MOVING and the craziness that came with

We are moved...but i must tell you about the whirlwind :)


We pushed up our move date by 2 weeks so that we would be settled and have Sigel in school before 2 teams arrived that we were supposed to work with. no problem - we can do it we thought. So we got to work fixing up some things in our old house we needed to do, packing, and doing 'lasts' with Seeds of Change - lasts included building a ping pong table for the youth building, taking Michelle, and then Cynthia out to lunch one last time, attending a youth baptism and pool party, going to youth group, taking a cake to Sigel's for a good bye party,dinner with friends, etc. it was really busy if you ask me.

The move was set for Saturday and Monday - but on Thursday we found from our landlord that we needed to repaint some walls that we had painted, rake the entire forest behind our house, and build handrails on the side of our house (we had torn down the old ones because they were rotted and diagonal). Yikes! this was way too much! then on Friday my Grandma HoneyDear passed away from a heart attack(yes that's her name to me :)) and my wonderful aunties offered to fly me to Minnesota for the funeral. so we got my ticket for Tuesday and decided to move Sat and Sun instead. We have incredible friends that came over and helped us pack, paint, build handrails, play with Maddy, etc. I felt so overwhelming loved! ((( Thanks guys!!! ))) so the guys took a big trip out Saturday while the girls painted and cleaned and then Sunday we finished up packing and cleaning and were out of the house by 5pm - then the 3 hour drive...one long police stop, a broken trailer taillight (a bus hit us at the gas station), gas station dinner, and a over heated car later, we arrived at our new house for the first night - 8:30pm. By 10:40 we had unloaded the trailer, found bedding, and covered up the truck for the night. We were all sleeping by 11:30pm. Monday we got to work unpacking and cleaning our new house. Sigel was really excited to set up his new room :). We worked all day and didn't even get a fraction of it done but it was excited nonetheless. Tuesday Tristan and Sigel took Maddy and I to the airport and then went up one last time to pick up the last odds and ends at our old house. Maddy and I traveled all day - getting to Minnesota around 11pm. We met wonderful people during our travels that helped me with all our stuff. :) A woman that I didn't know well but was acquainted with was on our first flight and she helped us through customs and we ate dinner together - what a blessing because I was worried about handling all the bags and Maddy!

Wednesday morning was my Grandmothers funeral - it was difficult - harder than I was expecting but also really wonderful to be around all my relatives and to remember my Grandma and hear all sorts of neat stories about her. One word that was used to define her throughout this week was MUNIFICENT: Definition: characterized by great generosity. As she was generous - in her love, her time, her memories, hugs, garage sale treasures, etc. She was a really really great Grandma and lived such a wonderful full life. She will be sorely missed but we are at peace knowing that she is in heaven, reunited with Grandpa and no longer in pain. Thursday the day was spent emptying out Grandma's apartment and going through her treasures - another hard day. I then headed up to Brainerd - where we used to live and Maddy and I are now spending the week with my best friend Chelsea. It's been great to see her and get to know her kids!! (it's been 2 1/2 years since I've seen her!) It has been such a blessing to spend time with my relatives and my best friend!

While I've been gone Tristan and I Sigel have been busy busy. Sigel started school last Wednesday - so Tristan spent a lot of time getting him enrolled and getting everything he needed for this new school. Sigel is now in 6th grade and seems to be adjusting really well to this new school. We're praying for some great friends for him soon! Tristan also was responsible for buying all the food and preparing for the team that we work with in Yorito (the community center for the Indian tribe up in the clouds) when they come. So he did all the shopping Thursday and then after school on Friday Sigel and Tristan went to Yoro (a 4 hour drive) and met up with the team for the weekend to help out however they could. Sunday evening they came back home. Tristan left Monday morning to pick up the planning team for a big team that we have coming in June (the team will do evangelism/community work, medical, and construction on the medical clinic). Tristan is their driver/translator/everything during this week and will be with them driving all over the place until Friday evening. Our wonderful friend Nicole is staying with Sigel and taking care of all the school runs and cooking and everything. So we're all spread out this week.

I'm so thankful to have this week with Chelsea (although I'm REALLY not used to the cold lol) but it's hard to be away from all that's happening as the first couple weeks in a new home. I know that my house is full of boxes and not clean and still will be when I get back (because Tristan hasn't had a spare second). I don't know about you but I hate leaving dishes in the sink when we leave the house - much less everything in boxes and the house not even clean!

Tristan will be home Friday night and Maddy and I will be home Sunday afternoon - it will be nice to all be together again. 12 days apart is a long time :).

sorry but no pics this time - once our house is presentable I'll be sharing pictures of our new house.