One for your Summer Reading List

 

I've just finished my 3rd Jodi Picoult novel entitled Plain Truth. I have also read House Rules and My Sister's Keeper by the same author.

The three books are very similar but very differet. They all end up playing out in a courtroom. They all deal with a small, socially misunderstood part of our culture- a sister genetically engineered to save her sister from cancer, an autistic boy, and an Amish girl. It makes the book more interesting when a main character is sort of the innocent misunderstood type. They all have a mystery that needs to be unwrapped. That is where Jodi's great writing skills come in. She unwraps the mystery at a good pace, while keeping you interested in what might happen next.

The most recent book I read was pretty good. (Although I can't say that about House Rules. It was way too long and I figured out the ending 100 pages before it actually did end.) Plain Truth is about an Amish girl who gets pregnant and then has a baby who dies. The book debates how the baby dies and classically has an English person living on an Amish farm trying to figure out the Amish ways. It was pretty good. There were some twists and turns in the plot. Jodi did a good job of keeping the action going, making you guess what came next. About halfway to three quarters of the way through, she strongly hints at what turns out to be the outcome- how the baby died- which she reveals at the end of the book. Classic. On the last few pages.

I would recommend this book to you friend, you if you are looking for some good summer reading. I would also recommend My Sister's Keeper (which I bawled through the last quarter of) and I would strongly suggest you avoid the book House Rules by the same author. It was well written, but way too long. You will most likely get bored before you finish or be like me and make yourself read the last 100 pages. Only to end up mad at the ending and thinking-- this should have ended 100 pages ago!

I would like Jodi to make a series of books. She does such a great job developing her characters, I would like to know what becomes of them. The ones she hasn't finished with in her books. In the book Plain Truth, there is a lawyer character whom I would like to know more about. Do things work out for her in the end? Is there more conflict? Jodi could write a whole new novel on this character.

Do you have any summer reading recommendations?

I just Googled the book title to get an image for the blog and came across this movie that was made out of the book, Plain Truth. I'll have to see if it's on Netflix.

Story Time

Warning: The content of the post may be extremely boring to you if you do not have a small child who attends a library for story time.

Ok, can't say I didn't warn you.

Ethan and I attend story time each week in our little city. Our city has a wonderful network of libraries. You can check out something like 30 books at a time, they have lots of kid's story time classes , and they have great hours and locations. I love a good library- I worked in our school library before and after school in middle school and loved it. I would absolutely love to be a librarian or a story time person. I think those jobs seem like a lot of fun.

That being said, story time is important to me. I want Ethan to enjoy reading and since I stay home with him, going to story time is a great way to foster a love of reading. We started going to story time when he was about 7 months old. It was a crawler story time. The girl who led it was amazing. She did a great job keeping the kid's attention and picking great books for our time together. Ethan and I (mostly I) sing those songs often and have added some of her book picks to our home library.

When Ethan was able to walk and had a change in nap time, we switched our story time to the walkers class. The lady at our branch who does walkers is not that animated. She reads 2 stories and sings a few songs- while most of the kids are walking around the room not paying attention. She is a really nice lady and seems to really love the kids and doing story time. Plus, there is about 30 minutes of play time at the end that Ethan absolutely loves.

Moms talk. And many moms told me about this lady at the Gordon Ave branch who is, "just amazing!", "is really animated" ,"has funky hair", and " is really teaching my kid a lot". I had to check this out. It is free after all. So, Ethan and I went to Gordon today. We walked into this smallish room with no windows lined with chairs in the basement.... and there were about 30 kids with their moms. Not kidding. It was crazy. The lady was very high energy. She danced with the kids, read to the kids, had little name tags for the kids, blew bubbles. She was fantastic. The moms I talked with were right. She was all of the things she said and more.

The only thing is- I didn't like it as much. I can't quite explain it. The parking was awful, there were so many kids, and the class was short (although there are longer ones you can "enroll" in). I found that I like my "boring", smaller story time in a room with windows and a smaller group of kids. Where the teacher knows my face and Ethan's name, and Ethan can direct his own play during the class.

I think I will stick with my local branch and save Gordon for when Ethan is older or when we need a change. Right now, Ethan and I are happy with our story time choice.

Mom at our local library with Ethan on Halloween.

Crawlers story time at our local branch.

