It's a sad state of affairs when the only time you really get to chat to your husband about such important, life-changing events as, oh, moving your entire family across the country, is while waiting to see a doctor.
This means that there is a tonne of stuff to be done in the next few weeks, including but not limited to...
*David practicing for, taking and passing his final driver's training.
*Deciding on a method of moving, U.haul-type or moving company.
*Making decisions regarding large pieces of furniture and their new homes.
*Talking to the church about several issues, including what paint colours we want in the parsonage.
*David finishing all of his follow-up work for the two courses he took.
*Transferring our district license.
And of course, packing. I know it seems early, what with there being 6 weeks until we go, give or take, but even so... I have moved us a total of five times in ten years and if previous experience is any indication of how this move will go, the time line will be something like:
6 weeks - lots of time
5 weeks - lots of time
4 weeks - lots of time
3 weeks - I should pack something
2 weeks - I SHOULD PACK MANY THINGS
1 weeks - Oh Lord
Moving Day - Ahhhhhhhhhh!
And ain't nobody got time for that.
I'm sort of starting in the basement, and my technique is fairly simple at this stage - I call it Purge And Sort. Purge everything, throwing out or donating when/if necessary/possible (no one wants sheets from the 70s, just saying) and then whatever is left gets sorted into piles. I'm being pretty neurotic about my piles. Our books are getting categorized by whether David will have them in his office or they'll be in the house, and even by genre - science, fiction, stuff I like to keep in the bathroom...no? Alright then.
If it's going to David's office, then it gets packed in a cardboard box and labelled. The idea is that those books are going to be unpacked directly onto shelves and then the boxes can be tossed away. If the box contents are destined for the house, I'm trying to pack them in big plastic totes. Partially because they are dry and clean and safe for stuff, but also because I have no practical idea of what the house will be like, and I may very well not be UNpacking stuff for a while if there isn't space.
It's going well, if slowly. I don't want to bring even one superfluous item with us, so I'm being pretty rigorous about what 'makes the cut'. We're not taking our dining room set, or a dresser, or any half finished projects. I'm going to find new homes for books and such, for clothing that will fit the children if they shrink back to newborn size or suddenly develop gigantism and for the obscene number of towels we own. Seriously. Obscene. Who NEEDS this many towels??
Whew. I need a list. That will make me feel better.
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Sunday, July 7, 2013
So What Was David Doing, Anyway?
David is home now, hallelujah! And I thought I'd talk a bit about what he was actually doing away from us for so looooooong.
David's current ministry license (essentially, his piece of paper that certifies that he is a minister in our denomination) is a student license, and therefore has some requirements that come along with it in order to remain current. One of those requirements is that he take two courses per year in continuing education offered through the church. Now, he could fulfill that any number of ways, but this year we chose to invest in him attending intensive in-class courses instead of distance education. Each of the courses was two and a half days long, and involved a lot of reading and paper writing before the in class time. This year, those courses were offered a few provinces (and a 12 hour drive) away! We were really eager for him to have the opportunity, though, especially since he's had to manage his courses through distance education for the past couple of years.
Here's what he took:
Pastoral Ministry - see description
Doctrine of Holiness - see description
Of course, he didn't take these courses at Kingswood, but that's the course stuff.
David's current ministry license (essentially, his piece of paper that certifies that he is a minister in our denomination) is a student license, and therefore has some requirements that come along with it in order to remain current. One of those requirements is that he take two courses per year in continuing education offered through the church. Now, he could fulfill that any number of ways, but this year we chose to invest in him attending intensive in-class courses instead of distance education. Each of the courses was two and a half days long, and involved a lot of reading and paper writing before the in class time. This year, those courses were offered a few provinces (and a 12 hour drive) away! We were really eager for him to have the opportunity, though, especially since he's had to manage his courses through distance education for the past couple of years.
Here's what he took:
Pastoral Ministry - see description
Doctrine of Holiness - see description
Of course, he didn't take these courses at Kingswood, but that's the course stuff.
Answers To Questions You Haven't Asked.
