I think a big move is worth a new blog post on a poorly neglected blog, right?

We hadn't told Parker where Mark had gone, because we know how he carries anxiety.  But Parker can't not notice what's going on around him and asked, "Where's Dad?" And of course simple answers never suffice for Parker.  So when I said, "He's in Texas."  He wanted to know what Mark was doing in Texas.  When I told him he was interviewing for a job, so we could possibly move to Texas, Parker excitedly proclaimed:

"Yay!  I get to live by Grandpa! And Savanah!
I get to have a new primary!
I want a house with stairs!
And I'm gonna get a new backyard!
I hope they don't have swim lessons in Texas. Do they have swim lessons in Texas?
But Mom, I don't want a new kindergarten.  I want to stay with my friends in kindergarten."

This is why we don't tell him things.  He runs with it.  And then fixates on it.  Between that conversation and the time we moved Parker came up with many plans on how he could stay in his same kindergarten class.  Something along the lines of:

"Airplanes go really fast. They could take me to kindergarten every day.  I could go to the airport really early in the morning, because I'm five now and can fly on an airplane by myself........ hmmmm, what if the airplane is late?  And I miss the second bell?  If I'm late a lot, they'll kick me out.  I know.  Maybe my friends can move to Texas!  Yeah!  That's a great idea!"

I could tell Parker was split exactly half way down the middle.  Half nervous/stressed and half excited.  Whenever he talked about it, he sounded excited, but then would usually throw up afterwards.

Ben's been nothing but a mess since the first box got packed.  Totally reverted on potty training, barely sleeping through the night, and started tantruming over EVERYTHING.  Of course he didn't have any idea what was going on but anytime he saw me packing a box he'd say, "No like Texas!  No go to Texas house!" 

Now that I type that, it seems he understood more than I gave him credit for.

But we managed to get here pretty easily.  I would call the move "seamless".  The packing, the cleaning, the getting the house ready to rent, the actual trip here; everything was pretty easy.  (On Sunday in RS they asked if you've ever been on the receiving end of an act of service that you knew you couldn't repay.  I thought about all the people that just helped us with our move.  Even though we couldn't repay the favor, they watched my kids, cleaned my house, packed boxes, loaded a truck, and helped us on our way.  Man, I miss my AZ "family".)

(definitely the hardest goodbye. my sister's kids on the morning we drove out of town.

saying goodbye to our little house was a close second.)

 

We're here now and getting settled.  Parker was in school 4 days before they took a whole week off for Thanksgiving.  He surprised me with how brave he was on his first day.  Considering the only thing he didn't want to leave in Arizona were his kindergarten friends, he did great opening himself up to new friends.   Ben has finally stopped asking to "go home" and complaining "no like Texas house".  His sleep is looking better, but we've still got a ways to go in getting him back to fully potty trained.  Mark says his only regret in life is not being born Texan.  So that sums up his experience so far. I think I still feel like I'm in the twilight zone and haven't quite made sense of my place or what I'm doing here yet.  Odd feeling, but trying to roll with it.