Pinterest

Just what I need. Another social media to suck me in for hours and hours. Why am I NEVER on Pinterest? Because of this very reason. I am a member of Pinterest. But, I have decided that I am only going to visit if I am looking for something. Something to cook, or sew, or ideas in home decorating. Until I need a new hairstyle or advice about what outfits to put together... I am staying away.

I will say that I found a great recipe that IS exactly La Madeline's (the restaurant) tomato basil soup. And I did find some crafty (ahem, cheap) Christmas presents this year. And I love this idea for a wedding present...

Now, after spending 5 minutes on Pinterest, I have this urge to go back and pin more. I can feel my time being sucked away. I may just spend some time on this entertaining site that posts the pins we all thing are ludicrous. Pinterest, you are drunk.

You're Welcome. I know you didn't have anything else to do today anyway.

I Cheated

I cheated on my hairdresser.

She is a wonderful woman, don't get me wrong, but she has become very unpredictable. She had a baby around the same time I had Ethan. And he is the cutest little boy ever. I needed a hair cut when she was out on maternity leave and went to the same salon but to a different hairdresser. Guess who was there? My regular hairdresser! She was visiting with her son. I felt uber weird, but she assured me that she would get me next time. Now, this is where the drama starts. The next time she cut my hair, it was like old times again. The time after that she had reschedule. I understand. I have a kid. Things happen. The next time, she had to reschedule once. Then twice. Then three times for the same appointment. Yikes. I understand needing to reschedule, but that is a new record. I ended up going to the same salon and a different lady that time.

Recently, I decided it was time for a haircut. I debated going back to my sweet friend who has cut my hair for years. I thought about the long drive to the salon, the rescheduling, and the fact that I could try someone or something new. So, I did. I tried a new hairdresser. She was recommended by a friend.

I got my hair cut last night. It was fun. The lady who cut my hair has a son about Ethan's age and we naturally fell into talking about our kids. She was bubbly and cute. I liked her. And the best part is-- her salon is five minutes from my house. Woohoo! I thought my hair looked totally different. But it turns out, after washing and styling it myself, that it looks very much like my old style. Hmm.

I have this fear that I'm going to see my first hairdresser out and about and she is going to call me out on not coming to see her. That is the part where I will have to tell the truth and break her heart a little.

Why is hair such a complicated thing for women?

Jason just goes to the Hair Cuttery and gets whoever is available. $15  and 30 minutes later, he is done. No drama. No loyalties. In and Out.

I hope this new lady works out. I don't think I can handle switching hairdressers for a while.

Time for a Change

I was getting a little tired of my hair. I have had the same cut for years. With a little boy and very little shower/style time it was time for a change....

Here is the hair before. ( I like how Justin "snuck" into the pic. nice. )

Here is the hair today.  I chopped it off to the shortest layer and got a "long bob".

I like it. It's a tad shorter than what I am used to, but I think it will be super easy to keep up with. I was spending so much time straightening and blow drying my hair, just to have it end up in a ponytail anyway. This cut requires very little styling- because there are no layers. 

Tis the season for new things!

The Art of Cooking

When Jason and I got married, we made a list of all the things that we both like for dinner.

Chili
Tacos
Shake n Bake chicken w/ mac and cheese
pork chop potatoes
hamburgers
calzones
spaghetti
stir fry
sloppy joes
breakfast food
buffalo wings

It was a sad list. Over our last year of marriage, I have tried to vamp up the list to more healthy and from scratch type dishes.With a little help from Cook's Illustrated and some friends, our list is a little more diverse today.

tostadas with grilled veggies and homemade refried beans
spare ribs with homemade bbq sauce
Curry Chicken
homemade buttermilk biscuits
homemade chicken noodle soup
strip steak with corn and black bean salad
creamy orzo pasta with tomatoes, peas, and parmesean


There are  more, but you get the idea. My newest recipe has come from Giada (Food Network) and it is meatballs. I combined it with a Cook's Illustrated recipe of Romano Cheese Pasta. It was so yummy!

Ok, so I took the pictures after we had eaten, but I can assure you it was delish!

Ethan cuteness sidenote: When we eat, I usually say mmmm applesauce or mmmm yummy food. Now when he sees us eating or food that he wants to eat he says mmmmmmm and smiles.

The Vandever Plague

That's what it has been affectionately named. It all started a week ago.

