A 180 and Spring Break Part 1

Alyssa and Me at her Writer's Celebration and Before the Craziness Began

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First, the 180. We were moving to Houston. We spent 3 days getting the house ready to show. Organized every closet and drawer...my pantry even looked like something from a magazine. I SO do not live this way, so it was exhausting getting it this way. Little sleep. No time to sit down for a break. Sarah was my hero! And she earned herself a new dress for her selfless help. However, my theory that you can have happy kids or a clean house but not both was validated. Kids need their mom more than a closet does! Somehow after all this work we still had to "rescue clean" (my sister's term for throw everything you see in a box) the girl's room and my office because we only had 30 minutes left until the realtor came to discuss listing our house.

Right after the realtor leaves, Russ gets a phone call from the new boss saying he can stay in Spokane for 90 days and then they'll decide if he can stay here for good or needs to move. Then a potential buyer knocks on the door and would like to discuss making an offer on the house! All within a few minutes of each other! Can it get any crazier?!

Surprisingly, the kids and I all felt a little let down that we were no longer moving. What in the heck??? Well, we had pumped up the move so much! Even though we had wanted Spokane all along, really. I'll be flying out to Houston in 2 weeks to check things out anyway. I can't imagine staying here being good for Russ' career in the long term. We've already been laid off twice for living here in paradise.

Now to Spring Break...

Russ took Alyssa boarding. Awww. This TOTALLY made up for all those naps he took during our cleaning spree. Alyssa did awesome and speeds down that mountain straight down! Then crashes and repeats.

At Mom and Dad's, Mom had to work a night shift so just Dad and I stayed up until 1 am talking. Talk, smile, talk, laugh, hearts beaming. I love Mom and Dad so much...my best friends. Dad and I shared all sorts of stories about growing up including stories about how we are confident God wanted us to live because we came so close to death (the time I spun out on the freeway going 80 miles per hour, the time he almost got kidnapped, his car accident, etc.).

Then the next day on our walk, Ava almost died in this very spot. Beyond that bar is a steep cliff. It all happened in a millisecond and I was RIGHT there. A dog jumped up on her pinning her to this bar and if she was one foot over she would have fallen straight through! I'm so glad it was not her time to go!!!! It may have been the scariest moment of my life, but I feel overwhelmingly grateful and thank Heavenly Father that she is safe and sound and I can enjoy her long life to come!!!

Alyssa gathered sticks.

And our house stayed clean!