The Big Move, Phase One

Phase One is officially completed! We are moved into our temporary townhome and Daniel has returned to Fayetteville to pack us out. He'll return on Friday. We arrived last Friday afternoon to beautiful weather and new friends from church on hand to help us unload the big van (thanks, Meakems, for lending us the van!). Our new friends also brought lasagna for dinner, so we were able to relax that evening after gathering some necessities. Well, I was able to relax as Daniel went out to retrieve more cleaning supplies. The townhouse is not...um...quite up to our cleanliness standards. :) The dishwasher is not usable, the washing machine makes horrendous noises, and the dryer takes 2-3 cycles to dry clothes. I realized how spoiled I was to have appliances that worked whenever I wanted them to. :) Daniel has emailed the corporation handling our housing, and we'll see how easily we get some new appliances in here.

On the positive side, Charlottesville is beautiful, and we are enjoying another spring! Well, poor Cora has not been enjoying another spring since her allergies have kicked in again. It rained last night and a little today, so that helped a little. We've been out exploring the town, and Daniel took us by the "big house" that we'll move into in June. The kids wanted to go in, but we thought it might be a little rude to arrive on the current tenant's doorstep with six children asking to see the house. :) The kids are calling the townhouse our "small house" or "Cozy." :) The big house really will seem big after this place! Meanwhile, I will be content that we have internet access here; that was a luxury we didn't have when we lived in a temporary apartment in North Carolina for six weeks!

Phase Two will be complete after June 15th when we move into the big house, Lord willing. We'll be done with school by then, so we'll be able to unpack and get settled at our leisure.

The children are all doing very well, by the way. They are weathering the changes quite nicely. Nathaniel didn't take a nap today, but we'll get him back on schedule. Shiloh is mourning our church, friends, and home in North Carolina as well. This is the first move that has been a big deal to her: "It was the first house that seemed like a HOME, Mommy. Do you know what I mean?" Yes, I do, sweetheart.

Must get to bed. School in the morning!

Love,

Casey

p.s. Here are the girls all together in one room in the townhouse! :) We shoved two more twin beds into the biggest room so that the boys could have the other room and it could also be a playroom.