Ethan and I attended play group like we normally do, hanging out with our friends not knowing that a horrible, nasty bug was finding residence in us at the same time.

It did not hit us until Wednesday afternoon. In fact, I got a few emails from people in the play group saying they had a stomach bug and came to the conclusion they had gotten it at playgroup- since so many people there came down with it. I read those emails and thought- Good gracious! How awful for them. I'm glad we have healthy immune systems.

Utter foolishness. Around 3 that day my tummy started to rumble. I went to the grocery store thinking it was nothing. When Ethan and I got home from the store, I made a beeline to the bathroom. I spent the rest of the afternoon laying on the floor next to Ethan's jumperoo watching him play with his toys. I was in the bathroom the rest of the night and much of the next day. Yuck.

Ethan did not escape this bug either. He had some bad diapers for 4 days. I kept him home from church so he wouldn't spread the plague to all of his little friends in the nursery.

Jason thought he had escaped it- much like I had. And my Dad was planning a quick weekend visit from Alabama. He drove down on Thursday afternoon and Friday. I was feeling better, so we decided to continue on with our weekend plans.

Thursday night at 3 am, Jason found himself sick and for most of the night. I called my Dad , by this time halfway to Virginia in Tennessee, and told him our news. He decided to brave it anyway.

Dad, Ethan, and I hung out most of the weekend while Jason stayed in bed. He had it much worse than I did. We mostly hung around the house and played with Ethan- except for the night I took Dad out for a birthday dinner.

Dad left yesterday and seemed fine. He texted me last night and said he came down with the Vandever plague in his hotel room. Oh the misery!

All I can say is, if you live in Alabama... I am so sorry for you. I sincerely hope you escape the plague that is spreading like wildfire here in Virginia.

(Speaking of wildfire.... I was tempted to just throw a match and burn everything the plague touched- like in The Velveteen Rabbit- to clean our house.)

A Funny

I received this in an email today and thought it was pretty good. Merry Christmas lighting to you!

Bye Bye Fruit Fly

We are having a fruit fly infestation in our house right now. Some good friends of ours gave us a solution..... and we scored! Lots and lots of fruit flies.

The secret is Apple Cider Vinegar in a dish with Saran Wrap on top. Plus a few holes punched in the Saran Wrap. The bugs are attracted to the vinegar and crawl into the Saran Wrap to be close to it. They then find themselves trapped by the Saran Wrap and cannot get out. Death is then inevitable.  Done. No more infestation.

Book Resolutions

It's not the New Year- but that does not mean that resolutions are out of the question. I love to read. In fact, I credit my love of reading with my poor eyesight- achieved while reading in the car at night as a child. The dim light did not help my eyes.

I love to read several books at a time. I am currently reading a parenting book, a Christian devotional book, and a novel. Actually, I finished the novel yesterday. I would love to journal more, but with Ethan, writing things is sometimes out of the question. I have a box of journals in the attic. It is so much fun to go back and read about what I was thinking through different seasons of my life.

I took Ethan to the library last Monday for story time. While we were there, I checked out a book for myself. I thought it would take me forever to read it. But, I caught myself reading snippets during nap times or going to bed early to catch a little time with the book. It's Sunday night, and I have finished it! Very unexpected. So tomorrow, I plan on getting another book. I would love to get back into reading more and finishing books sooner.

The book I read this week was The Preacher's Daughter. It is a series about an Amish girl named Annie. She is an artist and has to choose between her art and joining the Amish church and staying with her people. I am learning lots of things about Amish culture--including the fact that they don't like to distinguish themselves and be unique. It's against their culture. Art is a way to do that.  It's very interesting. I am ready for the next book.

I also recently read The Help. I have heard endless things about it and loved it. The book lived up to all the hype. It might be the best book I've read this year. Jason and I went to see the movie last weekend and I bawled. It was so good and did a good job staying with the story from the book. A few things were different, but it transitioned really well to the Movies. I loved the story. It is so moving and powerful. And funny. Minnie was amazing. I loved her commentary in the book. So good. If you read one book this year, this is the one to go for.

If you have any books to recommend, I would love to hear what they are. Drop me a comment. :)

Back to School

It's a little strange this year not going back to school. I miss it. I miss some of the teachers I worked with and I definitely miss the kids I taught. It is so fun to be a role model and teacher for kids. I loved the harder kids. The ones who don't have a lot of stability in their lives. The ones who show up on the first day and you think- ok this is going to really stretch me. I love it. That's why I went into teaching.

