handsful

Whew.  Last week was busy.  Fun, and not so fun busy. 

It started with my flight to NJ, for my grandmom’s funeral.  It was odd to be there, knowing she wasn’t with us anymore.  I’m glad I was able to make the trip for my mom.  And, we’re just thankful that she’s out of pain and with her Lord. 

While I was at the funeral, Randy was driving the kids up to Florida.  We had this trip planned for some time…the kids were registered for a youth conference at church called Out2B.  Mornings of amazing biblical teaching by Charles Covington, afternoons of service to the community, evenings of fun and little sleep.  They were jazzed about going. 

I literally flew in to NJ, went to the funeral, and flew out – so I was at the Jax airport that same evening and Randy picked me up from the airport.  The kids were farmed out to various friends houses and Randy, Lainey and I stayed at a hotel. 

Church the next morning was wonderful…how we missed our friends!  That night, we stayed at our dear friends Jon and Anne’s house (some of the kids again farmed out to friends homes). 

The next morning, Anne took Randy to the airport.  He was due to be in Vegas Mon – Wednesday.  I took Marley and Anne’s girls to drop them off at Out2B. 

The next few days were relaxed and pretty laid back.  Lainey and I spent our days hanging out at Anne’ s house playing with the “zoo” (check out her blog on the sidebar – Life is a Zoo).  We also went by the old house to go through stuff we left in the garage…did some cleaning, took some things to charity, etc. 

Wondering where the pictures are yet?  I took almost NO pictures.  Just never got the camera out.  Until, Anne decided it was time to teach Lainey to swim.  She’d been telling me that she’d be thrilled to teach her – she taught her own girls and is fabulous with Lainey.  So, off with the floaties and…

no fear, trusting completely.

she listened intently.

Learning to walk the wall…

having a blast

and, in no time at all, she was off!

swimming underwater like she’d been doing it for years.  She’s not entirely sure what to do with her arms yet…usually gracefully holds them behind her, with her feet kicking like mad.  And, picking her big noggin up to get a breath is something she’s still working on.  But, Anne said she’s a “natural” and the easiest kid she’s ever taught to swim.  Ever.  Lainey couldn’t get enough of it.  So, as long as there is an adult supervising, she’s going no-floaties.  We’ll keep them for times when the big kids are with her down at the dock swimming in the lake.  I’m so proud of her! 

Before long, it was Wednesday and time to go to church for the end of Out2B banquet and to pick up the kids.  Charles spoke one more time to the kids, and the parents got to listen in.  He’s amazing.  Teaches Bible at a public (yes, PUBLIC) school in Mississippi.  The way he grabs the kids attention with hilarious stories that tie perfectly into his message on the Sermon on the Mount was incredible. 

So, I farmed the boys and Abbey out again (they wanted to spend AS MUCH time as possible with their friends) and Marley stayed with Lainey and I (her besties are Anne’s girls) at Anne’s house again.  Thursday morning, Jon went to the airport to pick up Randy (he had taken the red-eye so he could be back in Jax early) while I started packing us up.  We spent that day picking up a trailer to pull behind the truck, loading the trailer with items from our garage, adding more items from our rented storage rooms, and finally pulling out to head back to NC around 6:30ish.  Our intent was to drive until Randy got too tired and stay at a hotel…Randy had gotten VERY little sleep on the plane.  Turned out, he found his second wind and we arrived home at 1:20am. 

So, now you can see (if you’re still reading…) why I’m glad we’re now settling back down into our new-normal routine of living here in NC.  I’ve gotta go…more unpacking to do.  :)