I can finally make an announcement that I've been sitting on for a long time now. David has been hired at a church! It's crazy unreal over here. I wish I could personally email or facebook everyone with answers to all of the questions you'll have, but as you can imagine we're a little bit busy with the whole freaking out thing, so here's what I know so far - and if I've missed some crucial piece of information feel free to ask about it in the comments.
Where Is It?
The church is in a very small town (about 566 residents). The surrounding township only has a population of 625, and that includes several small towns. The next nearest town with a larger population has 1279 residents. Approximately an hour away is a city that would likely be our destination for most things.
The nearest Wesleyan church is about an hour away, but is in the US. The nearest Canadian church is about four hours away. So, it's very removed from things.
Where Will We Live?
The position comes with a parsonage, which is a house that we'll live in for the duration of our time there. It's also small, I've been told. Three bedrooms, no dining room and no basement.
What Will David Do?
Well, David currently works shift work, so he'll be 'home' a lot more. I put that in quotation marks only because a pastor is always on call and David likely won't be IN the house very much at all, but he'll be much more accessible. We've agreed that his office will be out of the house, either in the church itself (less likely) or else in another building that the church owns (more likely).
His days will be taken up with preparing for Sunday's sermon (research, writing, practice), actually preaching, meetings (marriage prep, baptism prep, etc.) board meetings, probably preparing the bulletin, possibly dealing with music stuff, visitation, bible study, travel for a variety of things, retirement home services.
What Will Amy Do?
Likely not anything much different than I do now. Hopefully we can find community there and fit in.
Pictures?
Not yet! I wish I could share some photos but unfortunately the only ones I've found online identify the town, which isn't something I'm comfortable sharing in this space. Once we arrive I'll be sure to take some photos on our walks that I can post. Picture a very tiny northern Canadian town and you probably know what it looks like! Having trouble? Well, a highway, with lots of little houses, and trees, and rocks.
What Will Change?
We'll be using our car, for one thing. Where we live now we really don't need it, but in such a remote area we will. David and I have also discussed getting a cell phone. I don't want one, but it probably makes sense to have one.
I hope you've been patient with my lack of posts recently, and will continue to be patient with what is likely going to be a LOT of one sided conversation about the move. :-)
Where Is It?
The church is in a very small town (about 566 residents). The surrounding township only has a population of 625, and that includes several small towns. The next nearest town with a larger population has 1279 residents. Approximately an hour away is a city that would likely be our destination for most things.
The nearest Wesleyan church is about an hour away, but is in the US. The nearest Canadian church is about four hours away. So, it's very removed from things.
Where Will We Live?
The position comes with a parsonage, which is a house that we'll live in for the duration of our time there. It's also small, I've been told. Three bedrooms, no dining room and no basement.
What Will David Do?
Well, David currently works shift work, so he'll be 'home' a lot more. I put that in quotation marks only because a pastor is always on call and David likely won't be IN the house very much at all, but he'll be much more accessible. We've agreed that his office will be out of the house, either in the church itself (less likely) or else in another building that the church owns (more likely).
His days will be taken up with preparing for Sunday's sermon (research, writing, practice), actually preaching, meetings (marriage prep, baptism prep, etc.) board meetings, probably preparing the bulletin, possibly dealing with music stuff, visitation, bible study, travel for a variety of things, retirement home services.
What Will Amy Do?
Likely not anything much different than I do now. Hopefully we can find community there and fit in.
Pictures?
Not yet! I wish I could share some photos but unfortunately the only ones I've found online identify the town, which isn't something I'm comfortable sharing in this space. Once we arrive I'll be sure to take some photos on our walks that I can post. Picture a very tiny northern Canadian town and you probably know what it looks like! Having trouble? Well, a highway, with lots of little houses, and trees, and rocks.
What Will Change?
We'll be using our car, for one thing. Where we live now we really don't need it, but in such a remote area we will. David and I have also discussed getting a cell phone. I don't want one, but it probably makes sense to have one.
I hope you've been patient with my lack of posts recently, and will continue to be patient with what is likely going to be a LOT of one sided conversation about the move. :-)
Thursday, June 27, 2013
I get presents! Fun!
