What a week....

This week has not be the easiest of weeks.  My oldest son is moving out to find life on his own and heading to a new college, several hours away, in a week or so. He has been staying with friends this week and the last of his stuff will be gone on Sunday. He is actually moving out and not just to college. It is a change of season. He is going to be fine. I love him and know he wants to take on life on his own terms but as a Mom my emotions have been all over the place due to many issues.  At the very least, I can say  it is has been rocky.

Also, I am not sure if I  mentioned it, but my company phased out all Field Management within the organization at the end of June, so for the last month I have been on the roller coaster ride of unemployment.  It has meant countless hours of looking for a job, sending resumes, contacting everyone I know and fortunately interviews. It has also meant a huge weight of stress and fighting fear about the future.  This is not my favorite part of doing life alone!  I was sad to see my job go (not just for the obvious reasons!) but because I truly loved what I did and loved the people I worked with and for. I miss working with all of the sweet souls I met, but at least now I can count them as friends and not co-workers.  Either way, you can imagine this month/week has been a challenge to my sense of equilibrium and peace. 

Losing my job sent me into a real tailspin emotionally, especially since I was unaware of how invested I was in my job.  So, without it, I lost some traction, direction and a great deal of security.  Trust me when I say I have had to pray over this one.  I am praying God places me where HE wants me and that I don't run ahead of him out of fear (something I am particularly good at!) 

Strangely enough, being unemployed also has taken a toll on my school focus. Being a full time college student and working full time was not easy but somehow it worked; maybe it was the firmer schedule?  Originally I thought, "Wow, I will be able to take some time and really focus on school and just buzz through this class!" Not so, actually it has been harder to get school work done because every time I sit down at the computer I feel the need to look for a job, send a resume,  etc.  So, tonight, on this exciting and beautiful Friday night...I am writing a paper.  Whooohooo....I can feel the jealously through the screen here. 

So, I guess this is my whiny....#betransparent post of the week.  I would appreciate prayers, if you are so inclined, for my family as we transition into our new season and that what ever God is trying to teach me I will learn and it will grow me into a better person.

Bachlorette Fun!

I can't believe it but my girl of girls is getting married.  She and I became unlikely friends, partly due to  a tattoo that I just knew stood in the way of our friendship, several years ago when we were both in the throws of life changes and lots of pain.  Maybe it was a kindred spirit kind of thing because God brought us together at a time when we each felt no one else on the face of the earth could possibly understand the pain we were going through.  We walked the path of newly single together, learned the ups and down of single Motherhood to boys, shared the war stories of dating in this season of life.  We cried together...sometimes for her family, sometimes for mine and sometimes for both.

She would be the friend that I left the USA with for the first time in my life.  She was the friend with whom I will never forget the hours of talking we did late at night as we sat on the balcony of a cruise ship in the middle of the ocean and laughed and talked and opened ourselves up as only soul sisters can.  We have shared countless hours of retail therapy and shared quite a few clothes as well (another kindred love we share!)  We have been each other's "wingman," movie date, Walking Dead buddies and shared holidays during those first years when our fractured families were trying to figure it out. We have chased the loneliness out of each other's life more times that I can count. Even though it didn't always feel like it, when we got together, we knew we were going to get through another day. We walked through court proceedings, financial crisis' and  financial classes together and grew up. Yes, it was hard...but we did it.

Now, we are celebrating her upcoming nuptials to one amazing man.  They met at a work conference last year and fell head over heals.... totally and quickly.  I am so happy for her that she has found a Godly, devoted, caring and handsome man to walk the rest of this life's path with...but a little sad too.  She will be moving to his home state in June...an airplane ride away.  I am selfish and cry a little each time I think about it.  I am so happy that she has found her "true North."  I wish them a lifetime of joy, memories and more love than they can contain. But even more than that, I am so thankful to have had her by my side during the wild ride of the last few years.

Thank you, God, for the angel with the "questionable" tattoo!

Settling in...

The month of July has flown by!!!  I have been busy unpacking (still not finished) and doing all the stuff you do when trying to settle in a new house and town. 

As much as I was apprehensive about our move to Edenton, NC, it has been really nice.  I am stunned daily by how beautiful it is here and quiet...and peaceful.  Yes, I do miss the convenience of things being "right down the street" but I can see how people fall in love with this little town.  I am looking forward to finally getting unpacked and settling in a rocking chair on my front porch with a glass of iced tea and a good book!

