Transition, my old friend

There really will be pictures coming of our lovely time at the coast, kids enjoying our new van, etc. I'm not even sure where the camera cable is... in some box somewhere. Yes, we are back to life in a suitcase (or suitcases, laundry baskets and many boxes in our case). We are house-sitting for a rural pastor while we search for a place to rent.

Yesterday Joel asked, "Where is our home?" and for the first time had to explain that we didn't have one. It was a good time to talk about our eternal home in heaven that can never burn down or grow old, but that didn't alleviate his fears that his new toy Mac truck would know where to go to find us tomorrow morning. =)

I've never lived 'out in the country' having been raised in a large city with over 1 million people. It's so beautiful and peaceful with so much room for the kids to run and play, and we are loving it most of the time. And then I need to just run down to the grocery store.

Oh yeah, the nearest grocery store is not just around the corner anymore Toto. =)

Bear with us a couple days and we'll get a real address and be back to the blogosphere with all that free time! =)

When it rains, it pours.

Sorry for failing to show our cool pictures of James and Joel swimming their little hearts out in lessons or of Anna trying to run or drink from a cup by herself. She's cut her eye teeth and now insists on flossing like her brothers. She LOVES to talk on the 'ome' (phone)!

Saturday was a crazy day of driving around, visiting friends, managing kids (Joel and Anna - James was off reeling in his second catch on a fishing trip with Dad!)... I'm headed home (1 hr. freeway trip) when the van chugs out of cruise control and starts to lose power. I turn off cruise control and try to regain speed only to find that I am losing ground fast. Quick check to the rearview mirror tells me I need to get off the road fast. Just when I'm pulling over (now at about 40mph) there is an exit to a rest area. Alleluia!! I chug into the first parking spot (originally intended for semi trucks, but who cares?) and the van refuses to move another inch. No smoke. No lights. No earlier problems. Fluids are fine. No dripping or smells.

I found out why roadside assistance is worth every penny we pay our insurance company. They were more than wonderful showing up in the middle of nowhere in 42 min. - not that I was counting... We were guessing transmission problem, and sure enough it was! I had no idea that repairing a transmission could ever cost half the value of a decent car. Anyway, this all happened the night before we were due to speak in two cities on the same Sunday (morning and evening), so we borrowed a very well-seasoned car, to put it nicely, and made it to both, however frazzled. All the excitement of the weekend has not left much time for picture-taking...

Maybe tomorrow... but we're off for vacation at the coast this weekend - yes!

Bwekwast

"Cheerios and blueberries in yogurt - yum!

I can eat by myself with a spoon!

Ooh look! There's more in the bib!"

"Forget the spoon!"