Teachers are the glue that holds our education system together. With a great teacher a kid can go really far. With a bad teacher a kid can believe they are not worth investing in and stupid. A teacher can change a kid's life... for good or bad.

I remember some of my teachers.

My high school chemistry teacher was awful. He taught for 20 minutes of each class and let us "hang out" for the rest of the time. I didn't understand and even went in for extra help before school because he coached the tennis team after school. He would sit on his computer and tell me to read a page out of the text book instead of answering my real questions. I learned nothing and decided science was impossible. He would have a former student bring him lunch every day during my class and talk to her for most of the class. My mom even met with him and he blamed my bad grades on me. He was later fired for having an affair with the former student who brought him lunch and poor teaching.

My 7th  grade History teacher was the best. Mr. VandenBelt. He always had cool activities for us to do. We had a huge mock court project where we put the leaders of the Alamo on trial and examined their actions. (It was Texas history). We role played and I was a lawyer. It was really fun. Mr. V knew things about me- like who I lived with and what things I was interested in. He cared about that. He would walk around with a  bicycle horn attached to a plastic pitcher and blow it at kids who had gum during class changes. They had to spit their gum in the pitcher. He kept it on his desk and it was disgusting. I loved him. He now teaches AP at my old high school.

Great teachers....

- love the kids. Do what they do for kids. Period.
- don't need awards. They don't need to be "Teacher of the Year" or get a Golden Apple. Their reward is the smile on a kid's face when they succeed. (Although when those great teachers are awarded- it's a bonus!)
-create a safe space for kids. Kids know that they can succeed if they work hard in a great teacher's classroom.
-persevere. Things are hard. Parents. Schedules. Other Teachers sometimes. Curriculum. Tests. Hours. Grading. Meetings. Great teachers keep loving their kids and doing the best they can despite those things.
-are creative. They know that what works for one kid may not work for the next. Teaching is about tests- but mostly about learning. How can one kid understand this and another kid too? What can I do to motivate them to care about this? Why is this important to my class? Is this fun? Is this a waste of time? Creativity is a must!
- are flexible. Lessons may have to change on the spot. A fire drill may interrupt an activity. A kid may have a meltdown in the middle of a lesson. A question may be asked that absolutely has to be addressed. A student may need some extra attention to boost their confidence. Great teachers know what is needed and adjust for those needs.
-discipline well. They are prepared and have great procedures. It is possible for any kid to be successful because of the preparation that went into their work. A lot of discipline is taken care of by doing those things well. Discipline from then out is firm and fair- not done to embarrass or belittle.
-have failed and learned from it. Teachers don't just become great overnight. It is a learning process. :)

Like I learned in college- "Capture a kid's heart and you will capture their mind forever."

No Worries

I have gotten several phone calls and texts regarding yesterday's earthquake. Yes, the epicenter was about 30 minutes from Charlottesville in a tiny town called Mineral,VA. Ethan, Jason, and I are fine.

It hit a little before 2 pm. At first, I thought it was just a huge gust of wind shaking our house. I looked outside and saw the trees were not moving. The ground started to make a few groaning noises. I realized I was in an earthquake. I had to think for a minute about what to do. I ran through the natural disaster procedures in my head that I had learned. Tornado- get in the bathtub. Hurricane- get in a basement or the lowest solid part of your house. Earthquake- ??. I never learned that in school. I grew up in Texas where there are no Earthquakes. I thought if things start falling- I surely don't want to be inside. So, I grabbed Ethan out of the high chair and took him outside. All of our neighbors were outside. After realizing we had had an earthquake and everyone was ok, we had a laugh and went back inside.

Jason was in the middle of meeting. They all went outside when they realized what it was. When the shaking stopped, they went back in to finish the meeting.

An aftershock hit at about 8 last night. It was very small, but you could definitely tell it was an earthquake.

All is good on this home front!

Here are a few pics from Ethan and I's day yesterday. :)

Favorite Song

This was my favorite song from camp this week. It is so simple but so true. Jesus, you are so good. :)

Fun on the web

Here are some fun/interesting things I have found on the web lately:

A clip on the Today show about co-sleeping/bedsharing: 

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Photobook Making.

Something my mom is sending to me this week for Ethan.

