Yep, that's right... we're moving. Thanks to an answered prayer, all of the plans we had made for the upcoming year or two were rushed into a matter of weeks. We will still be in Culpeper, just on the other side of our small little town. The girls will change schools next year, but I'll let Emma finish out 2nd grade at her current school. Hannah will be going to a new school regardless next year as she begins kindergarten (sob, sob).
So out of the blue we were contacted by someone from our church about the opportunity to rent a house. I had been praying about what we were going to do this summer - was this the summer we moved so the girls could start fresh in a new school together? Do we stay one more year but risk having to put Hannah into another school? See, I went to multiple different schools as a child/teenager and really don't want to do that to my kids. We said from the beginning they would only change schools once as we went from renting to buying, if necessary. As far as the kids go, Emma makes friends easily; she's a super social butterfly and gets along with everyone. Hannah is, well, like me. Plus, with her being in preschool at one place, then the possibility of kindergarten somewhere and then moving again - I just didn't feel comfortable with that. So I was really on my knees about our situation. And of course, God's plans always override our own, so here we are moving the week of Christmas to get as much done as we can as fast as we can!
So to make a long story short, our landlord first insisted we give him 30 days minimum notice but would appreciate longer. Then he asked us if we could be out by the second weekend of January (not New Years weekend, but the 7/8th). Talk about stressful - I'm gonna be gone the entire last week of December. So, we've been moving stuff all week - I even got most of the kitchen over there and unpacked! I left what was essential to eat over the next few weeks and to cook Christmas dinner! Today, I brought the last of the girls' things over minus their bed and some clothes and shoes. Again, keeping what was essential over the next two weeks! Now, after this short blogging break, I'm going to begin clearing out my closet and taking over as much as I can in another load. We'll repeat again tomorrow leaving hopefully very little for Matt to take over while the girls and I are gone. Then that only leaves our furniture - which may get taken over while we're gone or that will be done when I get back. I guess we'll see. Then I'll spend the rest of our time cleaning the current place and touching up paint and such!
I don't have any pictures yet - I forgot to put on my old lens the day I brought my camera over to take pictures and I couldn't zoom out. It's a two-story cape cod (really a story and a half) with three bedrooms and two and half baths! It was built in the 1940's and the owners recently did some work to it while keeping the look of the 40's. It's actually quite beautiful on the inside with all the touches they've made. The kids are excited to have their own room (the owner has actually offered to paint their rooms whatever color they picked for free! How awesome is that?) and they love the house. Emma is a little apprehensive about changing schools, but I think as she enjoys the time there and meets the kids next door she'll open up more! We plan on being here long term again, but if we move again, this school district is much larger than the one we're currently in, making it easier to keep them in the same school.
I'm confident this was the answer to my prayers and am so excited about moving ahead with our lives here. I invite you all to come visit the new house as soon as you can! It's now big enough for parties, cookouts and more! See you soon!
