Home

The movers came on Wednesday to start packing us up for another move. We've been through this many times in our family history, but mostly BB*. This will be little man's 2nd move.

For anybody 'just visitin' my little corner of the blog world (hey y'all! welcome!!) a little
back-story.   We moved from our home of 10 years up to Atlanta about 2 years ago. When we made the move, we thought it would be for the last time. Funny how we forgot to take into account that we aren't in control of our futures. So, we put our house on the market and headed back 'home'.

Home to our little family is just 2 hours south of Atlanta. This is where we have friends that we've had for 10 years. Our church home is here.  Little man has "grandparents" here: folks who love him as much as his real grandparents do. My special group of ladies that I love more than chocolate, are here.  It is home. 
 
But, you know? Home is wherever our family is. 
Right now, we're living in an extended stay hotel. It's not bad, really. It has a little kitchen, (fun to try to see what I can cook for my family with one skillet, one small boiler and one medium boiler - oh, and no baking pans) a separate bedroom, and a living room.
We're doing ok here. Really.

Little man started his new school last week. He's, so far, enjoying it. On the way to school this morning, he asked me when we could go visit his old school in Marietta.  Y'know, that's the first time he's even brought it up since we left? He's been so excited about his new school, that I guess he just sort of forgot. I told him it'd be hard to go visit, but we could certainly send his class a postcard from here. Surely to goodness we'll be able to find a postcard somewhere, right??

So, we await the closing date for our home up there, and soon afterward, here. I'm ready to get back to normal. It's all a bit surreal, to be honest. My brain has had a hard time deciphering things - I forget where we are, who 'belongs' where, etc. But, I'll get it. I'll figure everything out, eventually.

We made the walk up the aisle yesterday to re-join our old church. (Oh yeah - the invitation song? "Lord, I'm Coming Home"). We're so glad to be back, but sad that the part of our lives 'up North' is over. We made wonderful friends in the short time we were there. We'll miss everyone at our church - especially our Sunday school friends, choir. My buddies at work - through all the hell we went through, one constant: our friendships. I'll miss you guys so much.

To repeat though - home is wherever our family is. Our family is whole; together and happy. Right now, we're enjoying a little vacation of sorts. It'll make getting into our new home that much sweeter. Right now, home is right here. And we're fine.

It's a hard-knock life.....

Soooooo. We had a wee bit of an afterschool meltdown here this afternoon.....it was just your typical, run-of-the-mill little boy who had played too hard and was too tired so he fell asleep in the car on the way home from school and was SOOOO TIRED and sleepy that when we got to the hotel he COULDN'T POSSIBLY walk on his OWN and MAMA PLEEEEAAAASSSEEE, oh PLEEEAAASEE, carry me, because I just CAN'T WALK oh MAMA PLEEEASSSEE cause I'M SOOOO TIRED.
Then, when I denied him (egad!!) he had a bit of a personal crisis. His whole world imploded around him. I explained that I had too much stuff to carry and I couldn't carry him AND everything else, too. Rational, don't ya think? 5 year old + rational thought = bwahahahaa!!


Which he replied, "I know, I'll carry something too and then you can carry me!"
When I tried to explain that no, I wasn't going to do that because then I'd be carrying everything AND him. He didn't quite get it. Hence the meltdown and implosion.

Poor kiddo. What a mean Mommy he has.

celebration and sadness

Little man's kindergarten class had a birthday party a week or so ago for Karla. On their way home from school, he told his Daddy all about the cake and how they celebrated her special day and that her father even came for the party. How tough was that walk, to come into the classroom for your deceased childs birthday party? God bless you, Mr. Campos.

And Happy Birthday, sweet angel in heaven.

Snow is snowy when it's snowing.....

Here it is, March 2nd - my birthday - and once again we have snow in Atlanta. What's up with that? So, when school was released 2 hours early, little man flew off the bus with a huge smile on his face and came running, full-force, right into me - waiting at the end of the driveway.
"Can I go play, Mom?" "Can I?"

I tell him we have to get his clothes changed first (because he's wearing pajamas....not only do I share my birthday with my wombmate seester, but also Dr. Seuss! So today the kids got to bring their favorite Dr. Seuss book to school and got to wear their pjs, too).
Upstairs we go. I layered him up in sweats and blue jeans, then took him to the kitchen to wrap his feet in plastic wrap. Even though we've had at least 10 years worth of snow this winter alone, we don't own snow shoes. Why should we? We live in ATL, for heaven's sake! Just as soon as I go purchase a pair, any and all snow will disappear; never to be seen again. So, I do what my mama did for us - I wrapped those little piggies up tight - in plastic wrap.

Now, I believe I have one-upped Mama's old plastic wrap though - I pulled out my handy-dandy Glad Press n' Seal wrap and proceeded to seal those little pink toes up like a little hamburger patty ready for the freezer. I put his tennis shoes on over that, pulled his toboggan down over his ears, helped him with his gloves, zipped up his coat and sent him out into the white day.

Approximately one hour later, my little frozen feller came in, soaking wet. Everything but his piggies. They were dry and warm and perfectly pink.

I eated him.