Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Farewell to Washington

Our most recent family picture - last night in front of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge
Our movers will be here in about a half-hour, and we're about to shut down this computer for good. At least for good in the Pacific Northwest. I feel strangely like once this thing is unplugged, it's official that we're leaving. So here's one last post from my loft with chartreuse walls.

I had a sad moment last night as I looked through all our pictures (when I should have been packing) and made a stack of ones that reminded me of things we would miss about Washington. The people, for one. Marelize, Melanie, Monique, Deidra, Deb, to name a few. And their kids - my kids will miss their little friends.

I'll miss this house. My green kitchen, the view out my kitchen and bedroom windows, our neglected garden, our central vac system.

I'll miss this beautiful state. The green green everywhere, the gorgeous rocky beaches, the park across the street, being able to cut down our own live Christmas tree, our view of Mount Rainier right outside the neighborhood, spring afternoons in the backyard on a blanket, the farmers' market, even the rain.

How do I say good-bye to this place without getting all sentimental? I can't. And I hate good-byes anyway. So before I think too hard and start to cry, I'll just go clean out the pantry. One last time.

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Saturday, April 24, 2010

It's a boy!

I had my ultrasound yesterday. After months of Eva being certain it was a girl, we were (I was) surprised to find out we are having a baby boy. We'll be naming him Dean (after my dad), and Eva has not stopped talking about him since. Tonight while reading to her, every picture she saw with a girl and a smaller boy she said, "It's Eva holding baby Dean!" Baby Dean this, baby Dean that. She is very excited. And so are we.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Moving stress

For the last month, I have lived mentally on the edge of my seat, waiting for news. News about when we would move. Where we would live. We have renters moving into our house, but we needed a way to get out of here and a place to go when we got to Las Vegas. Praying, crying, and finally a few days of depression and hopelessness. Then at last, yesterday we got some official news. The movers are coming on Wednesday. Although we still don't have a place to go for sure, I am relieved that our stuff will be out of this house so the renters can move in.
I don't know that I will ever get used to the way the military does things, since it is so highly inefficient and completely frustrating. This is our 5th move since we were married, and it's by far the most stressful one yet. The closer it gets to leaving here, the more I can't believe we're already going. I love love love it here. And yet, I LOVE moving. I love the excitement of change and getting to a new place with a fresh start. The hard part is waiting in limbo for so stinking long. Now I'm just praying that the bank will hurry it up so we can have another beautiful place to call home. I don't want to be homeless for too long.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010