New recipe.

Local fun for the fall.

Mark Driscoll's blog on parenting topics.


I'm trying to find this guy that Jason's cousins were telling me about yesterday. He is a youtube sensation. He reviews video games while playing them and saying funny things. If you know who that is, drop me a comment because I would like to at least see what they were talking about.

True Beauty

I've been meditating a lot this week. I went to a great women's event at our church on Saturday. It gave me a lot to think about. An older woman at church held a seminar on biblical womanhood. It was her, a whiteboard, and an outline. There were about 15 women who came and we all sat in a U around the woman teaching. It was wonderful. No hype. No fluff. Just real stuff. I went in thinking most of it would be a refresher on biblical womanhood for me. How wrong I was. God has so much to teach me yet. Being a Godly woman is a lifelong task. I am just getting started.

I have been thinking and praying through the material we went through. I feel humbled. I feel loved and given so much grace. The thing that I hear God telling me is - press in. Listen for my voice. I love you and have so much to give you. Press into me. That is where you will find rest and peace and where it feels like home.

So, I am doing my best. But it is hard. I find myself sorting through my thoughts and holding them up to scripture and what I know God has taught me. I want that to be the thing I think about the most. Not comparing to my parents or my siblings or my friends. But resting in the plan that my God has for me. It's unique and beautiful. Press in.

One of the passages I have read this week in meditating is 1st Peter 3.

Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word,they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives,  when they see your respectful and pure conduct.  Do not let your adorning be external--the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear--  but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening. 


Do you hear it? My value and my worth come from hiding my heart in Jesus. Not in what I look like or what my husband does. I can be beautiful with buck teeth and moles and a crooked, big nose. I can be beautiful while wearing a shirt that has spit up all over it and hair that has been tied back to keep a child from pulling on it. Do you hear it? I am beautiful because of where I put my hope and my thoughts. Not in the future. Not in my circumstance, but in my beautiful Savior. 


Amen Jesus. Amen. 

The Brave One

I love to read. Now that I am staying home, I have had more time to read than ever. Not since college have I read so much. Recently, my mother in law let me borrow a book from her called Room. It is about a girl who was abducted and held captive for more than 10 years in a room. She mothers a child by her captor who never knows what life is like outside of that room. It is an amazing story- purely fictional- but one that will make you think of what life might be like to someone in that situation. I would recommend this book.

Along those same lines, Jaycee Dugard was interviewed recently by Diane Sawyer. This woman was abducted at 11 and held captive for 19 (or was it 18?) years. She mothered 2 daughters by the man who abducted her. It was so interesting to watch the interview. She was refreshingly innocent - but I know she has been through the most horrible things. She has found a new and better life- the life she could have had for all that time. It was heartbreaking to see the dichotomy between her abducted life and her family life.

I think it's important to invest a little of myself in this story. To care. To help be aware and do my part to help children and people who need help. It's such a tragedy that for all those years- no one figured out what had happened. No one who could have done something did. I hope and pray that something like this never happens to someone I love. I can't even imagine. I hope that I can help people who have something like this happen to them to find the truth. Here is what Jaycee is doing now. Amazing.

Happy Birthday to Me!

Today is my birthday. Jason, Ethan, and I hung out at Carter Mountain this morning. Jason played with Ethan in the afternoon so I could take a long nap. Then, we went out for dinner with family tonight. It was a wonderful birthday. Now begins the 10 days during the year when Jason and I are the same age. :) Happy 28th to me!

The Year of Fog

I just finished a book entitled The Year of Fog. A woman(Abby) who is engaged to a man with a little girl (Emma) is left to watch her one weekend while her fiance (Jake) goes out of town. Abby takes Emma for a walk on the beach and Emma disappears.

The book walks you through the grieving process of someone who has lost a loved one. Someone without closure or hope...but is desperately searching for either. The book had some great moments. The book is told from Abby's perspective. She blames herself for Emma's disappearance and works herself ragged to find Emma. There are obvious problems between her and Jake. A few fun characters are thrown in the mix to help   Abby grieve and process along the way.

The book went on a little too long without a resolution. Once some of the action started at the end of the book, I needed information quicker. I don't like suspense, waiting for the main character to analyze the present situation in length before you find out what happens next. I might have skipped a few pages at that point.

