Stuck under boxes... send help...

I thought I should update my cyberfriends as to our actual continued existence on this planet. We ARE alive, after all. Just busy.

We've been packing. Church went well today and I have my sermon and bulletin finished for next week. That just leaves a newsletter and the big-goodbye-service to finish. Not too bad. After church, I threw away lots of stuff in my office. I actually threw away all of my sermons from the last 7 years. I didn't throw away my newsletter articles, a few prayers, bible studies, and special services. Everything else -- gone. Now if I could just magically have the books I want to keep packed up and all the rest meted out to others who would enjoy them, I'd feel ok about the office.

Our house is torn apart and messy and it is wreaking havoc on the kiddos. Moving stinks. Moving with kids is a unique stench all to itself. They are all out of sorts, especially Annalivia. Tonight she had a hard time going to bed that culminated in waking her brother up and having a really, really frustrated mommy. As I told her to get in bed and stay there, she dissolved into tears, sobbing and saying, "You've broken all my life!" to me. I can't wait til she's a teenager. We fixed it a few seconds later but I think we are all just ready for them to just be able to BE somewhere already with toys in their spots and mess contained. I know I am. I can't imagine what their little brains are feeling like.

I have until this Friday to get things together -- that is our big loading day. Folks from church are coming in the evening to load the UHaul. We're moving everything we can on Saturday, though we have til the end of September to be officially out of the parsonage. We have a dumpster in the driveway and, thanks to the multitude of local urchins, about 80% less stuff in our garage after we dragged it out to the curb yesterday. I'm amazed what those kids decided to take, but it was all gone and that's what we were hoping for.

And tomorrow I have what will be, presumably, the last appointment with my OB before I find someone new in central IL. This is difficult for me. I adore this woman. She birthed Annalivia and Daniel and held my hand through difficult, complicated situations in both pregnancies. Her sister in law is a pastor and she has been so understanding, honest, trusting, and trustworthy. I have seriously considered paying the out-of-network premiums on the insurance and just driving back and forth to see her. But given that the baby is due in March amidst ice and snow and I end up being at the doctor twice or three times a week from week 30+ and she will be 119 miles from my house (yes, I checked), that would just be stupid. But it may still be on the table of possibilities.

So -- that pretty much sums up the week behind and the week ahead. I won't be around, but that probably goes without saying. Perhaps on the flip side, I'll post some pictures of us in "the big house" in Eureka. But I may not get around to that, either. :)

Be well!