Day 2...Albuquerque

We got up bright and early and left Liberal around 8am. Made it to Tocomcari for lunch at Kix on 66, a hole in the wall diner on the old Route 66. It was fun and the food was good. This time, Presley arched her back and screamed like crazy when we put her back in her carseat. We made one pit stop at a rest area. New Mexico is not known for their rest area, just fyi. Then, landed in Albuquerque just before 3, mountain time. We got into our room, quickly changed to our swimsuits and went down to the pool. The coldest indoor pool in the entire world. It was so cold. We didn't stay long. Came back to the room, showered, then went and found a mexican restaurant, thanks to the yelp app, and the guy at the hotel front counter. After supper, we came back to the room, ready for bed. But it was only 6 :30. Ugh! Thank goodness, we found the Grinch on Tv, so the girls watched that while we reorganized for tomorrow's adventure. Good travel prizes today were slumber masks (so they'd sleep in the van, they didn't), lip gloss, more books, and Peppermint bodywash and lotion for bathtime in the hotel.

at the mexican restaurant.

the girls at a rest stop. Presley was so happy to be out of the van!

The view from our hotel room-

saying Goodnight~!

Day 1...Liberal Ks

On Sunday morning, we headed west to Pasadena. After weeks of saying our good-byes and many, many tears shed, it was time to go. We packed up the van. And, when I say packed, I mean packed. It was so full that over the weekend, Kevin and I looked into getting a suburban. Seriously. We chickened out, though, since we couldn't find anything we really wanted-'05, leather, bucket seats, under 50,ooo miles, etc. we're not picky. Anyway, packed up the van, tightly and headed west. Stopped in Pratt for lunch. McDonalds, hopefully the only time we have to eat at a McDonalds this trip. Made a pit stop in Minneola, then landed in Liberal in the afternoon. Around Greensburg, McKenna asked if we were close to California, yet. This was also around the time Kevin said that if we flew to Pasadena, it would only take us the time spent driving from Wichita to Liberal. Not what I wanted to hear at that point. Spent the rest of the day visiting family. We stayed with my aunt, Marlene, and chatted with Jeff and Julie all afternoon. Got to celebrate cousin Cameron's 17 birthday as well. I spent a small fortune in the dollar section at Target buying prizes for the kids for good behavior on the trip. Today's prizes were gum, books, and candy.

Here is Presley with her first prize of the trip, a book. Poor girl, no candy, just books.Kevin, trying to stay awake. I kept telling the girls that he was allowed to have as much candy as he wanted since he was driving.McKenna and Avery got bubble gum for their 1st prize, here is McKenna trying to blow a bubble.It feels like we're driving into nowhere....

Moving Day pix

In no particular order...

Thankful

What I'm thankful for this year....

• my family-I have the best parents in the world, the best sister in the world, and the best in-laws, nieces, nephews, cousins, etc...no family quarrels, no scandals, no drama, just fun and lots of laughs... and basketball.
• my husband, my best friend, my soul mate. I love Kevin more today than ever. I wouldn't go to California with anyone else.
• Avery, McKenna, and Presley-my 3 precious girls. I can't imagine life without them. Each one is so different and special and my life is better because they're in it.
• My heavenly Father, who is in control of everything, especially when I feel like I'm not in control of anything.
• Doctors who take care of us and give us amoxicillin
• The family who took Abby and gave her a new home. I miss her so much and tears fill my eyes every time I think of her. I never knew I'd miss a silly dog so much. As dumb as this sounds this is the hardest thing about the our move, primarily because it was a permanent good-bye.
• that Kevin has a job and that he can provide for our family
• for crayons and markers and white paper that keep Avery and McKenna occupied for hours.
• for books that Presley loves to read and the blankie that brings her comfort
• for my i-phone. If you have one, you know what I mean...
• for the fact that I was able to enjoy u-verse for the last few months. I'm already missing it.
• we are a few steps closer to being debt free (darn you student loans!)
• the warmer weather that awaits us in Pasadena!
• that through all of the chaos going on in our lives right now, our family is thriving. We all get along, we still like each other, and we're excited for what God has in store for us!