The end made it worth it though. I was left sad yet happy and wondering if it ended the best way. What would I have done if I were ___________ ? Would I be able to move on? Would I be able to forgive?

The book raised some great questions for me and helped me to have empathy for people who are going through missing (literally) a loved one. It helped me to see how someone without faith in Christ might handle something so hard. The book puts a little spin towards Jesus- sort of implicating His help to the main character at some points.

Sidenote: The book was pretty clean with minimal foul language and almost no detailed writings of sexual encounters... although there are quite a few in the book. The encounters are described in a realistic way very briefly but not in a romance novel gross way. The book is not written from a Christian worldview and questions faith in God in general.

Moving on Up

Are you moving in the near future? We have helped our share of friends move. Some across town, some into a storage unit, some from one apartment to another in the same complex, some into a new house. Jason worked for a moving company for a few months and I grew up moving every few years. Between the 2 of us, we have lots of moving experience.

Here are some moving tips that we have accumulated throughout the years:

Packing:
- Get as many free boxes as possible. Put the word out- see if anyone has extra boxes to give you. Ask around at stores. They can either give you boxes right when you ask or tell you when to come back to pick them up before they go in the compactor. U-Haul has a "free boxes" section in their packing store. Sam's has a "free boxes" rack at the front of their store. Spend your money on packing tape and sharpies- and as little as possible on boxes.
- Pack the things you don't use often first- like books, cds, holiday decorations, and off season clothes.
- Pack everything possible before the day of the move- some things you might wait on are: the bedsheets and comforter, your hairdryer, clothes you wear the day of the move, things in the refrigerator.
- Put all of your cleaning supplies in a box or tote that you can keep handy during the move.
- Put tools that might be needed during the move in a handy place- screwdrivers, hammer, drill....
- Put all the important things you want to keep up with in a special bag or your purse- like your phone charger or the netflix movies you need to drop in the mailbox- that way you don't "lose them" in the move.
- Pack everything before your friends arrive to help you- people do not want to pack your stuff the day of the move- if you need help- ask for help before the day of the big move and have a "packing date" with a few friends.
- Use your linen closet and newspapers to help you pad the fragile items you are packing. This will save you lots of money on packing supplies.
-Label your boxes or things you have packed- on more than one side. This will make taking the things off the truck much easier. You will get your boxes put in the right room and people will not have to ask you where anything goes as they unload. Labeling on more than one side will help when the boxes are stacked on top of each other.
- Make a donate pile as you pack. If you haven't used something in a year, you probably don't need it. Throw it in a pile and take it to the trash or good will. This will keep you from moving unnecessary stuff.

Getting people to help you:
- Move when the most people you know will be available- like on a weekend- or an early evening during the week. And try to move during the most comfortable part of the day- not too hot or too cold.
- Offer food and drinks- people are more willing to do manual labor when they know their basic needs will be cared for.
- Communicate: send out an email or text with information for your helpers like when the moving will start, where to meet, what time you expect to be done, what kind of food or drink you will be providing, and lots of thank yous in advance.
- Ask specific people- if you send out a general email to all your friends and no one responds, it is likely no one will show up.  Take an hour a few weeks before you plan to move and call your most reliable friends. Ask them to help and get them to mark their calendars. Then you will know who you can count on and not worry the day of the move.
- Get phone numbers. Make sure you have the phone numbers of everyone who will be driving a vehicle during the move. This will ensure that people do not get lost on the way to your place with a carload of stuff and no way to find you.

The actual move:
- Rent a bigger truck than you think you will need. Don't try to save $20 on the truck. You always have more stuff than you think you do. Think about how much money you are saving by doing one trip. Your friends are free (except for the food you are offering), gas is expensive, and time is money. You will save at least an hour of moving time by renting the bigger truck. The more efficient, the better.
- If you are moving across the country or state- rent a nicer truck (like a Penske) to give yourself piece of mind that you will make it to your destination without any truck problems.
- If you are moving in town- it is best to give yourself a buffer day before you move in. You can get your keys, clean the new place and put the all important toilet paper, soap, and hand towels in the your new place. People will have to go the bathroom at your new place when you are moving. Trash cans are nice to have in place as well.
- If you are moving in town- move your kitchen by yourself. Dishes and small appliances are easy to put in your car and take to your new place. You can spend an afternoon laying your stuff out and deciding where everything will go before you move the bigger things. That way your house will be in somewhat of working order before you move in. You will at least be able to have a bowl of cereal the morning after you move- because you will know where everything is.
- If something is important to you and you are worried about it making it through the move. Move it before people come to help on your own- if at all possible. This way you can be gentle with it and make sure it does not get broken on a packed truck or dropped by someone carrying too many things.
- Keep some tools handy in case you need to take things apart to fit them through doorways or into a truck.
- Be ready when your friends show up. Give them things to do right when they get there. Make sure the truck is ready to load. People get antsy when they have nothing to do.
- Be prepared to do a final trash run and cleaning of your old place the day following your move. It will need to be cleaned and inspected before you can get your security deposit back. I recommend taking pictures. This way if you need to contest something, you have proof.

