fishing

Grace has been wanting dad to show the A-day girls how to fish.  The very last Wednesday that he lives in Maryland they finally got a chance!  It was a good turn out and a fun night for everyone.  We're going to miss these cute girls.  Darlaina and Michelle are the best A-day leaders ever.

They meet at the pond in Wildewood and fished.  Grace caught a lot.  Everyone learned a little something and tried their hand at it.

Natalee Grace Belle Arden Summer
Lili Cate Anna Izzy Samantha Maggie Asha

 After the others left Arden stayed behind with Grace and Rob and they helped her catch her own very first fish!

I volunteered to keep Ashby and Alva while they were gone.  These two cute girls are just darling and were so good.  Alva did get sad after a couple of hours and we had to go on a "night walk". Ashby was a very enthusiastic lightning bug spotter, star gazer and snake look out.  She thought that fireflies might be the tooth fairy checking to see if she was asleep yet.  I think that well may be.

The youth had a service competition.  We had a group come to our house and wipe down doors and door jams, take out trash, sweep the porch and pick up Ziva's toys.

more wild life

Yesterday morning there was a turtle on our driveway, nestled under the tire of the Flex.  I don't know what he was thinking.  I don't know what it is with the critters this year.  They are nuts.  Also I have seen so many little baby ground hogs and they are so cute! and little bunnies. Also cute.

 After school we went to the pool.  It was great.  The kids had so much fun!  We took Arden with us and Ethan found a friend and Hannah and I sat and talked.

So, this is crazy.  We have an offer on our house.  I am in shock.  It's not complete yet but this may be the easiest move in the history of moving.  Such a blessing.  I am crossing my fingers and sending up prayers for the next couple of days but actually I think it's going to go smoothly.  What?!?

I've been suffering from some feelings of melancholy.  I don't want to move.  Our philosophy is we move to advance the career and so there was never a question about going.  It's more where we are going, a place I never wanted to go back to and never missed...not for a second.  And where we are leaving.  We have LOVED it here. I complied a little list:

THINGS I WILL MISS ABOUT MARYLAND

the beautiful green trees

living a walk away from the water, a long walk but still

seeing all the animals

the osprey couple that we see every day on the junction of St Andrews Church Rd and Pointlook Out Road

the deer in the backyard, and the bats that fly around at night, and little groundhogs everywhere, the bald eagle sightings, bat rays and dolphins (although in fairness I only saw them in the bay once), robins and cardinals and blue birds, deer (although not when they smash into your car), seeing a fox from time to time, but not the jellyfish (no one will miss them), tree frogs, and the symphony of bullfrogs in the pond behind the house at night, fireflies.

the kids awesome schools:

with culinary and theater

STEM

high ratings

teachers that we like and know

the friends we have in the neighborhood,

our community pool, Halloween in the hood, the pretty streets,

talking to neighbors all the time,

Sunday night parades,

someone to borrow sugar from on Sunday's,

someone to carpool with all the time,

someone to get the kids,

kids to help and pick up and have over.

being a girl scout leader

fun scout parents

fun scouter friends

my super fun job

the friends I have made there already

the funny things that happen on tour

my calling, my favorite ever

my councilors (who I love love love)

the wonderful stake leaders I get to work with

the sisters in the stake that I now know

planning the PLDD

Salsas

seafood :(

DC

historic sites

east coast bucket list stuff that we haven't finished yet

Mount Vernon

seasons

the sound of rain

green

really really good friends
grass you can step on barefooted
our beautiful home

being integral to the community, church, schools

soccer friends

this is not a comprehensive list at all but a sample

THINGS I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO

living closer to family

going to Disneyland

having a less expensive home

wild life

painting done!  whooo hoo!!
tomorrow the carpet cleaner comes.
still de-cluttering and staging and packing but we are closer, there is a light.

Laurie, a friend of a friend, has come to look at the house 3 times.  She really wants to buy it.  Her husband is in Dubai until the 19th.  We'll see.  Meanwhile we keep on getting ready for whomever.

Tonight Dixie and her kids came to pick up the hutch she bought (traded for painting really) from us. Rob was painting the stairwell (again) and so they went around the back and I went down to open the sliding glass door.  A snake (red and black) fell down from the top of the slider right between us.  We screamed and were alarmed and jumped around hugging each other.  Jon went after it.  It's been mutual of omaha's wild kingdom around here lately.  There have been so many bunnies and ground hogs, deer, frogs, birds, birds of prey, and other critters around.  It's been a delight to see them, except for the snake.  That wasn't so great!

Hannah got back from her trip, red as a lobster.  She had a great time.

Had a fun facetime with Clayton and Jenna tonight.  They are always fun to talk to.

Had a nice chat with Dani too.

status report

Tonight Rob started on the basement.  He's a good painter.  The stairwell was really tricky and I had to act as a belay for part of the time.

hard at work

Tonight we had another parade, followed by smores in the Streeters backyard.  Except I couldn't go.  (insert sad face) Grace did and Ethan did.  I had a conference call meeting for youth conference that took a long long time, but we got a lot lot lot done.  It's been so much fun, our little strolls.  I wish we had started it long ago.

 Hannah is still having fun on the beach.  Also Sierra is on a beach trip in Mexico.  Where it seems like she is also having a good time.  Soon we will all be on the beach together, which will be amazing! Can't wait.

Bethany Beach

photos we've been getting through out the day

Meanwhile Hannah and her BFF's Shannon and Holly are at Ocean City.  Holly's mom took them.  Holly's aunt has a beach house there.  They are having an awesome time! yay for best friends, ocean waves and hanging out!

Hann and Shann

anniversary

 17 years ago Rob and I got married.  Wow! That seems like a big number!  Today we celebrated by taking Ethan to a couple soccer games, working on the house, sharing some stress, sleeping in a little, talking to a realtor, and going to the dump.  We know how to live it up!

Tonight we'll go to dinner.  It'll be late and we'll be tired but glad for each other's comfortable company...and looking forward to another 17 years, and then another and another and another....

It's good to have someone to share the journey with.

Slowly but surely

Cleaning cleaning, dump runs, paint. We are getting there.

Today Rob stayed home from work and Bub from school and they worked worked worked. They got a lot done.

I gave a tour and didn't get rained on! Then came home and joined the work party.

Why do we have so much stuff?