Friday, June 24, 2005

Keith came "home" to Kennesaw for the weekend. We all felt TOGETHER again. Bikes were fixed, computer programs installed, kids tossed around and I slept soundly. There's something about having the husband home that takes away the pressure of making sure everything is okay.

On Saturday, we went to Newnan to check on the progress of our house. It was the first time I got to go inside! The bigger kids got to go in, too. Then, we all went to another house that is nearly finished except for cabinets and flooring. It was fun for the kids to take a closer look at their rooms. Keri Lynn especially is enjoying designing her room.

Sunday was Father's Day, and Keith got to bring his brood to church. One of the things about having a large family is that Father's Day and Mother's Day are especially FUN! We also can't usually afford a nice restaurant, so McDonald's it was! Keva decided to have a VERY stinky diaper while we were there, so changing that 30-wipe mess was my Father's Day present to Keith.

Monday, we went to Stone Mountain for the first time. For those of you reading this that aren't from around these here parts, Stone Mountain is a Southern version of California's Knott's Berry Farm. At the center of the acres and acres of park, is a stone mountain with an etching of three Confederate war heroes. You can take an aerial tram up to the top of the mountain where you have a breathtaking view of Georgia! We were a little worried that we'd lose some kids down the mountain, but we made it back down in one piece. We also went on a train, enjoyed a 4-D show, watched a smithy at work, and saw a laser light show outside right on the side of Stone Mountain. This will be a place we'll return to again and again -- Maybe YOU will come and visit with us when you come see us!

On Tuesday, Keith left us to attend to his business trip, the whole reason why he was in Atlanta in the first place! He got to speak with the president of the company -- a very big honor -- and then left to go back to L.A. and slave labor as he continues to get our house ready to sale!

Come home soon, Sweetie Pie!

Tuesday, June 14, 2005

A whole month!

We moved into our little house in Kennesaw exactly one month ago! I can't believe that time has gone by so fast. I also can't believe that I've still got so many boxes to go through.

I emptied out a full container of water from the de-humidifier in the basement room where we're keeping our things. Hopefully it will be enough to keep everything dry and in good condition.

I've also been spending endless hours online looking for homeschool curriculum taught by teachers on DVD (A Beka) or Satellite (BJU). I've decided that I just can't physically teach everyone and get it done the way I want. If I've got other teachers helping present the material, I think we'll all do a lot better. This is all especially important with Keri Lynn entering high school (how can this be!) and Kade entering kindergarten (another mind-numbing thought!) Add the fact that both Kathleen and Kylie are not yet reading, and we've got problems!

Now all we need is money to pay for these programs, that run about $1000 a year per kids -- OUCH! I think I can lower the price by teaching some of the easier subjects myself and cutting back on some of the books that need to be purchased (if I go with BJU). The satellite option might not even be possible in our area with all of our rain and weather.

Sunday, June 12, 2005

House Centipede

After long searches on the Internet, I finally found out what kind of bug we found in the basement and bathroom -- A House Centipede. The name alone makes me laugh because it makes the 30 legged, three-striped creature sound like a domesticated family pet. However, as it turns out, it likes to hang out in dank basements and in piles of wood, etc. It can live outside or inside, and is called a "house" centipede, because it doesn't mind living with humans. Lovely.

We went to Kennesaw First Baptist Church again this morning. Sunday School was especially interesting with a discussion about how we deal with guilt. The teacher suggested that guilt is good because it can keeps us from repeating the same sin. A class participant suggested we call it "godly sorrow", but I'm inclined to agree with the teacher.

Friday, June 10, 2005

Shock and Awe

I suppose I'm going through some shock right now. There's so much change going on, and sometimes I just feel numb. Life in Kennesaw, Georgia is quite different from Los Angeles.

The rain came down this afternoon for about fifteen minutes in big drops. The water immediately started evaporating in waves of steam off of the hot roads and congregating in patches of mist making everything look rather ethereal. I'm wondering what it will be like when it starts getting really hot.

Keri Lynn came in yesterday after biking and said, "Wow, it sure is muggy out there. You can even see the mug."

California girl.

Kathleen saw a bug in the bathroom that looked like the yucky one I saw down in the basement. Kristofer the Conqueror killed it, but now we're feeling a little more vulnerable. Kathleen wanted to know if those kind of bugs would go into her room and I said that they were afraid of getting squashed. I have to act completly nonchalant about it, even though inside I'm scared to death, because I don't want the kids scared. So far we've all done all right!

Tuesday, June 07, 2005

Where is home?

So we went back to L.A. to say our proper goodbyes to friends and family after having to leave for Atlanta in a big rush. Four weeks after leaving California with our van and a 26 foot moving truck, we flew into Southern California, and the first thing I thought was, "Wow, no wonder California is called the Sunshine State."

Things were bright and bustling. I noticed the palm trees, too, and how big it all seemed without trees looming. Kristofer breathed in and said with a big sigh, "Now, this is familiar!"

The kids were very nostalgic as we went through weekend plans. We met with friends and family. Keri Lynn celebrated her FOURTEENTH birthday at El Nido Park with her friends. We went to our church for the last time as a whole family, and then our church gave us a goodbye party. The pastors and elders, who were having a meeting, came in and prayed for us. Keith and I were very touched. Then, we met with family for a rib barbecue dinner -- yummy!

We waded through the many red lights down Hawthorne Boulevard. We parked at the Del Amo Mall. We even went to our pediatrician because Kade had a wart that needed to be looked at, and we still don't have a primary care physician in Atlanta! We drove by our old house and waved at it. (I think it waved back.)

When our plane took off from LAX, Keri Lynn was crying. At first I thought that she was upset that she'd lost her window seat to Konner, but she shook hear head. Then I knew she was sad to leave her friends and family.

It's a very weird feeling to leave home yet feel like you're going home, but that's how I felt as we landed in a drizzly Atlanta airport. I knew we'd soon be trudging into our little house in Kennesaw nestled in a bunch of tall trees, that I'd wake up to the sounds of birds chirping and a train churning by. Home.