.com

Three of the kids are pretty stoked. One is not at all excited. I am eager for a new start in a completely different landscape, but am sad to leave behind my family and friends. After 3 years of starts and stops in his career movement I am happy that Bob has finally found a new ladder rung on which to stand on for a while. He has worked so hard and tried to be the best at his job, and it is finally paying off for him. I am immensely proud of him.

photo courtesy of: wikipedia.org

I would be lying if I said that I was not nervous to move to such an extremely different part of the country. Everything will be different down there. I think that our family is up for the challenge though. I plan on homeschooling them this year while they get acclimated, and then if they should so choose, they will be more than welcome to join their local schools.

I will share more as I know more. For now, I am just going to enjoy what this summer has left with family and friends and allow my children that same honor. We are going to make the most of our time here so that we will look back with no regrets.

Pictures!

Elizabeth playing mommy while "talking" on my phone. 

The kids and I at Franklin D. Roosevelt's home.

The "woodshed" at F.D.R.'s house. Andy was going to take Sarah there. 

Lunching together.

Walking on a bridge that goes over the Hudson River. 

Bowling!

Best Buddies - Miss Sarah and Mr. Josh

Being silly.

Waiting for the train to NYC.

This boy is such a sweetheart. 

Quite the beauty. 

View  of NYC skyline from central park.

M&M store in Times Square

Times Square

Freedom Tower. 

Kids looking into the footprint of one of the Twin Towers. Names on the wall are those that passed away as a result of 9/11.

Battery Park - view of Jersey

The face of an angel. 

This kid cracks me up.  Every time. 

Battery Park overlooking the Hudson

Bob and I make some pretty good looking kids. 

On the Staten Island Ferry

A view of Lady Liberty from the State Island Ferry

Sunset on the Hudson

Grand Central Station