Though there are lots of "to dos" on my list we have still managed to explore the local movie theater (which is on main street, downtown, and only has 2 screens but you can still write a check there!) We have also gone to several college summer league baseball games, eaten at some really good restaurants and spent time on the water. DH and I also managed one impromptu date night with a picnic on the bay.  My youngest has been learning to sail and I think he is pretty hooked.  My oldest son can usually be found at the golf course and both boys seem to be meeting and making friends which is an answer to lots of prayer! 

So, all in all our move is working out well.  I can't tell you how nice it is to have my DH with us full time and to have time to do things together as a family again! 

This is a view from our date night picnic.

DS2 heading out for sailing lessons.

Today is the Day!

Everything is packed and the loading crew is here stuffing it all into the back of a big truck.  We are saying good bye to Florence, South Carolina today...3 years to the day of our arrival.  How weird is that?  So many friends have been popping in and out the last couple of days and I think our good byes have all been said.  It is time.  It is time for the new adventure.

I wonder what this new season will bring.

Father's Day 2013

Father's Day 2013 hasn't been a traditional celebration.  I didn't cook a special meal.  We didn't even go out for lunch after church or anything.  Because we are in the final days before our move, we spent the majority of the day after church tying up loose ends before our movers arrive tomorrow to pack. My Dh got to do glamorous  things like loading his truck down with all kinds of things that the movers won't move and he also gets the wonderful task of transporting our 2 cats during his 4 hour drive back to Edenton today.  Yes, I know that makes me out to be wife of the year...

But, I can't let the day go by without shouting out how much I love him and how proud I am to be his wife and what a GREAT Daddy he is.  The past few months haven't been easy and he has had to make some decisions that were difficult, but he made the choices he thought were best for our family and I love him for that.  He is a husband and father that demonstrates servant-leadership daily.  He is kind and strong and we are so blessed by him every single day.  Happy Father's Day, my dear sweet husband!!!!

In other news, we had a final Sunday with our church family which was  bitter sweet because it is never easy to say goodbye to family, but we are so glad to have these people in our lives...if only for too short a season.  So, all in all, we are ready to move though we will never forget the sweet friends we have in Florence, South Carolina!  Keep checking back as I share our adventures in our new home, Edenton, North Carolina!

Leaving her...

I have gone silent again on this blog, which I have come to realize means one of two things: either I am crazy busy with life in general or I am feeling a bit emotionally raw.  The last couple of weeks I have had both of those covered in full.  Two weeks ago we loaded up a U haul to the gills and moved our daughter to the Atlanta area.  I should say back to the Atlanta area because it is where we lived before moving here right after she graduated high school.  She is now a college graduate and has started her first real job.  I am so proud of her and her choices and admire her courage in taking on the world.  She is working in a job she feels passionate about and seems custom made for her...as if her whole life has prepared her for such a time as this.  She has her own apartment which she has decorated and it looks like something out of a magazine (and did it all on a very tight budget!)  She is looking for a little fuzzy room-mate now to keep her company and things are good for her....really good.   

But leaving her there, even knowing she was safe and happy, was one of the very hardest things I have ever had to do.  When our move is complete, week after next, we will be 8 hours away from her and that kills me.  I know others have children scattered throughout the world and 8 hours seems like nothing so I probably shouldn't complain....but it was like leaving the best part of me when I drove away.  She and I are like 2 sides of the same coin and I feel just a bit lost without her.  

It was hard when we left her at college the first time but I knew she would be home in a week or two...but this time I don't know when I will see her next.  I know she is too far for me to hop in the car and meet her halfway for lunch, or make a hasty trip when something unexpected happens, or to share in the little things that happen day to day.  I know she is surrounded by people who care about her and will take good care of her if she needs anything....but I am not there...and it hurts.  I am not sure who it hurts more...me or her.  

Of course, we still talk for long periods of the day on the phone and text continually but knowing there are going to be 2 states between us just fills me with anxiety.  We still keep the cell lines popping with photos of things we see during the day and I am learning to reuse the United States Postal Service as well...but....

Back to the Blog...

It has been a long while since I have blogged. I have been struggling with some changes in my life and just became pretty much overwhelmed with them for several months so I had to pull back on the blog. But I figured I had better jump back in or so much will have passed that I won’t have a clue where to start.

First off, the main struggle I have faced is we are moving…yes, again.  It was only 3 years ago when we made our last move and we truly hoped it would be the last one.  Well, not so.  My DH began working for a company based out of Edenton, NC last August and I stayed here in SC for the school year.  Although logically the move was something I understood, somewhere after Christmas I just locked down and got pretty depressed about it.  My boys aren’t happy about the move either, which has made it even harder. Our oldest son is in high school, and a move during high school is so hard.  He truly loves it here and loves his school and, of course, his friends. We have even discussed trying to continue splitting our time between SC and NC until he graduated but that would mean we would have to do it for 3 years (including this current year) and that is a long time not to be together except on weekends.  It would mean DH would have to miss out on everything (pretty much) that the boys are involved in and I would be single parenting 2 boys.  I will say that this move has been the hardest of all of the moves we have made.  I am totally in love with our home and this town and the idea of leaving it all has really been a challenge.  But, I suppose I have finally come to some level of acceptance and am ready to just get it over with

. 

