EEWWWWWW!

Just on the phone with a nursing recruiter, when what do I see but Luke holding a dead black snake and his little friend Dominic trying to pry the dead snake's mouth open!!!! When I got their attention....they threw the snake under the deck.

"So it doesn't decompose so fast as in the sun." EEWWWWWW! I made the boys wash their hands right away and said good-bye to Dominic and to tell his Mom that he played with a dead snake, just in case he got sick from it. Dominic said he "just couldn't tell his Mom, because she says not to pick up dead snakes." RIGHT!!!!!!!! I left his Mom a message just in case, so she'd know to watch for anything....I don't know rash, head spinning seizures,....what ever dead snakes can give a boy. It wasn't on my nursing boards....but I just KNOW playing with a dead snake leads to no good...even if it just means he'll try it again!

Vacation update

Thought you'd like to see updates on Lightening McQueen (although he's more into spiderman and Star Wars at the moment) and Snuggle Bug (although he is a busy, busy little guy and less snugly).

My brother in law P and Lightening Mcqueen.
Lots of time was spent here.

My Aunt J is holding Snuggle Bug and My cousin J and my sister S is in the background.

Lots of Triple and Quad Marshmellows were consumed.
Snuggle bug loves sand!
More smiles on the boat
My Uncle A and Aunt C. enjoying the boat too!

Another week passed in a flash at our new home

I hope there are still friends and family out here reading this neglected blog. No excuses....actually plenty! I need to post lots of pictures and just haven't found the time to down load the pictures, name them and then post them.

We have been so busy since the last post.

Tuesday: looked at preschools. Leah prefers the one that told her about finger painting with pudding. I prefer the other- smaller, Christain based and reminds me of Luke's 3 and 4 year old classes. I found myself promising to try pudding painting at home! WHAT WAS I THINKING? That night we drove to the next county's fair that I attended frequently as a young girl. Still wonderful. It was great eating Godfathers Pizza at the fair, watching and participating in mini tractor pulls and checking out ponies and 4H items, and spending time with my Aunt C, Uncle A and Cousin J.

Wednesday: I had my first job interview at the local hospital. I think it went OK, but I am not sure I want the job. I will be caring for ages 0-100, Post partum, nursery and lots of post-op surgeries. I think I can do all of that..... but I had to professionally explain......"Lawzy, we got to have a doctor. I don't know nothin' 'bout birthin' babies. " (Prissy from Gone with the Wind). They have 6 other applicants, and my feelings won't be hurt one bit if they find someone who does know 'bout birthin' babies. Kate? If I get the job....you have a lot to tell me!! They told me it would be a while, before they'd put me in that room.....but I just know the day will come when 3 are coming at the same time....and I'll just swoon! I have applied for several other jobs and awaiting interviews. I will probably check out the nursing homes to work PRN until school starts. We also went to our local county fair and saw lots of our congregation there....starting to feel more like home.

Thursday, My sister, brother in law and Lightening McQueen and Snuggle Bug and my Aunt J came for the night and we prepared for a weekend at a Minnesota Lake with my Aunt C, Uncle A and Cousin J. This was a tradition when I was a kid and now we are resuming it for Luke, Leah, Lightening McQueen and Snuggle Bug. We had a great time boating, swimming, bonfires, eating and attempting to fish. I was sure the fishing was a big joke, as no one was catching anything until


What a happy BOY!

Leah and I had a great experience as well.....wading in the Banks of Plum Creek, just like Laura Ingalls did!

What a wonderful way to end the week!!
My sister and brother-in-law were quite stressed with car problems and the mechanic did not fix it the first time....so they were forced to stay another day. The kids and I were so HAPPY! We went to the swimming pool today and basically played for an extra 24 hours. When they were loading up to return home....Luke, Leah and Lightening McQueen were just sure the mechanic broke the car and they have to return for another night. That was "the deal." They haven't called yet to say they had more problems. That's great for them...and I think my kids will forgive the mechanic for getting it right this time....as they are both sound asleep from a wonderful week!

WOW!

I am now known as Vicar's wife. It's hard to wrap my mind around this title. And in just a year......should be Pastor's wife! WOW!

Just like I thought!

I can stop looking for my can opener. I found it just hours after I bought a new one!

We are home!!

