Change

Our family got a bit of news a couple months ago that started a chain of change in our lives.  The 5 bedroom home in housing that we had been on the waiting list for what seemed like forever (equals 15 months) finally had one available for us.  We took it (of course!) and started necessary preparations to move just 30 days from then.  Our new home would be a few miles away but the children would be changing schools and our family would be changing wards.  Funny how that works sometimes.   Those of you who are out west could probably move a block and change stakes.  The east is much different in that case.   With that change though - many things will remain the same.  We are in the same stake and meet at the same building as before.  We live in the same city, and haven't changed military commands.  We still attend the same clinic for our medical needs as well. 

So, how has the family embraced the change now that we are settling in and discovering our new schedule?  My kids LOVE it!  I definitely think they miss the friends from Primary, but as far as the neighborhood kids go..... they scored BIG time!  The kids in our last neighborhood were .......uh...... let's just say less than friendly and very confused.   The girls seem to have plenty of girls to play with here that are around their age and have similar interests.   They hang out on the front porch of many of the houses here in our little "circle" and play - all within eyesight of their somewhat overprotective mother.  We've been bike riding recently and taken the dog out for some "runs" as well (yes... got a new bike after the last one was stolen from our backyard).  We recently started hitting up the neighborhood pool.   I wanted to tackle the tasks of teaching them how to swim this summer.   I'm pretty much a disgrace of a former lifeguard/swim teacher.   My kids are 5 and 6 (almost 6 and 7) and they do not know how to swim.  My only excuse?  I just kept having kids and couldn't take 3-4 children with me to a pool BY MYSELF to teach them how to swim.   After taking them to the pool at the Y a few times and the neighborhood pool a few more, I am happy to announce that they are pretty close to being fulfledged swimmers.  The lifeguards still stand up in alarm and wade out to them now and again (#2 tends to be more of an 'underwater' swimmer...if you know what I mean).  They are well on their way though and I think the end of the summer will bring HUGE success. 

     I feel incredibly blessed to be able to have a home where we feel safe, can welcome friends and have space for them, and inspire me to decorate and make it more of our "haven" from the world.   If you happen to come by during my "redecorating" phase, forgive the mismatching items.....someday everything will go together as it should... for now, I'm trying to learn how to make my house the kind of HOME I would love for it to be for a long time.  A place worth making memories in.