Arizona Anniversary

I should have actually posted this a few weeks ago, but I am just now getting around to it...

In honor of surviving my first year of living in the Arizona desert, I present you with some very quirky Arizona laws:

*Donkeys cannot sleep in bathtubs *Hunting camels is prohibited

*It is unlawful to refuse a person a glass of water *In Maricopa County--No more than 6 girls
can live in any house.

*In Tucson-- Women may not wear pants. *In Glendale--Cars may not be driven in reverse.

Too funny!!!


Even though this has truly been a difficult adjustment for our family, God has been so good to us. When we first moved here one year ago this month, we didn't have a house, we didn't have a job, we didn't have any couches, we didn't have a second vehicle, we didn't have a church home, and we didn't have any friends here. We had left so much back home. I am sure I am probably leaving something out. We almost felt hopeless under the weight of it all, but we knew in our hearts that God had called us to uproot our family.

I am blessed to report that after one year, God has provided all of these things for our family!
Mark got a job just 3 days after we moved. We moved into our very own home at the end of January I believe. Much thanks to my mom and her husband for housing us until we found a home! My sister and her husband sold us a car for $1.00. My mom and her husband gave us their old couch set. God led us to a wonderful church home, Queen Creek Calvary Chapel, where Mark now helps to lead worship. God has also been so gracious to provide me with an amazing friend, Staci!!

You just don't realize how important your friends are until you leave them!!!

Tennessee family, we miss you guys so much and hope to be able to visit as a family sometime soon!

Arizona family, I am glad to be able to spend time with all of you!

Picnic

Moving to Arizona has been sort of like a picnic...

One day Mark and I decided it would be fun to go on a picnic. Carefully planning and packing all of the yummy food for the picnic was exciting. After rounding up the kids and packing all of our picnic supplies in the SUV, we finally headed for our destination. As we drove we all marvelled at how beautiful the day was. The sun was brilliant in the flawless, blue sky, and the air still and slightly warm. When we got to the park we found a perfect spot to spread our blue and white checked blanket. After setting up, we sat down to enjoy the feast that lay before us. Just when we thought that nothing could ruin this amazingly perfect day, we noticed a few dark clouds gathering in the eastern sky. A few moments later I noticed that some ants had invited themselves to our picnic, and before we could shoo them away, the entire colony had been invited. With kids screaming and plates flying, a dark shadow moved quickly across our ant covered blanket. The sky had turned completely black, and before we had time to grab all of our belongings the sky opened up, and the rain fell mercilessly upon us. Already drenched, we ran for cover. Though wet and miserable we were determined to wait out the storm. As of right now, we are still waiting. Every now and then there is a break in the clouds, and the sun tries to peek through. As soon as we think it is safe to step out from under our shelter, another loud clap of thunder introduces a bolt of lightning, which in turn sends another round of relentless rain. From our perspective, things are looking pretty bleak, but we know the rain has got to stop at some point! Right??

AZ News

Well, it's been a long week. Poor Lincoln has been isolated from the rest of the family for 5 whole days due to fever. I am guessing he had the flu, but with lots of TLC (Tesreau Loving Care), Sambucol, Lympha Rub, Lavender baths and water he is finally feeling better today. I am hoping Mullin and Shiloh won't get it!
Shiloh's been cutting teeth now for too long. Lots of drool and crankiness.
Mullin has been trucking along in his studies, and we finally started cursive this week.


Here is an updated photo of the twins. Such cute little pumpkins!! I can't wait to see them again on Thanksgiving day.














The day after Thanksgiving we will be leaving for Flagstaff. I hope there is snow but not too much snow. And yes this is actually a photo of snow covered evergreens in AZ!! I am ready to feel a chill in the air. It just isn't feeling Christmasy with this 90 degree heat!! Supposedly it is a bit warm for this time of year here??




Good news-- we are planning to sign a contract on a house this Friday. I believe it is a spec home. I haven't actually seen it yet, but here is the rendering of it. Looks cute. I don't have a clue what the color scheme is on the inside either! It is going to be ready sometime in January. More later when I find out more details...

Guess that is all for now. Miss everyone back home.

Do you smell somethin'?

Benjamin Franklin once said, "Fish and visitors smell after three days."

Hope we're not gettin' too stinky!!

I guess technically we're not really visitors, though. More like temporary residents. Is that the same thing?

Rainy Day

We planned on taking the kids to the park on Saturday morning, but by the time we figured out how to get there, it started raining (believe it or not). You should have seen the long faces. It is kinda nice that it doesn't get all humid here when it rains.

Instead of playing ball, we decided to make good on a promise that we made to the boys at the end of the summer for their over-the-top participation in the summer reading book club thing at the library. Our promise- a trip to Chuck E. Cheese. Now you may be thinking, Chuck E. Cheese on a Saturday, No way! Well, in Memphis we wouldn't have dared, but the joint's a bit different here. The workers, well they work, and they are friendly. My ears didn't hurt and there was space to move around. I wasn't watching the windows at all times in fear of a gunman walking in and holding up the place. Of course that could happen anywhere, but the Chuck E. Cheese that is considered the "safe" one in Memphis has been robbed at gunpoint, with kids inside, at least twice. Scary.