One week gone in a flash!! I now have the Internet!!! Perhaps the only wrinkle in our move was 'Elizabeth's mess up" in our phone and Internet order. I have no idea who Elizabeth is......but everyone at the local phone company wanted to blame her. Poor Elizabeth!! But they wrote off the service fees and Mr DSL. was here this morning and fixed everything.

Iowa is so refreshing and we feel right at home! Some of the best parts in no particular order.

10. child friendly....the kids have found close to 580 friends who all seem to live on our block. Everyone watches out for the kids and the kids respect our rules. I had to call Ann at small town life to check out modern day protocol for small town kids. Thanks Ann!!

9: Christain radio that plays my music! I can get KLOVE...but found a local station that plays contemporary and inspiring hymns with occasional interruptions of local news and weather. JUST WHAT I HAVE BEEN MISSING!

8: We are 2 blocks from church. Ed walks to work and also back for lunch everyday.
He gets a whole hour to catch with us a home.

7. Awesome church, Pastor and congregation. Everyone seems so friendly. I missed the installation ceremony due to a horrible flu. But it sounded beautiful!! We went to a potluck to feed some bike riders for Life. To our surprise...one of Ed's confirmation classmates who is now a Pastor was riding and yet another Pastor who is from our Lutheran church and day school. Ed had a great time catching up.

6. I found a used well priced washer and have been actually enjoying putting the wash out to blow in Iowa's fresh air!! I'm sure this may wear off in the dead of winter and with working...but right now is AMAZING.

5. We have been meeting family this week....an just by chance ran into one of Ed's cousins at the pool. I have lots more to meet!!

4. I haven't made it to my Mom's grave...but find my self remembering lots of my childhood and her love for us. Walking down a sleepy main street on our errends with my kids is awesome. My kids even found a way to fight over which hand they held. My poor 4' 11" mother had only 2 hands and 3 children. She still made us all feel loved!!

3. A couple of church members have made it a mission to help me look for job openings. I did apply for one and will go in person to check out some on Monday. Right now....I am content to be a SAHM!

2. I have lost 8 pounds with the Flu and moving. I drank Dr. Pepper at the end of the Flu and have actually lost my taste for it! I was astonished and so were the kids! Leah reminded me Dr. N said I should give it up anyway!! I am working at keeping to off!

1. THE WEATHER!!! I will miss St Louis winters....but the summers here are awesome!! We love being outside!!

Did everyone make it the the end of this gigantic post? Thanks!!! And there's lots more to love here!! We do miss our friends back in MO, but feel that God has led us to a perfect place for us!

We're here

We are here, save and sound but NO INTERNET for 24 hours. Wow.....this addiction is as bad as the Dr. Pepper.

and has anyone seen my CAN OPENER???

Coming Home!

I LOVE BEING 'HOME'!!!! Crossing the border into Iowa created such a feeling. Something like accomplishment...but more like relief. Something lifted off of our shoulders. Iowa has changed a little, we have changed as well. But, we feel comfortable here....and it's not just the low humidity. (but that helps a lot!)

Today, Luke and I went to see Dr. C. She has been our pediatrician since the day of Luke's pyloric stenosis repair at age 5 weeks. I trust her completely and as crazy as it sounds....I am more than willing to drive a couple of hours to have her examine my children. She has the most incredible memory. Including, calling Leah "Heaven", just as she has since she was in foster care! She tells Luke she takes care of my sister's children as well. Most importantly, she examines every inch of my children, even checking every reflex that is in my nursing books. Just what this anxious nurse Mommy needs!

Tomorrow Ed drives to our new home and will spend the night with a good friend who was just ordained and will be 10 miles away. I know that D and M will be a tremendous gift in this new chapter of our life. The kids, cats and I will drive to our new home on Thursday morning. I am so excited to see our new home and church. This is one of the communities we drove through last September and stopped at the Hyvee to buy flowers for my mother's grave. I wondered with each community...just what would it be like to live there... soon we find out!

The kids are at a baseball game and Ed and I just came back from dinner and a movie. We love being 'Home'. At the seminary, we are taught that home is where you hang your coat....We get this and will make a home in our new small town, just as we did in the big city. Now if I only could find a job like the one I had!

Break

Will be taking a blog break until back in our home town. Lots of boxes to move onto the truck. IOWA here we come!