In the ebb and flow of living, as we wander through the years....

Could it be that this is our last day at this house?  I daren't believe it to be perfectly honest.  And yes, I just checked and "daren't" is a real word.  See:

 Verb

daren't

1. Contraction of dare not, with a connotation of fear.
   

   c1865, 1998, Leo N. Tolstoy, War and Peace, page 161 - "The bigwigs here think so too, but they daren't say so."

 So exciting to discover a word I am using is actually a real one!  Ok - now my font is all messed up.......hold on..............

 There, that's better.  

My wonderful friend Kristin came over this weekend and helped pack up the kitchen.  Sooo nice!  We got a ton done (even if Ryan is sad he can no longer use the toaster).  So today I am working on getting laundry done so we can un-hook the washer and dryer and get them ready to be moved.  Tomorrow night after Ryan gets off work we are doing a marathon move.  We will have a truck and get all the big things that we absolutely need (like the beds, the couches, the frig.) and then we will sleep at the new house, and use the next week to get all the smaller things a little at a time.  Of course, we planned this badly er...for a bad week that is.  We are moving Tuesday, having thanksgiving number 1 on Wednesday night (so no moving then) and Thanksgiving number 2 on Thursday in LA (leaving at an ungodly hour in the morning and returning home at an even un-godlier hour that evening) and then using Friday, Saturday and Sunday to finish moving and get our old house all cleaned up.  I"ll admit, a little stressed thinking of it all!!  

Speaking of...anyone who is free to help move tomorrow night?  We would love your help!  

I have been thanking God this week my babies are healthy!  Ayla has recovered nicely - aside from a HORRIBLE diaper rash from the antibiotics.  She has been downing a ton of yogurt, but if this doesn't get better I will try some chewable acidophiles and see if it helps.    

For those of you on Facebook, you saw Ayla's new friend - but just in case: 

Isn't she so cute and sweet looking when she sleeps?  This is Nini.  He has quickly become a part of the family and we are hoping his size will discourage any children from asking for a dog...or maybe even a pony.  I think Ayla needs a big-girl bed now just to hold him!

I was pleasantly surprised when we got this for Ayla (since it was a last minute, for free thing) that Taylor was just excited for her sister and did not seem to mind that she was not getting anything.  It has been very clear that the tiger is Ayla's - though Taylor has said that Ayla shares it with her.  She has not made any move to take possession or even play with it.  Maybe giant white tigers are just not her thing, but regardless I have been proud of her!  At three (or three and a half!) what is and is not fair is a big deal.  And so far she has not even mentioned the fact that Ayla got a rather large present and she got none.  She has just been happy for her sister!  Now, if this can continue on through the holiday season we will be good!

Taylor has been so very very good these last few weeks.  And aside from a melt-down last night, she has kept her cool and been very obedient.  I think God has been helping her, He knows mom cannot handle it right now!  I am learning more and more about my daughter though, one thing is she DOES NOT like change.  So moving concerns me a bit.  At first we were moving on a Saturday, and she almost started crying when we told her we were moving on a Tuesday instead.  "But no mama, we are moving on Saturday, not Tuesday, on Saturday!"  I fear she may battle her ocd tendencies her whole life!  For instance, one day after school I opened the car door for her instead of letting her open it.  "Oh no mama!" She says "I needed to open the door!  Now I have to do it all over again!" Oh poor Taylor.  Her mother has no patience with these things.  Daddy has more pity when something NEEDS to be done a certain way.  At least she has him!  But me?  Nope, we don't close an already open door so that the itch can be scratched.  We get in the car and do what we need to do - next time you can open the door.  My poor child!

OK - Who came up with the idea of the 'Dinosaur Train' show on pbs?  Learning about dinosaurs I am very ok with, but they get on a train and are all rather friendly with one another regardless of specie.  Wouldn't the baby T-rex eat the baby pterodactyls?  Forget that....wouldn't the baby T-rex eat the mom pterodactyl?  Wouldn't he technically  be bigger then she?  Sorry - I have a tendency to over-analyze kids shows, it is a failing of mine.

So my next post I promise to include pictures of our new house.   We WILL be moving tomorrow night, I have faith!  Thank you God for everything going through perfectly and us closing in record time - I speak it!  And may the transition go smoothly for all of us.  Anyone have tips on helping toddlers move houses smoothly?  

Dinosaur train is over.  So now it is time to get ready for our day, go on a walk and do more packing!  Say a prayer for us if you think of it.  Pray we will not be too stressed, that the house stuff goes 100% smoothly from here on out and that the kids have an extra dose of obedience and I have an extra dose of patience through the week ahead.   

I'm so excited!!!!