Moving takes a lot of planning and effort. Don't underestimate the importance of organization in moving. Something will go wrong- it always does. The better organized and prepared you are the better you will be able to handle the problems that arise during the actual move.

Actual problems we've encountered when helping friends move:
1. Locked keys in truck on a HOT day while moving things into truck.
2. Truck is not ready on time promised (often true during busy moving seasons).
3. Storage unit moving into too small (almost too small). :)
4. Cars of people moving broken down.
5. Things taken by neighbors during move- because things were sitting outside without a truck and were assumed to be "give away" items.
6. People helping to move get lost or separated from group during drive to new place.
7. New place's septic system leaking into the carpet in master bedroom.
8. Something very valuable and important broken in move.
9. Furniture will not fit through doorway.
10. Air conditioner to old or new place is broken during a summer move.

Hero?

I was singing Hero in the shower the other day- you know the song by Mariah Carey. And I was a little baffled by the words. I don't think I ever questioned them until that moment. Let me refresh your memory if you don't know the song....


There's a hero
If you look inside your heart
You don't have to be afraid
Of what you are

There's an answer
If you reach into your soul
And the sorrow that you know
Will melt away

And then a hero comes along
With the strength to carry on
And you cast your fears aside
And you know you can survive

So when you feel like hope is gone
Look inside you and be strong
And you'll finally see the truth
That a hero lies in you

It's a long road
And you face the world alone
No one reaches out a hand
For you to hold

You can find love
If you search within yourself
And the emptiness you felt
Will disappear

And then a hero comes along
With the strength to carry on
And you cast your fears aside
And you know you can survive

So when you feel like hope is gone
Look inside you and be strong
And you finally see the truth
That a hero lies in you

Oh ho, Lord knows
Dreams are hard to follow
But don't let anyone
Tear them away, hey yea

Hold on
There will be tomorrow
In time, you find the way, hey

Then a hero comes along
With the strength to carry on
And you cast your fears aside
And you know you can survive

So when you feel like hope is gone
Look inside you and be strong
And you finally see the truth
That a hero lies in you

That a hero lies in you
Mmm, that a hero lies in you


I grew up with this song. But I know that if I look inside myself to find a hero- to find comfort and what I need to "be strong" and "cast my fears aside". I will be sadly mistaken. I need to look elsewhere for that. Like this song....


You are good, You are good
When there's nothing good in me
You are love, You are love
On display for all to see
You are light, You are light
When the darkness closes in
You are hope, You are hope
You have covered all my sin

You are peace, You are peace
When my fear is crippling
You are true, You are true
Even in my wandering
You are joy, You are joy
You're the reason that I sing
You are life, You are life,
In You death has lost it's sting

Oh, I'm running to your arms,
I'm running to arms
The riches of your love
Will always be enough
Nothing compares to Your embrace
Light of the world forever reign

You are more, You are more
Than my words will ever say
You are Lord, You are Lord
All creation will proclaim
You are here, You are here
In your presence I'm made whole
You are God, You are God
Of all else I'm letting go

Oh, I'm running to your arms
I'm running to arms
The riches of your love
Will always be enough
Nothing compares to Your embrace
Light of the world forever reign

My heart will sing
no other name
Jesus, Jesus

Oh, I'm running to your arms
I'm running to arms
The riches of your love
Will always be enough
Nothing compares to Your embrace
Light of the world forever reign


What a difference a song and it's lyrics can make to your heart. :)


http://youtu.be/0IA3ZvCkRkQ -Hero Music Video


http://youtu.be/au3EGgISYMc - Forever Reign Music Video