Leaving a Pleasant Place

Today is moving day so of course I'm blogging when I should be packing those last couple a boxes...

I just wanted to say something about this, Our First Home. We never thought we could afford it, but we've afforded it for over ten years. We are the last original tenants of this place which isn't a great claim to fame, but after hearing all of the disparaging remarks made by others about our choice to rent for so long (keep in mind that while we've rented here, we've simultaneously had to rent in three other places!) I wanted you all to know that this has been a GREAT PLACE for us! Truly, a blessing from Heavenly Father. We were so discouraged looking around the valley for our first apartment. There are some dumpy places out there. K wasn't ready to buy anything right off the bat so we decided to rent and thought we would for "about six months." This place was just built with all new appliances and fresh paint and carpet. After that first six months, we renewed our contract for nine months. Ha! We have been blessed and protected here and so has all of our worldly stuff. We have had kind neighbors (Jenna!) some of whom are still on our annual Christmas Card mailing list. We have LEARNED SO MUCH! We have laughed and we have cried. We have recovered from six surgeries here (me four, he two). We have had the Spirit in our Home. It has been a blessing to live in a 700 square foot area and now that we're moving we're so thankful that we've been forced to keep our stuff to a minimum. Stuff is just stuff and it's not what you have it's who you're with. So rather than feeling like we can't wait to blow this soda stand, we're actually a little melancholy and looking back to see the Lord's hand in our lives. Lastly, I'm certain we will miss the maintenance guys, Craig and Jose. We're growing up and on our own now. "The Maintenance Guys" just got a whole lot more expensive.

I confiscated this precious note during an assembly last week. Best note ever! I've never seen anything like it. Just so you know, Seth was NOT the thief so we chatted about false accusations. The Pencil Problem has been solved. If it weren't for little notes like this occasionally, I would be clueless about the sub-culture in my classroom each year. I adore fifth graders. You never know what they're thinking. The diagram of our seating arrangement really made me chuckle. I also like the way the file is stamped in red and misspelled, "Classified." Hil. Ar. I. Ous.