Recently we went to our last Phi Mu Parents weekend at Georgia Southern University!  It was really bitter sweet because our daughter is graduating this week!  I have enjoyed so much sharing her sorority time and seeing her enjoy so many of the same things I enjoyed during my college sorority time.  I am so proud of her.  She has already accepted a job in the Atlanta area which is perfect for her and she is ready to move into a cute little apartment at the end of the month.

Me and my sweet girl

 Also, in other big news... DD got engaged on April 28^th to her boyfriend of a year and a half!  They haven’t set a date yet as he is going to be starting Pharmacy School this summer and then they will figure out the timing of the wedding.  I am so happy and will blog about their engagement soon!

DD & DS2

Phi Mu at GSU

          

So, this mouth is full of bitter sweet things as we have graduations, new jobs, end of school activities and lots of good byes that are going to be so hard to do...not to mention a house on the market (another post as well!) I hope to be blogging semi-regularly in the coming weeks as I have so much to catch up on and lots to share from our little corner of the world.

Serious Sunday

BlackShear Place Baptist Church

WARNING: today I am feeling serious (I am just giving you a heads up, in case you aren't in the mood).

Why so glum?  Because we have been in our "new" town since last summer and still have not found a church home.  We have visited quite a few and always find something positive about each one (well, there was that one....but, I won't go there). Some have friendly faces, some have a beautiful sanctuary, some have wonderful music, some have a great history...but we haven't felt led to become part of any of them. 

It is a strange feeling because we have always been very involved in our church and it is truly an integral part of our family life.  I, we, miss that.  It is difficult finding the right fit that includes everyone in our family.  I have been surprised that we have found it so difficult to find a church home, as it seems there are an abundance of churches.  We have moved a lot, so we have done this a time or 10.  Why is it so hard this time?  Are we being too critical?  Are we looking for too much?  I just don't know. I am feeling discouraged.

We have started visiting again, through the churches we have already visited (well, except that one...but I won't go there).  Today, I am home with my youngest who is battling a cold that I don't feel the need to share with others, but my DH and oldest DS will be visiting a church that we previously visited.  We attended on a Sunday when the regular minister didn't speak so we feel the need to go back.  I do miss our GA church very much (can ya tell?).  It  is a vibrant, God loving church that has just the right blend of traditional worship and contemporary without sacrificing the Truth.  There was a place for all of us (from the youngest to the oldest) and we all felt plugged in. There was an abundance of ways to serve and be involved, whether you were a new Christian or a seasoned veteran.  It was home, and we need a new one!

Overwhelmed...progress stalled!

Ugh!  We made some great progress this week with getting our life settled into this house but I am finding myself overwhelmed with one room in particular.  THE OFFICE!  We had 1 office area in the last house (same here) but I had a bonus room that was essentially "office overflow" and I don't have that here.

 

The most difficult part is that in the last house the bonus room was never seen, so it could be messy storage and things could reside in plastic bins and crates of various makes and color...not here. In the new house the office is on the left, off the foyer and directly across from the formal dining room and also opens into the kitchen. Oh, also in the last house I had an office closet with floor to ceiling shelves for office supplies, my file cabinet, etc. Not anymore, and I have stalled on the office. I have to get it unpacked, but I am not real sure where/what/how to put everything. I have thousands of photographs that haven't been organized, along with lots of years of treasures that my kiddos have made, etc. that I am really struggling with.  Also, where to put the real office supplies, work files, records, etc.

 

I am really thinking some built-ins may be in order...otherwise, how do I had my chaos?

In South Carolina...finally!

We are here! Yes, the move actually happened and it went very smoothly. We have been moved professionally many times during our marriage, but we had the best moving crew/company this time. Dh's company uses Graebel Relo. and their movers were just wonderful. They were kind, considerate and just a joy to work with. Also, the home office was available all the time for any questions and concerns and really held my hand through the whole process.  Moving under any circumstances is stressful, so I appreciate all the help and assistance Graebel provide.