Happy Thanksgiving!

The adventure begins!

From the beginning of this process, Kevin and I have told the girls that this will be an adventure. We've told them that they'll need to have patience, that they'll need to be flexible and they'll need to have fun.

The movers came Monday and packed up all of our worldly possessions, and, yes, we found out we are very worldly. We have so much stuff and we threw away over 20 bags of trash in the last week alone. We forgot to set out a stroller to have for the next 2 weeks, it was put on the truck before we had time to get it. I guess we'll either buy a cheap one, or make Presley walk. We also forgot to set aside coats for us to have this week. Ugh...those got packed, too. Oh well, the weather in Ks looks good so far. We'll survive. I was painfully aware of 2 things on Monday-1)I'm not as organized as I thought I was or I'd like to be and 2) I haven' t done the best job of cleaning lately.

In the midst of moving, I went to the dr. for the 5th time in the last 10 days. I took McKenna first, last week, and they said she had a mild case of the chicken pox. Then, Avery had strep throat. Avery went back a couple days later because she was still sick and got a stronger antibiotic. On Saturday, I spent 2 hrs at minor emergency with a sick Presley. She had an ear infection. At one point, there were 5 bottles of pink medicine in our fridge. This time, I was going for me. I woke up with a horrible chest cough on Sunday and the dr. said I had bronchitis. I have a Z-pak and some cough syrup with codeine that makes me feel very loopy. I feel like I've been in a different world. I hate this feeling. Hoping to feel better soon, and praying the Kevin stays healthy.

Because I was so out of it, my best sister in the world, Marla came and finished cleaning our house Monday night. I can't thank her enough.

So, we're homeless now. We closed on the house on Tuesday. Nothing special, just signing a lot of papers. I didn't realize that selling your house would cost so much money! I really wish we could have sold by owner. sigh....Anyway, it's done.

We're up in Abilene for a few days. Then back to Wichita for a few days. Then, the road trip starts!

Last Day on Harvest Court

It's early Sunday morning and I can't sleep, surprise, surprise. This is our last day in our house in Wichita. When we moved here, I said I would die in this house. I knew I was teasing, we've almost outgrown this house in the 2 1/2 years we've been here, but I thought we'd live here a lot longer than we have. I love this house. I prayed for this house. I've painted (along with Kevin and the good people at River City paints) this house. I had big plans for this house. We just remodeled our master bedroom over Christmas break last year, and we had started to remodel the basement this summer and stopped when we knew that moving to CA was a possibility. Kevin told me we'd redo the master bath when he finished his dissertation. I'm going to miss this house. We found out we we're going to have Presley at this house. We've shared many meals with friends and family here, and it's hard to believe this home won't be ours anymore.

I hope the new owners enjoy this home as much as we have.

We have so much to do today...and most of it won't get done, until we can ship the 3 girls off to Kevin's folks as soon as they get home from Tx. We just can't get much done when the girls are here. I can't imagine what it will be like when we get to CA and there are no grandparents to help us out. I don't want to think about that right now.

As you think about it, please pray for the health our family, in the midst of all the chaos. All 3 girls have been sick in the last 10 days, there are 5 bottles of amoxicillin in our fridge right now. It's a lot to deal with in an already stressful time. Thanks.

I know this move is what God is calling us to do. I also know it's the hardest thing God has called us to do. I know His plan is good, and I'm clinging to that promise today.

Next time

If there is a next time we move across the country, 2 things will be different-

1. Kevin will not finish his job on a Friday and start a new job the following Monday. He will take a week off in between, minimum.
2. A moving company will pack our house up. I'm not doing this again.

And that's all I have to say about that...

New Title, same stuff

So, I changed my blog title. Turns out I don't have as many thoughts as I thought I had. And most of my thoughts aren't worth sharing or will get me in trouble.

This blog is about our family, so I chose Osborn Abode. I hope to document our life as we transition from Wichita, Ks to Pasadena, Ca. I plan to share family moments, recipes and experiences of our precious girls, Avery, McKenna and Presley. My secret desire is that this blog will make up for years of not scrapbooking :)

So, stay with me, and enjoy the ride. It's bumpy, but I'm told it will be worth it!

