The moving truck was supposed to be loaded yesterday. They weren't able to get here that quickly. They called us early enough in the day that we unpacked a few boxes of bedding and spent another night here. They arrived at 8 am and started loading today. The current tally is 773 items, not counting mattresses and they may find some they missed while they load the truck. The last time we moved we were second place for the most weight. The movers record is 776 items so we should take first place for these movers! The one mover asked if we ever considered using the public library instead of owning all these books!
Because the moving truck wasn't loaded yesterday it makes a change of plans. We had originally planned to go through Cheyenne even though it was a little farther so we could visit friends. We had planned to attend church in ID on Sunday. Now we are thinking of going through Bismarck and visiting friends there. Our plans are not definite until we see when they are finished loading the truck and we can do a little cleaning. We are hoping to get out of town tonight yet because there are no hotel rooms locally due to both hunters and a meeting for the local power plant. We are not expecting to make it to ID to attend church there on Sunday. We will see after the truck is loaded and we are finished here.
Blogging will be very infrequent as we transition. Ram will have wireless internet at church but I'm not sure what we are doing for home. I can live without TV, but not without internet! We'll see after we are settled how that works out. I'm actually pretty calm about the whole situation.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Monday, October 24, 2011
Being a housemother
The weekend is over. We picked up Ram from the airport, bought a few odd size boxes for some special items, went to two farewell parties, and Ram had his last services at our tri-parish. It was a whirlwind and the Lambs are tired and grouchy. Hopefully they will sleep in today.
Ram always thanks me for running the house efficiently and trying to stay on budget when shopping and also raising 3 young boys at the same time. Today will definitely be a day to try my patience. We have a lot left to pack-Ram has barely started his office and there is much in other rooms of the house to pack too. This morning someone is coming to pick up our freezer. Sometime today/tonight someone is coming to pick up our bunk bed frames. This afternoon someone is coming to pick up my food and take what she wants for her family and then take the rest to the Food Shelf. A kind member offered to bring us lunch and come pack up my kitchen today. Running all this, watching the 3 Lambs (who have no idea what moving is or what is happening!), and also trying to get a major part of the packing done today is going to be challenging. The truck comes on Wednesday. Prayers are appreciated.
Ram always thanks me for running the house efficiently and trying to stay on budget when shopping and also raising 3 young boys at the same time. Today will definitely be a day to try my patience. We have a lot left to pack-Ram has barely started his office and there is much in other rooms of the house to pack too. This morning someone is coming to pick up our freezer. Sometime today/tonight someone is coming to pick up our bunk bed frames. This afternoon someone is coming to pick up my food and take what she wants for her family and then take the rest to the Food Shelf. A kind member offered to bring us lunch and come pack up my kitchen today. Running all this, watching the 3 Lambs (who have no idea what moving is or what is happening!), and also trying to get a major part of the packing done today is going to be challenging. The truck comes on Wednesday. Prayers are appreciated.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Pregnancy and Infant Loss Day
Today is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Day. My friend's 4 month old, Elizabeth, went to heaven last week. We have 4 miscarried babies in heaven. I have many friends who have had miscarriages or infertility problems or both.
If you haven't checked out the blog, He Remembers the Barren, or bought the book yet, I would encourage you to. I bought 5 copies and I've given them all away. After we move I'll have to order more copies to give away.
Who so happy as I am,
Even now the Shepherd's lamb?
And when my short life is ended,
By His angel host attended,
He shall fold me to His breast,
There within His arms to rest.
(LSB 740:3)
If you haven't checked out the blog, He Remembers the Barren, or bought the book yet, I would encourage you to. I bought 5 copies and I've given them all away. After we move I'll have to order more copies to give away.
Who so happy as I am,
Even now the Shepherd's lamb?
And when my short life is ended,
By His angel host attended,
He shall fold me to His breast,
There within His arms to rest.
(LSB 740:3)
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Moving Update
Yesterday we were approved for a rental house for a year. We decided to do this instead of rushing into buying a house. I was mildly worried that we would have trouble renting since we have been in a parsonage for the past 8 1/2 years. We did have trouble submitting the application online, but once that was straightened out we were approved. So we now have a temporary address. Now begins the fun of figuring out what snail mail to transfer to our new address and knowing that we will have to do it all again when we get into a house.
In the last week I emptied/packed everything in our big computer desk and entertainment center/TV stand. We got the desk hauled out to the garage ready to give away. We will take the entertainment center out to the garage soon. I listed in the newspaper the furniture we plan to give away rather than move (twice because we will be in a rental for a year).
Yesterday I completed packing one full size bookshelf. Only 10 full size, 3 half size bookshelves that are my responsibility to go! (Ram will do his theology books.) I am mildly concerned that it took me that long to do one bookshelf and I have more to pack than just books! We are also starting to run out of room to place the packed boxes and I've barely begun packing.