Graebel Relocation Service

Of course, this is what I saw when that wonderful moving crew drove away...lots and lots of this.  Fortunately, we had an unpacking crew arrive the next morning to help make a dent in the lovely brown box heaven.  Although, a lot of people don't like to have the unpack help, I do because it causes most of those boxes and all that packing paper to go away much sooner!!!  Though we still have a ton to do, and much more unpacking and organizing, it is nice to at least be able to move around without getting lost in a maze of boxes.

What is this, you ask?  This is what my 3 children have done every day since we moved in.  Yep, they have been keeping cool and occupied in between organizing their rooms.  Maybe next week I can work in some pool time!!!!  I am not so sure I appreciate this grown up responsibility thing.

So now that we are moved, it is time for the projects to begin...keep watching!

NOTE:  No compensation was paid for this endorsement, only a happy customer sharing the good word!

Moving, it is about time!

Well, it is just about time.  We are down the last week before the move happens and I think I am ready.  I am ready to have my family all under one roof. 

Last night, I actually saw our new house for the 1st time.  Yes...I let my DH buy our house without me seeing it and I am still moving! 

So, y'all be patient and I plan to be back with you in a couple of weeks, once I get settled and a place to sit my computer in our new home. 

Class of 2010

We made it through graduation!  My baby girl is now officially out of high school.  It was an exhausting week leading up the official event.  On Friday, as I was gathering yet more supplies for the celebration, I had to ponder...if it is like this for graduation, what on earth will a wedding bring? 

So, in never ending fashion, we are off to her college for Orientation and Registration next week!

Oh and then the next week the big move happens!!!

I need a nap.

Moving, Redecorating and Project Central...

You know you are about to move into a new (new to you) house when all the flat surfaces start looking like this! 

Yes, it is time to start the transition and planning the projects for our new house.  No, we haven't sold the current (or otherwise known as the old) house.  Actually, it isn't even on the market yet because I just can't live in it while it is on the market, especially with all we have going on this Spring!. 

DH actually moves into our new house next week.  He will be roughing it on a blow up mattress for a few weeks until we get there.   Yesterday I actually committed to a "movers will arrive" date and delivery date.  Honestly, I guess that is when it really hit me that, yes...indeed, we are moving.  When we decided, several months ago, that we would make this change it seemed so far out in the future and I have been so focused on the kids and their activities that I haven't been real consumed by the coming change.  Well...no more!  Change is A coming!  Get those paint brushes, spackle and all manner of DIY tools ready!!!!!!!!!

Some new Artwork....

I love Jill Strickland's work.  These are just a few of her works that I love.  I am really thinking my new home won't be complete without one or more!

What do you think?  See more of her work at http://www.jillstricklandart.com/

Oh....and I couldn't leave this one out...

They just make me feel like I need to get a glass of sweet, iced tea and head out on the porch!

***BTW, if you are part of the blog patrol, I received NO compensation for this post (nor have I for any others, for that matter).

Death of a Router...

I haven't been a very good blog friend lately (not updating here or visiting at all the other wonderful blogs, either).  The reason is that my wireless router has bitten the dust.  Yep, dead as a door-nail.  So, when I have used the computer recently, I have been tethered to the wall, and since we have had such gorgeous weather and tons of things to do, I haven't been using it near as much as usual!  Normally, I like to curl up with a blanket and read blogs on the sofa or in bed or outside on the front porch, but now  that I am back working at the desk, I am not reading as much. We are going to wait until our move to get a new router so as to have the right thing for the new home (or at least that is what I have been told!). So, blog friends, I promise I haven't forgotten about you and hope you don't forget about me! 

Moving....

When you hear that word...moving...what does it make you think of? For me it means boxes and big trucks and for sale signs. Yes, the Southern Somedays family is going to be moving. Now, you know why I have been a little lax in my blog posting ~ it has been a bit up in the air around here!

My DH has taken a new job and we will be relocating over the summer, after the children finish up their activities and such. So, to add to all the excitement of DD finishing up her senior year of high school and getting ready to head off to college we are getting ready to head off to a new state!

I say "new" state, but actually it isn't new to us. We will moving back to South Carolina! We lived there for many years in several different towns as DH's job transferred us. We are actually moving back to the town where DD was born (how funny is that?). My oldest DS was also born in SC, and I have family in the Upstate of SC, so this feels like home to us! We loved SC and have often wished we could end up back there. Now we are!!! There are some really big pluses about our new location, one being only an hour from the Beach!!! WhoooHOOOOOO!!!! THAT makes it a winner in our book.

So, I am giving you a heads up...Southern Somedays will probably have a decidedly transitional feel for a while...now where are those boxes?

P.S. I don't know why the spacing on this post looks all wonky....Blogger isn't liking me much today!