I need to preface this post by telling you this: I rarely get presents. I even less frequently get presents I'm really excited about, and I especially don't tend to spend money on myself unless absolutely necessary. I have been debating buying some face cream and getting my eyebrows waxed for months now, to give you an idea of how frequently we're talking about here. So imagine my joy! My surprise! At seeing the UPS guy drive up to MY house and give me a package yesterday.
How exciting is THAT!!! I've wanted to read this book forever.
Then today, another delivery truck pulls up and I get a package from a differnt friend.
Organic coconut oil, organic coconut flour, and two different kinds of Badger Balm Kid's Organic sunscreen. Oh my word, can you believe it! What a wonderful couple of 'present' days.
Then today, another delivery truck pulls up and I get a package from a differnt friend.
Organic coconut oil, organic coconut flour, and two different kinds of Badger Balm Kid's Organic sunscreen. Oh my word, can you believe it! What a wonderful couple of 'present' days.
Day 10
We've been invited to a birthday party on Saturday, and S and I decided to make the little boy a gift he'd like to use during in the car time. We opted for a felt board book - and I made one here as a prototype just to make sure our design worked well.
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Day 9
Dear David,
It’s been nine days since you left, and I know I was supposed to write every day, but, well, things sort of fell completely to pieces. It’s been rough, I can’t lie. Clara has gone from being a sweet baby to transforming in the course of an afternoon into a toddler – a toddler who screams in a shrill tone usually reserved for dog whistles and refuses to be put down under any circumstances. Oh, and has also decided to nurse whenever she can. So that’s fun.
At first I thought maybe we’d just unfortunately hit a tantrum stage, and then I debated whether her sixth tooth that’s been coming in for days now was just really bothering her, but more and more I think she’s just missing you, and wants everything normal again.
It’s getting harder and harder. I know that military wives do this *all the time* and people are without their spouses all over the place, but it doesn’t lessen my difficulty, knowing this, it just makes me feel crummy for feeling the way I do – so I don’t want to think about it. It’s hard, it just is. Everything takes so much more time, everything takes So. Much. More. Energy. Oh my word.
And then to discover that you are going to be gone until likely Sunday evening, instead of being home on Saturday as we’d assumed? It is breaking me, it really really is.
Saturday, June 22, 2013
Day 5
Dear David,
ONLY ONE WEEK UNTIL YOU COME HOME!!! And tomorrow, well, that's a big day because it's the LAST day you'll be in Ottawa. Bright and early Monday morning you'll be heading off on the second stage of your trip, this part being the tough bit where you actually attend the super intensive classes. I'm so happy you took the time to visit my family for me, and still managed to get so much work done.
I called in the big guns today and had some friends babysit the children while I went to the grocery store by myself - it's the first time I've been without them since you left and it was really, really nice to be able to move quickly. When I got home I made a salad to bring to the baby shower this afternoon, and then once the children woke up from their naps we went to Family Fun Day at the park. It was fun, but a bit old for Samuel. Then home again, some sleeping, and then off to the shower which turned into the Most Fun Afternoon Ever.
We ate so much we didn't need to have supper, which is good because I'm exhausted. Children bathed and in bed, I forgot to take a single picture, and church tomorrow.
ONLY ONE WEEK UNTIL YOU COME HOME!!! And tomorrow, well, that's a big day because it's the LAST day you'll be in Ottawa. Bright and early Monday morning you'll be heading off on the second stage of your trip, this part being the tough bit where you actually attend the super intensive classes. I'm so happy you took the time to visit my family for me, and still managed to get so much work done.
I called in the big guns today and had some friends babysit the children while I went to the grocery store by myself - it's the first time I've been without them since you left and it was really, really nice to be able to move quickly. When I got home I made a salad to bring to the baby shower this afternoon, and then once the children woke up from their naps we went to Family Fun Day at the park. It was fun, but a bit old for Samuel. Then home again, some sleeping, and then off to the shower which turned into the Most Fun Afternoon Ever.
We ate so much we didn't need to have supper, which is good because I'm exhausted. Children bathed and in bed, I forgot to take a single picture, and church tomorrow.
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