The company that we chose to move us did not have any one in the area to come and give us an estimate. So they sent someone from another company. It only took a few minutes to do the estimate, but 1 1/2 hours for him to drive here. I am hoping they are prepared to move all our stuff!
On Monday we took the Lambs to the dentist. It was a successful day-no cavities for any Lambs, received the name of a dentist in our new town for the Lambs, took a full car load to a friend to give her a bunch of baby stuff (crib, pack and play, baby bathtub, baby clothes, etc.), used some coupons for stores/restaurants that will not be in our new area, and met Lamb 3's godfather's family to say goodbye.
Last night I read Father Hollywood's blog post and downloaded some beautiful music to listen to while packing. A friend that I don't think I will see before we move also called me and we had a nice chat.
Time for me to get back to packing!
In the last week I emptied/packed everything in our big computer desk and entertainment center/TV stand. We got the desk hauled out to the garage ready to give away. We will take the entertainment center out to the garage soon. I listed in the newspaper the furniture we plan to give away rather than move (twice because we will be in a rental for a year).
Yesterday I completed packing one full size bookshelf. Only 10 full size, 3 half size bookshelves that are my responsibility to go! (Ram will do his theology books.) I am mildly concerned that it took me that long to do one bookshelf and I have more to pack than just books! We are also starting to run out of room to place the packed boxes and I've barely begun packing.
The company that we chose to move us did not have any one in the area to come and give us an estimate. So they sent someone from another company. It only took a few minutes to do the estimate, but 1 1/2 hours for him to drive here. I am hoping they are prepared to move all our stuff!
On Monday we took the Lambs to the dentist. It was a successful day-no cavities for any Lambs, received the name of a dentist in our new town for the Lambs, took a full car load to a friend to give her a bunch of baby stuff (crib, pack and play, baby bathtub, baby clothes, etc.), used some coupons for stores/restaurants that will not be in our new area, and met Lamb 3's godfather's family to say goodbye.
Last night I read Father Hollywood's blog post and downloaded some beautiful music to listen to while packing. A friend that I don't think I will see before we move also called me and we had a nice chat.
Time for me to get back to packing!
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Happy Birthday, Olivia!
Last year when we got back to the hotel on the day of Ram's surgery there was an electrical problem. When I went to use the power doors everything froze up. There were a few worried moments when we were "trapped" in the van as neither the power doors worked nor could we open them manually because the doors wouldn't unlock. I finally got everyone out of the van and I was so thankful Ram's dad was there to look at the minivan. He got it working again and the next morning he took it down the road to be looked at. We had planned to check on Ram and then Ewe and the Lambs were going to go home and let Ram rest and recover. That morning Ram's dad called and the conversation was something like this,
"There is a computer problem with the van. It will be $2000 to fix it and they can't guarantee that was the right computer part so it may not be fixed. You can't drive the Lambs home from Rochester by yourself in a van like that."
So instead of visiting Ram and starting home that day, Ram's dad asked if they had a used van exactly like our other van with less miles. They did, but it was newer so it had a few more features that I love having. Ram's dad did all the car shopping so all I had to do was go over and sign a bunch of papers and then they gave me the keys. Then began the task of cleaning out the old van-we had not cleaned it out after our vacation to Fort Wayne/St. Louis plus we had many items in it to entertain the Lambs for 5 hour trip to Rochester and home. Amazingly by lunch time we went back and picked up the Lambs who had been at the hotel with Grandma and went out to lunch before finally visiting Ram.
We spent another night in the hotel because we got the minivan that day and planned to drive home the following day. Because we were at the hotel that extra night, I was able to receive the middle of the night phone call that they had transferred Ram to ICU because of loss of blood. I was so thankful that we were not 5 hours away when that phone call came. God was even in the details of an electrical problem with the van helped us to be there when we wanted to be.
The Lambs named our new van, Olivia. We haven't taken any big trips other than coming home from Rochester in the last year, but we have driven 12,000 miles of local driving and driving to conferences and doctors when the whole family went along. We are so thankful to God for providing Ram's dad to help us through that minivan experience. We are so thankful to have a "new" van. God was even in the details of finances-Ram's total bill for all his hospital time was only $50.
"There is a computer problem with the van. It will be $2000 to fix it and they can't guarantee that was the right computer part so it may not be fixed. You can't drive the Lambs home from Rochester by yourself in a van like that."
So instead of visiting Ram and starting home that day, Ram's dad asked if they had a used van exactly like our other van with less miles. They did, but it was newer so it had a few more features that I love having. Ram's dad did all the car shopping so all I had to do was go over and sign a bunch of papers and then they gave me the keys. Then began the task of cleaning out the old van-we had not cleaned it out after our vacation to Fort Wayne/St. Louis plus we had many items in it to entertain the Lambs for 5 hour trip to Rochester and home. Amazingly by lunch time we went back and picked up the Lambs who had been at the hotel with Grandma and went out to lunch before finally visiting Ram.
