Super Succint Update

Got here late Sunday night (I know...we're slackers). Had a wonderful get-together with girls from the ward. Everyone brought us housewarming things, like dishes, silverware...you know...all those thiings that are mandatory for normal living but you never think about first. It's such a load-off and I feel so blessed and taken care of. It's overwhelming and comforting.

No furniture yet. Spent all day cleaning, seeing as how there was no place to sit down and be lazy (maybe I shouldn't get furniture...I'd be more productive). My feet are killing me. But Steven's taking the rest of the week off (he had Friday off anyway) and we're going furniture shopping. Warehouse furniture here I come!

Miss everyone in Arlington. Happy to get to know everyone in League city better.

So, so tired.

Bed now.

Moving.....Again.

We finally decided what we're going to do.

We found a nice house in League City for lease, and we decided to take it. It's not the ideal situation (seeing as how we originally planned to buy a house in November). But now we're not 100% sure we're going to stay in League City, so we thought it better to lease rather than lock ourselves into a house, and therefore lock us into Galveston County. It's a 12-month lease, and we figure we'll have a better idea of what we want to do in a year's time.

Our lease actually begins on OCT. 27th! Steven was all for me driving down Thursday morning. But we won't have anything in that house except clothes and air mattresses and hopefully a lawn chair or two. I don't really want to spend a week in a house completely bereft of any recognizable comforts. So he agreed to wait until the weekend to help me get some things together.

So make sure to to squeeze in an hour or so of play time with us before we leave! (But who knows...another hurricane might blow us back up here sooner than we think).

Here's some pictures of the new place:

Unwelcome Internet Fast

I know I’ve been impressed by some of you for going on “an internet fast,” but unfortunately, my current one is not so much an exercise in self-mastery as it is an unavoidable annoyance. On Monday, I excitedly called the idiots at AT&T, only to find out that they don’t service League City. Wha??!! I live in League City, TX, not Mozambique, Africa. How can they not service us? There are 67,000 people in this town!

And believe me, not communicating via Internet (as I was doing in Arlington, like, 110 times a day) has left me quite bewildered and at quite a loss of what to do with my free time. Yesterday I baked a 6-layer cake and re-grouted the bathroom (total lies).

In a nutshell, we FINALLY arrived in League City at 9:00pm Saturday night. I drove the entire way with the kids, and someone had accidentally packed up our portable DVD players so needless to say, they were in an unpleasant mood.

There was an entire ONE guy from the ward to help us unload (bless his heart, we were so grateful for him!!!) I think we were a little spoiled after the tons of help we got packing up (by the way, thank you SO MUCH Keith, Shannon, Mike, Julie, Phil, Shana, Paula, Pat, David and oh shoot, if I forget someone I’m going to feel like a real toad).

Because the 4 of us (the 4th being my Dad) didn’t finish unpacking that night, we decided our ox was sufficiently in the mire and skipped church to unload the rest of it. We’re more or less settled in, but without the Internet, I feel like I don’t know where anything is or even how I can find out! I did find the local library, however, and already got a card and 3 books. I’ve barely seen my husband in the past 3 days, but I’m sure he still looks the same.

Anyway, all is well (except for a magnitude of exotic bugs that despite screens and so forth INSIST on showing up in the most unwelcome places (i.e. the shower, my pillow). I probably will be posting sporadically at best because of said Internet debacle, but I’ll do my best!

Shacks & Jitters

So here is our next residence from June 7th to Oct. 7th (notice the hurricane shutters on the windows). True, it’s a shanty, but a shanty that will house the Grundbergs while we scout out League City and make sure we actually want to live there. From all accounts, it seems like a pretty nice town. There’s just the one ward for the whole town (the League City Ward), and I’m just praying that it’s a good one. I’ve been horribly spoiled by 1st ward, so I’m not expecting too much.

I’m sick with nervousness and premature nostalgia. Did you ever have to switch schools midstream in junior high or high school? And you didn't know anybody, and you just wanted to hide in your bedroom closet and eat ice cream? Well, that was me in 9th grade, and it's happening all over again.

Plus we have this idiot talent/variety show on Friday and I just know it’s going to be a fiasco. I know, I know; I’m being a Debbie Downer today.

