Long-ish

Long.  I know, I know.  It's been a long time.  Almost a month!  I am sorry.  But really... I thought I would have a chance or would WANT to blog on vacay, but I just didn't.  So, I know I have a lot of ground to cover and I don't know if I can cover it all in one blog.  But here we go.  Are you ready?  Are ya?  You sure?  Are you sitting down?  But first, did you go potty?  Got a drink and a snack?  Ok, ready now?  HERE. WE. GO!

*  My lappy I dropped before vacay?  Officially dead.  When we got home, our neighbor who works in IT loaned us some equipment to see if we could salvage anything.  Sadly, it is ALL gone.  :(  Not a thing we can do about it, but I'm not a happy camper AT ALL.  I'm pretty sure there were photos, important tax papers, and other things of that nature.  UGH.  I have to check to see if I have hard copies on some things and if not, see if I can find a way to get another copy.  Anyways, we have decided for now to get another laptop.  Something simple and easy.  I'm still using hubby's and I really don't like it, but I am making do.  Going to look around a bit, but I know it's going to be around $400.  I'm hoping I can use some of my Costco rewards to get one.  Then I'll get rewards back for that!  But still... what a pain.  I still hope to get a desktop at some point.  I wish hubby would agree to one now!  But he seems to think that it isn't a good idea at this time.  And he is probably somewhat right.

*  Vacay was amazing.  We didn't do anything crazy.  We didn't spend a crazy amount of money.  We didn't run around and see the wonders of the world.  We just hung out on the beach, went out for dinner, spent time together, spent time apart, relaxed, swam, played games, read, slept in, stayed up late, and just.... relaxed.  We had a very very good time!

*  Now to the good stuff....

We're getting ready to move!  After being in PCB for two entire weeks and loving it, we have decided it is time to cut our losses with TN and just... go.  We had a reason to be here and some part of me will be sad to go, but not for the reasons you may think.  I hate the idea of being away from my family and I hate the idea of being even further away from my friends.  But I'm ready to go.  Knoxville is not home.  After almost 8yrs, I think we've met our purpose here and it is time to go.  I know we had a reason to be here (my BIL's illness and passing, my Dad's illness, my Granny's illness and passing), but now I feel like God has given us clear signs it's time to go and where to go.  I'm terribly excited and nervous all at the same time!  But I know God has a plan.  He always does!  And I just have to continue to have faith.

We know this is right.  Being back home, we are back to being sluggish, hubby needing meds all the time, kiddos being sneezy and all that but thankfully not on meds right now.  Just... wishing we were back.  And not just in a vacation way.  It just felt right.  So, we are being pro-active.  Hubby is putting in his resume and filling out apps online.  We got a storage unit and have started packing.  We've looked into the schools there and found out when they go back.  And we're looking at homes.  Yes... all of this in about 3 weeks!  The last few being just this week.  We signed for the storage unit today and started the purging and packing.  Even if it takes a few months to find a job or to sell our current house, we want to be doing things NOW.  We are also going to be working on projects and knocking them out.  Just all in the process of moving forward.  It feels like we've waited so long that we are ready to jump on the horse now and GO.  It feels so good!  Even if it's not right now.  But it feels good to have direction and be working towards that.  I'm a bundle of nervous, excited, happy, worried... all of that.  Mostly because we've only told a few people.  One friend here.  And that is it.  Then I've told my parents, who are all for it, and then 2 out of state friends.  The response has been... not what I thought.  I think people aren't taking us too seriously.  But that is ok, we're doing it for us and not for them.  If this is where God wants us to go, then that is where we will be.  All in good time.

*  Not sure what else to say here.  I have so much on my mind with leaving here and issues with 'friends' but I'm just too darn happy tonight to go there.  After chilling with the hubby and talking things over with him tonight, I don't want to bring any negativity on these good thoughts.  Progress not perfection.  I will say that cleaning, working on projects, purging, and packing today was somewhat therapeutic.  All in all, we got quite a bit done and have almost 2 full boxes of donations.  Two full packed boxes for storage, one half medium box for storage, LOTS went to recycling/trash, and already the house and our attitude is lighter and happier.  It's funny, because when moving here I never felt like this was our 'forever' home, but I feel like we are on our way to it. Letting things go has been easier than I thought, but maybe letting go is only easier because I feel like when 'starting over' we will want a 'clean slate'.  Although it's really more like moving on to the next step because I knew this was a part of the road we were meant to cruise down.  But you still get somewhat of a 'clean slate' feeling, if you know what I mean. It's a wonderful sense of peace when it isn't something you dread or doing for the wrong reasons.  We've always moved before because we HAD to for a job or something.  This time, we're moving to be in the location we want.  Here's to hubby finding a job, finishing/selling this house, and finding a new one!