Saturday was also a big day for me because I got out for the very first time all by myself. That is a huge thing for me since I suffer from being directionally challenged. I went to Fry's (same thing as Kroger).

When we are meeting new people, we have to "small talk", which I am really not very fond of because I am not good at it. Mark is like the small talk King, so I just let him do most of it. Anyway, the weather is ALWAYS brought up, and everyone is talking about how amazing the fall weather is and such and such. I try to furrow my brow in my mind and just nod my head with a smile, but all the while thinking to myself, I am still wearing shorts and tank tops for goodness sakes. I will admit the mornings and evenings are nice, but by mid day it is just plain HOT!

I will be glad as we get to know our surroundings better. I don't like not knowing where the good and bad parts are. And here it's a bit weird because on one side of the road will be shack attack and on the other mansion mania. Interesting.

I miss the color GREEN but the mountains are pretty.

Mostly I miss familiarity and all our people that we know!!!!!

Some Sense of Normalcy

First day back to school after 2 long and crazy weeks! I would be able to say it was a great day if Shiloh hadn't cried and hung on me so much. It makes teaching much less enjoyable than I would like for it to be. Took a walk in the neighborhood with my kids--pleasant weather, but still too hot for October. The skies have been beautiful, and it has actually rained here a couple of times since we have been here.

I hope Mark is having a good first day at a new job.

Went house hunting this past weekend. It is hard for me to be excited when I still can't seem to catch my breath over the cost of homes out here! In my opinion it is just ridiculous! Looks like we will have to look into the foreclosures so we can benefit from someone else's misfortune. Sad but true.

Watched The Exorcism of Emily Rose last night. Mistake. Nightmares all night long. I was thankful that my clock read 3:08 instead of 3:00 when I awoke from one of my nightmares this morning.

I am ready to be able to post pictures. Blogs are boring without them!!!!!

Sprouts

Found a health food store today, so that was nice. It's called Sprouts. It compares to Wild Oats back home except much cleaner. Felt at home there. Mark kept trying to get me to bring a 6 pack of Pumpkin Ale home, but I decided that after a huge "celebration" lunch at Jack in the Box, it would be better to refuse.
I think it is against the law here to not have a Lantana bush in your front yard.

Home

Very strange to call this place home. Feels different than when I used to just visit. EVERYTHING is different, and I feel like everybody knows that I am a hick from the South. Not that I have spoken to anyone or anything. I spent the last month totally excited and adrenaline pumping non stop! That has all come to a halt. I am not having second thoughts, but it's just that I have entered the unfun stage--trying to unpack, getting the kids used to all the new stuff, etc...
I actually got teary yesterday as I walked out the front door. I miss my neighbors already. I miss the kids playing with their friends, and maybe even the guy who asked me every single day where I was moving. I am terribly missing the familiarity. :(
I wish I could post pictures but our computer is still packed.
I miss everyone!!

Things I will miss about living here:

*Familiarity
*The Collierville Town Square---lots of memories made there!
*Being out and about and seeing people that I know
*Dogwoods and Azaleas---I will miss driving by the house by the old Cordova Library in the spring.
*My husband's family---especially Christmas Day and the BBQ's at Pa's house
*My close friends that I have known for what seems like forever
*Seeing all of the trees fade to amazing hues in autumn
*Bellevue---lots of great memories made there! I met my husband there and so many wonderful friends. It has been my place of worship for 12 years now.
*Lots and lots of green grass
*The architecture
*Hanging out with our friendly neighbors in the evenings
*All of those crazy college kids
*My dad and his wife---the kids love spending time with them!

Things that I will not miss about living here:

*Rain
*Frizzy hair
*Soggy backyards from fall to spring
*Big, fat, juicy Wolf Spiders---guess I'd rather have the spiders over scorpions, though
*The racial tension that plagues this town
*Wet snow
*Freezing rain

I am sure I could think of 100 more, but I am tired and my brain is getting fuzzy.

12 Days Left in Tennessee

Seems like yesterday that my family and I arrived here. It was December of '85, and I was a very shy little 4th grader. I was devastated about leaving the only home I had ever known and loved. To make matters worse, on the first day in my new classroom I was greeted by a very tall and rather large African American woman who was not pleased at having a new student and didn't mind one bit making it known. Everyone said I talked funny. (Imagine that, bumpkins telling me that I talked weird!) I was friendless and miserable. I cried every night for at least a month. Things did get better for me, though, once the teacher realized that I was a quiet, obedient, honor student. By the end of the year she loved me and I loved her. Well, the rest is history, and now after 21 years I am moving back to the the very place I was born. (And I have a feeling people are going to tell me that I talk funny.)

I think I am too busy to be overly sad right now. Doesn't seem possible to tie up all the loose ends in just 12 days. I am tired, no, exhausted.

So It Begins...

...our sojourn out west where dirt, rock, and cactus abound!

The last time I plunged headfirst into such a DEEP pool of faith was 9 years ago on my wedding day!!


We have very little insight as to what God has planned for us out in the desert, but I am hoping it doesn't involve wandering in it for 40 years!

I am just as excited as I am sad. Going on an adventure like this goes totally against my nature. I usually HATE the unknown, but I know that this is something we are supposed to do. I am eager to see God work here!