Looking for a New Nest

Well, we’re in Galveston this weekend looking for a place to stay. It’s going to be tricky because we have to find a rental that will allow us a short-term lease, because we’re planning on buying a house in September. Steven’s going to be getting double paychecks through the summer (thank you Arlington ISD), which will leave us with a nice big down payment for a new mortgage. We could always just break the lease if it really comes down to it, but I do prefer not throwing money down the toilet.

I am NOT looking forward, however, to moving TWICE in the next 6 months. But, if it means a lovely 3 bedroom-2 bath is on the horizon, I guess I can brave the storm.

As for the trip down, I just want to thank the good people who invented portable DVD players. How in heaven’s name MY parents drove US around the country without a DVD to distract us is beyond me.

There Is a Reason

Well, the call came on Friday. Steven got the job, and we will be moving to Galveston the second week of June. I’m so full of excitement and happiness for Steve, because I know he’s going to be doing something he loves and I know he’ll do it well. I’ll also get to be close to my Dad, who’ve I’ve missed so much, as well as my bro & sis-in-law, Adam & Jess.

But my heart feels very sad, too. I want to leave with an adventurous heart, but I hate change and feel lonely and scared to start over again. I’ll miss the comfort and the familiarity of Arlington, and most of all I’ll miss my friends. You don’t even know how much all your friendship and kindness has meant to me this past year.

But President Hansen’s story today about the man who was asked to leave his fruit trees and farm and all his possessions to go and colonize another county filled me with hope. Not everything is about my needs and I really feel like the Lord wants us to go. It reminds me of a song by Alison Kraus that I love, called There Is a Reason. It goes like this:

Hurtin' brings my heart to You, a fortress in the storm
When what I wrap my heart around is gone
I give my heart so easily to the ruler of this world
When the one who loves me most will give me all

In all the things that cause me pain, give me eyes to see
I do believe but help my unbelief
I've seen hard times and I've been told
There is a reason for it all

But never fear…I promise to continue my endless rambling on this blog, and what’s more NOW everyone has a place to stay when they want to vacation in Galveston!

Premature Worrying

I’m more or less positive that my fitness accountability progress comprehensively disappeared this weekend. I don’t know for sure yet, but I’m predicting a positive integer in my little graph on Friday. Sigh…. Curse you, Dad, with your delicious barbecuing skills!

I've been sad today. I know I expressed the uncertainty of Steven’s getting hired on down in Galveston in a previous blog, but he now has an interview scheduled and the prospect's looking solid. And I know I shouldn’t count my chickens before they hatch, but I’ve been counting away, and the numbers seem high. And while it would be such a great opportunity for our financial growth, it would break my heart to leave my hometown again. But everyone has to grow up sometime, I suppose.

I was born in Arlington, I went to school here, I got married here and I’ve raised my little family here for 3 years. And just when the little things all start to fall into place and my kids and I are finally making friends and plans, the Lord smiles at me and says “Not so fast, Jenny,” and the path twists again.

I hate change. But it’s good for you right? Makes you stronger, all that good stuff?

Whatever.

And Now, Progress...

We put one coat of paint on the CEILING of the master bedroom today. Could this be the actual beginning of the house’s honest-to-goodness makeover? I’m skeptical, but still hopeful. Of course, while we were at Home Depot, we knew that we had a painting extension pole in the garage, but guess what. No pole. Aching arms. Oh well, back to Home Depot tomorrow.

We also actually found some carpet that happened to be the perfect dimensions for the room (12’x11’). It was in the ‘returned carpet’ bin and was therefore breathtakingly inexpensive. It’s actually pretty nice, too. We’re no where near installing any carpet, but the thought that’s it’s sitting in the garage, ready to go, comforts me somehow.

Steven submitted a resume to my brother’s company, Anico, a few days ago. It would mean, of course, packing up (once again) and moving to Galveston with the rest of the Howsley Clan. Just thinking about Galveston weather makes my make-up melt. But it’s a great opportunity for Steven, and a COMPLETE change of scene, work-wise. I’m torn, but I guess I don’t have to be anything yet. We’ll cross that bridge when we get there.

Alright, break’s over. Back to painting. (did I mention the ceiling? ugh.)