We spent another night in the hotel because we got the minivan that day and planned to drive home the following day. Because we were at the hotel that extra night, I was able to receive the middle of the night phone call that they had transferred Ram to ICU because of loss of blood. I was so thankful that we were not 5 hours away when that phone call came. God was even in the details of an electrical problem with the van helped us to be there when we wanted to be.
The Lambs named our new van, Olivia. We haven't taken any big trips other than coming home from Rochester in the last year, but we have driven 12,000 miles of local driving and driving to conferences and doctors when the whole family went along. We are so thankful to God for providing Ram's dad to help us through that minivan experience. We are so thankful to have a "new" van. God was even in the details of finances-Ram's total bill for all his hospital time was only $50.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
We praise Thee O God...
Today is the one year anniversary of Ram's surgery. We are so thankful to Ram's parents for coming and helping the entire time Ram was in Rochester. We are thankful to Ewe's dad for filling in as pastor of the tri-parish while Ram recovered. We are thankful to the Wessels for letting Ewe and the Lambs visit to get our mind off of that day when we were worried. We are thankful to the many friends and family that were praying for us and offered to help however they could. We are so thankful to the wonderful doctors at Mayo, especially when the words BENIGN were spoken but also when they took such good care of Ram when there were complications. We are thankful to our local doctor that took the time until she found out what was wrong and sent Ram to Mayo immediately and did all the checkups following Mayo. We are thankful to our church members who brought many meals. We are thankful to God for working out all the details and helping Ram, Ewe, and the Lambs through the surgery and recovery. We are thankful to God that at his recent checkup Ram's one kidney is still very healthy.
Day by day we magnify Thee.
And we worship Thy name ever, world without end.
O Lord, let Thy mercy be upon us, as our trust is in Thee.
O Lord, in Thee have I trusted; let me never be confounded.
Day by day we magnify Thee.
And we worship Thy name ever, world without end.
O Lord, let Thy mercy be upon us, as our trust is in Thee.
O Lord, in Thee have I trusted; let me never be confounded.
Monday, October 3, 2011
The big announcement
I knew what Ram's decision was several days before it was announced at both churches. It was difficult to keep it a secret. Also difficult to get started on things that need to be done before we move when I'm not allowed to tell any one!
Yesterday was pretty emotional at the two churches I attended (one for Sunday School and church, one for a potluck). Please keep us in your prayers as it is going to be difficult for us to leave our dear members here.
We had a very busy weekend with a wedding too. The October calendar is full for us even without needing to pack and move. We're trying to squeeze in visits for friends from MN too.
Blogging will be very infrequent as I have less than a month to pack or give away so that we have less than 15,000 lbs. I know those of you that don't have books like our family will laugh at that statement. The moving company was glad to hear that we don't have a big screen TV or any appliances to move. Did you know it costs $600 to move a front loader washer? I don't have one to even have to consider moving that. If I can accomplish limiting it to 15,000 lbs we will be under the church budget for moving by several hundred dollars. That is big motivation for me to downsize!
We are blessed with many friends that have offered to help however needed and especially with prayers. Being busy will be an advantage during this emotional time.
Eventually I have photos from the boys recently and the wedding to post and blog about. One task at a time . . .
Everything has been so perfect about this Call and the timing of the Call that I'm confident that God also has all the details worked out for moving and housing there. I'm actually not stressed, just keeping extremely busy and also finding time to spend with the Lambs during this difficult time in their lives.
Yesterday was pretty emotional at the two churches I attended (one for Sunday School and church, one for a potluck). Please keep us in your prayers as it is going to be difficult for us to leave our dear members here.
We had a very busy weekend with a wedding too. The October calendar is full for us even without needing to pack and move. We're trying to squeeze in visits for friends from MN too.
Blogging will be very infrequent as I have less than a month to pack or give away so that we have less than 15,000 lbs. I know those of you that don't have books like our family will laugh at that statement. The moving company was glad to hear that we don't have a big screen TV or any appliances to move. Did you know it costs $600 to move a front loader washer? I don't have one to even have to consider moving that. If I can accomplish limiting it to 15,000 lbs we will be under the church budget for moving by several hundred dollars. That is big motivation for me to downsize!
We are blessed with many friends that have offered to help however needed and especially with prayers. Being busy will be an advantage during this emotional time.
Eventually I have photos from the boys recently and the wedding to post and blog about. One task at a time . . .
Everything has been so perfect about this Call and the timing of the Call that I'm confident that God also has all the details worked out for moving and housing there. I'm actually not stressed, just keeping extremely busy and also finding time to spend with the Lambs during this difficult time in their lives.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
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