March Madness

March is turning into a very busy month for us.  I don't know why I am surprised at this, it seems to be a recurring theme. The work that needs to be done is like a bad television re-run.  The same thing over and over hoping for a different outcome.  I am a little overwhelmed by it, but optimistic that all can be accomplished.  It might not all meet the standards that I have set for myself, but it will happen all the same.  I have decided to throw some random pictures from the month in the breaks.  Maybe it will help to illustrate how scattered the month was. =)

William had a crazy month too

But he gets over it pretty quick

There are days that I am so grateful for my blessings

There are also days that I wish I could just sleep as soundly as Will during all the madness

 

I should start from the beginning of March and work my way down.  The first week of March was the first week that I was truly alone with all three kids.  Chris' parents were wonderful and came down the last week of February (the day after my mom left for UT) to help out and meet their new grandson. They went home the first Saturday in March.  The first few days the kids and I just stayed home and tried to figure out what kind of a routine we would like best.  On the 7th the kids and I had our appointment for medical clearance to move to Alaska.  At that appointment Chris found out that he had finally been cleared as well.  We were going to get orders!

The second day of Spring

Millie is a huge outdoor fan

Duncan was trying to skip rope, but his coat kept getting in the way

I will be honest.  I really didn't foresee Chris' orders to Alaska going through.  He worked on getting clearance for months and months.  He finally just put in extension paperwork so that we didn't have to leave until May.  Mostly because none of our medical clearance had been done yet, and therefore orders couldn't be made.  The timing of everything was so far past deadlines with no signs of forward motion, that I really didn't think that the orders would be able to go through and would be cancelled.  Now that Clearance is through and extensions are approved I am a little panicked about what should happen next.  We REALLY ARE moving.  NOTHING is ready.  

The 3rd Day of Spring.  After playing in the sun the day before.  They were so excited to have enough snow to play in.  One of the few good snow days of the year.

I needed a plan.  I am more than a little bit of a control freak, in case you missed that from previous posts.  My personality includes some OCD, and panics easily.  I have to have plans, and lists, and backup plans, and backup lists.  It is sad sometimes... really.  I will admit that it has saved us on numerous occasions though.  So I try not to feel too badly about it, and I am working on not freaking out when things don't work the way that I think they should. =)   Preliminary planning has left me a little more overwhelmed than I anticipated.  There is more going on the lists than I can check off, and I am going to have to rely on the help of others more than I have EVER had to before.  I have never left a project in the hands of someone else completely, and the few times I have left parts of plans to others I have been disappointed more than pleased.  Not because my standards have been to high, but because the people on the other end didn't hold up all of their part... or any of it in some cases.  I have trust issues that are deep. 

Millie's hair is nearly long enough to put it all in pigtails. 

Hot chocolate after sledding

After much discussion it was decided that we would leave the house on the market until the middle of April and have a departure date the middle of May.  I would need to decide how we wanted to get there, how our animals would get there, and what needed to be done if the house didn't sell. 

The second week of March Duncan and Millie both got sick.  It was miserable for Duncan.  It only lasted a couple of days with Millie.  Needless to say, I didn't get a whole lot done.  I did find a few kennels and also found out that the ferry that we had planned on taking to Alaska had no more slots available for vehicles.

We have taken hand and foot prints for all three kids at 6 weeks old.

The third week of March included passport photos, property management decisions, kitchen counter top remodeling, and an open house.  There was also St. Patrick's Day thrown in there somewhere.  Sadly we didn't feel like celebrating this year.  I think that Millie was the only one of us that had green on at any point of the day.  Chris and I were just tired.  We were up late working on the kitchen the entire weekend... and William doesn't sleep through the night yet.  It was a crazy week.

I couldn't find my Before picture... so here is a during picture of the kitchen makeover

after

back splash tiles

I guess the counters are still hard to see, it is a big improvement though

The fourth week I was able to make a few more decisions.  Chris and I settled on a plan of me going to Utah with the kids until it was time to move to Alaska.  Chris would finish the list of projects that I had to rent out the house and I would stay with his parents.  The timing worked out that I wouldn't have to drive down alone if I went down with Chris' parents right after Easter, since the family is coming up to see Chris ordained and William blessed.  It would be easier for Chris to get projects done if the kids and I weren't home. I wasn't going to be able to do any large projects with three tiny kids needing all of my attention all day...and night. 

Then came the last week of March.  Chris and I had asked for a family fast and lots of prayers that our house would sell.  We had given up for the most part and left it in God's hands.  We know that his plan might just be different than what we want.  On Sunday we told a few people of our decision for me to move down to Utah for the remainder of time we had before the move.  On Sunday evening I got a call asking to show the house.  On Monday the kids and I packed up the dog for the showing and did our usual drive around while the house was being shown... Only they were still there.  We had to drive around for a while longer.  The couple looked at the house for at least 45 minutes.  We didn't hear anything more from them that night, and so thought that they had made a different decision.  The next day we got a call to see if the same couple could see it again... in twenty minutes... during nap time.  Figures.  Normally I would just say that the kids are napping and try to make a different time, but I didn't.  I did a mad dash clean and loaded some very sleepy kids and a dog into the van.  We drove... and drove... and finally went to visit dad at work because they were still there.  That evening we got an offer... our only offer in over six months.  It was a pretty good one, but we would have to lose more money than we anticipated, so we HAD to counter offer.  That night we were on pins and needles to see if the offer was accepted.  We didn't hear anything until that evening.  They accepted.  The house was under contract!  Chris had taken the latter half of the week off in order to help me get the house and myself ready to go to Utah.  We spent the first day in celebration and disbelief. 

We ended March with beautiful weather and General Conference.  The kids played outside most of the day, they were even a little sunburned.  Chris was able to use his grill for lunch and at the end of the day it rained but stayed warm enough to keep the windows and door open and air out the house.  The kids went to bed without a fuss. 

We made some animal feeders

Millie ate most of the peanut butter before I could give her the nuts and seeds to add on

Duncan had fun making a mess

The relief in the the thought of not having to rent the house out is amazing.  I wish that my personality would just let me leave it at that... but no... I dwell in the "what if's".  The house inspection is on Tuesday. The radon test will be started on Monday.  We close on the 23rd.  Twenty three days until this house is no longer ours.  The packing company will need to come out by the 18th in order to have enough time to get everything and clean.  I titled this post March Madness, but April is going to be a sprint.  All the while I worry about what hinges on the next steps. what if the inspection doesn't go well. What if we have to make a costly repair.  What if we need more time.  What if they change their minds.  I am constantly trying to calm my nerves down in my head.  Gratitude in blessings.  What a blessing it is to have this offer and this timing.  I am sure of answered prayers.

Now onto the next month.  It promises to be even crazier than the last, but there is more comfort in it than I can express.  We start the month with the ending sessions of General Conference.  The next weekend Chris' family is coming up to celebrate Chris being ordained an Elder, Williams baby blessing, and one of my favorite holiday's Easter!  The week after that the packers come to pack our house up.  After that we close on the house. Then we start our moving adventure and May.  The first week of May we get to go down to Utah for Adam's wedding and so that the rest of the family can meet William.  Maybe things will slow down eventually... in the meantime I am going to try and remember to enjoy every moment.  I know that when things do slow down I might complain about being bored, ha ha.