quick update

sorry, no pictures. my brain is still wrapped around getting out to virginia and finding a home. i really have no idea how the pioneers loaded up a wagon and headed out west only to still build their homes and grow their food. we were able to travel in 3o minutes what the saints were able to travel on a good day.

a few things you might like to know:
1. my kids rock. we drove 2000 miles without any puke, poop, or terrible tantrums. that makes for a successful trip.

2. i now have more reasons to make fun of texas. mostly because they pulled ken over for using a ham radio (drug cartels use ham radios). yeah, because we really look like a drug cartel in our minivan filled with mcdonalds wrappers.

3. i love the rolling blue mountains of virginia. and god knew what he was doing when he created fog that could roll down the hills on a quiet rainy saturday.

4. we have a place to live and we move in on monday. it's small, but affordable, and we are so excited.

5. me + ken + ellie + riley on a hotel bed does not a good night sleep make. i want my king-sized bed back.

6. i have the best dad in the world. he flew out to phoenix and helped us drive the entire way. then he watched all four kids while we looked for housing (remember, this is the same best dad that watched my kids while we went to hawaii last year). yeah, don't you wish you had a dad like me?

7. i sometimes miss arizona.

8. in texas we almost ran out of gas after a storm blew through and every gas station we passed for an hour was out of electricity. we rolled into pecos with only a few drops of gas left. another reason for me to make fun of texas.

9. going 'gater hunting at twilight with jacque and doug on the base was just about the scariest thing i've ever done. i kept imagining a gater darting out of the water and eating one of my girls. although i must admit i might be almost that scared tomorrow when we go to church for the first time.

10. after listening to countless hours of sponge bob square pants in the car and hotel, i still don't get why it's funny. but the laughter of my children makes it (almost) worth listening to that idiotic show.

pictures will come next week after i move in, unpack, plant a garden, rearrange my furniture 100 times to get it to fit, and throw away even more stuff that we've gather throughout our almost 9 years of marriage.