Saturday, August 14, 2010

The Big News

Please, Lord, don't send me to Africa. You hear a lot of missionary testimonies about how this prayer was uttered, yet they ended up in Africa. My prayer has always been, Please, Lord, don't send me anywhere that's cold. Like Connecticut. I guess like Brer Rabbit, I should have been asking not to go to Africa. I should have been asking to please be sent to the Arctic. Of course, the difference is that God knows my heart, whereas that wily Brer Fox did not know Brer Rabbit was born and bred in a briar patch.

Although it's only been a few weeks since my husband received a promotion...in Connecticut...it's hard to remember life before The Big News. I do seem to recall, however, a summer filled with furious and right-down-to-the-minute planning. In fact, there was so much planning, I had a few glimpses into the children's high school careers, still 4 years away. But, you know, best laid plans and all...

And I do recall the exact moment I received the news. It was an ordinary day where the only cares I had were to ensure the children got to church camp. (I didn't even have to worry about making sure they got home from camp as that was a carpool friend's worry.) And I needed to clean the house up a bit for the arrival of my friend whom I had gallantly offered to accompany to the Homeschool Expo.

I was making spaghetti sauce to throw into the crockpot when Mark called. "I need you to stop what you're doing and listen," he said. I knew he was in Connecticut at his company's headquarters, and as so many others are experiencing, I was expecting news of a lay-off. What I was NOT expecting was to be asked how I feel about living in Connecticut. Not that the whole wide world does not already know how I feel about living in a cold climate such as the one that Connecticut endures for a majority of the year.

Surprisingly, my immediate response was, "OK, let's move." I think the whole wide world also knows how I like to move and how I make off-handed remarks on vacations about wanting to live in the vacation spot of the year. In fact, I can recall uttering such words on my last visit to Connecticut.

Since then, life has been a whirlwind, and I still wake up many mornings remembering a wild dream I had in which our family was asked to relocate to a state not so far from Canada. That Homeschool Expo? It went well. I had a great time with my friend. Thankfully because of the Big News, I wasn't in the buying mood and spent only $25 the whole weekend. Oh, and that spaghetti sauce? It wasn't very good. My friend was polite enough to eat it anyway. And I started school, had 3 days of it, and then decided we would stop, regroup, and start over...in Connecticut.

I would say we've been working hard to pack, but we're moving in style this time. With movers. Never done it this way, but I'm afraid this experience is going to spoil me, and I'll never want to do it the old-fashioned way again. Yes, I've done some sorting, tossing, and giving away because, even though someone else is packing for me, I certainly don't need them packing all of this junk we've accumulated over the last 20 years.

Speaking of 20 years, I said to Mark the other day, "Do you realize if we stay in
the Arctic Connecticut as long as we've lived in Atlanta, Alex will be THIRTY?" That's weird.

There has also been a garage sale. And a family trip to Connecticut. But I'll save some of those details for another day. I only wanted to get back to recording our Chapters. I wasn't able to release this news on such a public forum until now because the Big News had not yet been announced to the company. And who knows? Some reader who makes up part of my HUGE audience may know someone who knows someone...it is a small world after all, a fact that makes me feel better as I get ready to say goodbye.

8 comments:

4 Lettre Words said...

WOW! Saying a prayer now that the moves goes super smoothly. XO!

It is lovely up there, for sure, but I'm like you. Moving up North isn't on my "to do" list. :o)

Unknown said...

You've had an eventful summer. Don't be too hard on Connecticut weather. The winters can be tough, but spring and summer are nice and the fall is beautiful. It's good to see you writing again. Blessings on your move! And, what are Connecticut's homeschooling laws?

Tatiana said...

Connecticut is beautiful! I just traveled there in the spring. Great location for all sorts of historical things nearby.. . . Best of luck to you!

Unknown said...

I went to a wedding there one summer and yes, it was cold. But it was also very beautiful! I would have liked to have had the time to explore more! It will be okay. You'll see. Can't wait to hear your stories.

Rachelp said...

I am so glad we can follow you to "the artic" through your blog! You are an amazing woman and you will greatly bless that part of the country! I can't wait to see what great things you will do in that area!

Bunch of Barrons said...

Oh dear...I'm trying to think back to all the "I'll nevers" that I surely have uttered. :) Hope the move goes well. I don't deal well with cold either. My hubby is looking for a new job lately...maybe I should start saying out loud to whoever will listen "I would NEVER move to Hawaii!" ;)

Amy @ Cheeky Cocoa Beans said...

I've been praying for you, my friend! I hope your move goes smoothly. Don't let them scare you about the winters...you'll be OK. :) If it would make you feel better, I could tell you stories about the year we spent in Montana when they canceled school (where my dh taught) because the HIGH that day was going to be -40. The wind chill was somewhere around -60. We drove into town that day and ran into a bunch of other teachers who were enjoying their day off, too. ;) I'm not fond of cold weather at all, but the cold feels different in other parts of the country than it does here in GA. I hope it will be more than tolerable to you!!

And think of it this way...you will actually get fall weather. We don't, except for the brief week or two where it's in between the hot, humid summer and the beginning of the 40 degree temps. :)

CrossView said...

Ok, so I'm kind of jealous here. NOT of the winters - BRRRR! But of the move! My gypsy blood is tingling. LOL!

But you could just come stay with us through the winter! ;o)

And Congratulations to Mark on the promotion!

Movers? Love them! They do all the heavy work and you just get to open those treasure boxes and find places for things. That's always fun to me!

I'm so excited and I'm not even moving. Yet. Let me know how Connecticut is....