This is hard

The reality of this move has hit me. I've cried so hard and so much that my tear ducts should be dry. Seriously, I can't believe I can still produce tears.

Our dog, Abby, went to a new home yesterday. A childhood friend of Kevin's had a neighbor who took her. This is a family with 4 kids and another beagle, Missy. They came up from Oklahoma last night. Abby took to the kids well and couldn't wait to go with them. I thought I had cried enough earlier in the day and thought I'd be fine, but I lost it when Abby got into their van. I couldn't even compose myself. I was so embarrassed and yet overcome with sadness. I just kept thinking, I can't believe she's leaving, I can't believe we're doing this.

Abby has been our family dog since she was 8 weeks old, back in 2001. My heart is so broken right now. I made it through last night ok. Maybe ok is an overstatement. I took Avery and McKenna to the opera at Friends, so we were out of the house. I managed to sleep until 4 am, then woke up and just couldn't stop crying. Wondering if she's ok, if she's sleeping, if she knows what's going on. I am just overwhelmed with grief and sadness. I cry. All the time. My poor girls have to put up with a mom who cries, when I should be the one drying their tears.

This week will probably go fast, and theres a lot that needs to be done. Packing, packing, packing, wrapping up things with Avery and McKenna's schools. Finishing my classes at Friends, saying our good-byes, etc...and somewhere in the mix, I'm trying to figure out how the girls and I can get H1N1 vaccines.

I'm hoping today goes better than yesterday. I'm hoping the pain in my heart and stomach subsides. I'm hoping to get through the day without totally falling apart.

Family Pix

We were finally able to get our pictures taken as a family last week. We don't have all of the proofs yet, but the photographer put a few on her personal blog. Go here to see them.

Dr. Daddy!

So, you probably know by now, Kevin successfully defended his dissertation this week and he is officially Dr. Osborn. McKenna keeps calling him "Doctor Daddy." She also asked me one day if he was going to work in the building with the other doctors (the one we go to when we're sick). I always joke with people and say, "he's not the kind of doctor that makes money, but he will be the kind of doctor that will change the world." I can't even put into words how proud I am of him. I married way up, and I know it. I'm so grateful to be his wife, the mother of his children, the love of his life. I have no idea what God has in store for us, but I know it will be good.

It's been another busy week around here, and, I assume the busyness won't stop for quite some time. We spent most of the day yesterday packing, or, rather, trying to figure out how to start packing. I remember being in 5th grade and my family was moving from Ks to Ky for my dad to go to seminary. I thought it was so strange that my mom was starting to pack weeks before the move. I also remember that everything just seemed to happen, without my doing much work (and without my consent). Now, I'm keenly aware that things WON'T get done around here unless I do it (with Kevin's help, of course). I guess it's the harsh reality of being an adult. sigh... Today, we're going to tackle the garage, and have lunch with good friends. This is Kevin's last week at Friends U. A week from today, he'll head to Ca to start at Fuller. Then, he'll come back, help me finish with the house, we'll close, celebrate Thanksgiving with family, then head west. Seems like a dream. Not a nightmare, just a dream. A dream that includes a lot of work.

Thank you for your prayers for Kevin and our family. We know God is in each step of every process and path we're on. There are a lot of unknowns for us right now, but we know a known God and are clinging to His word and truth.

Big Day and no pix

Tomorrow is a big day for the Osborns. Kevin and I are heading up to Lawrence for his defense. It starts at noon (CST) and will probably go until 2. Please pray for him-for favor with his committee, for clarity of thought as he answers questions, for everything. We are confident that it will be great, but anxious, none the less.

No Halloween pix for the blog. If you know blogger, you know posting pix isn't the easiest thing to do. I put them on facebook, so if you want to see them, go there. The girls had a great time last night. Avery was princess Belle, McKenna was Pebbles Flintstone, and Presley was a lady bug. They got way too much candy, but they were so good.

Thanks for the prayers!