New Jersey

We're in the middle of our third week in New Jersey.  The middle of our second week in the house.  We've worked hard to get settled quickly and for the most part, the house feels like home.  Last week we adjusted to the bus.

I took this picture from our front door this morning.  I think Nathan was already getting on and Hannah was probably behind that big rock and those trees.  I waited with them the first week, but this week they were ready to do it on their own.  We couldn't have gotten a luckier bus stop location.

However, there was a learning curve for us first time bus users.  I entitled this picture: Bus Stop Fail.  It was our first Monday in the house.  We were standing near the bus stop, but not quite at it and we were early.  A neighbor drove down to say hello and I was chatting when I should have been bus watching.  We saw the bus coming and started to walk to it, but it didn't even slow down.  Definite disappointment for the kids.  Awkward neighbor moment--I can't remember her name, but I waved at her from the car the one time I've seen her since.  However, we moved on.  Jumped in the car, drove the quick 5 mins to school.  All was well.

Success at the PM bus stop for kindergarten--although this picture was taken on Tuesday.  I wanted to be completely focused and make sure we got the bus to stop for us.  Since then, we've had fairly good success with the bus.  There was the one afternoon Sarah jumped off on the verge of tears because she had to go to the bathroom so badly.  Learning curve.

We worked hard that first weekend (with a lot of help from the movers--they were the best group we've ever had!) and got the kitchen ready for cooking.  We implemented "Meatball Monday, Taco Tuesday, Chicken Wednesday, Pizza Roll Thursday and Fried Rice Friday".  We even had our first dinner guests last Saturday--for "Chili Saturday".  A family we met at Christmas time also relocating with the company from Mobile.  They were kind enough to host us a few times during our house hunting trip and even for the Super Bowl when we had just moved in, but had no Internet or television hooked up.  We have been less ambitious with our meal planning this week.  We had Pannini Monday and canned soup Tuesday.  Today has to be grocery store Wednesday.  Last Wednesday we had an electrician, a garage door repairman and a cable guy all here at the same time.  Thanks to each of them, we have our electric dryer plugged in and working as opposed to the gas one left behind, we have three garage doors that open and close and we have television.

Because of the winter storm watch and the eventual snow dump we got from Friday morning to Saturday morning, Dad was able to work from home on Friday.  He made sure we had gas for the snow blower and logs for the fireplace.  The kids had their second early dismissal from school due to snow and ice in the two weeks we've been here--early dismissal means no school for Sarah in afternoon kindergarten, unfortunately.  (They also had a 2 hour delayed start this past Monday again due to icy rain).

Saturday morning we celebrated the snow (and electricity) with snowman pancakes--Sarah missed her snowman pancake breakfast in Michigan by one week.  Although she was actually completely unaware of missing anything, I saw the e-mail and mentioned it to Hannah.  Mistake.  Hannah was absolutely beside herself that Sarah had to miss something she remembers so fondly from her first grade year.  This was our attempt to make it up to her.

And a good use of the griddle they bought mom for Christmas.

The rest of Saturday was busy.  There was snow removal and salt application.  Picture hanging.  We're still in the process of picture hanging.  And there are still window coverings to figure out and hang.  The basement, garage and office are in the most need of attention, but overall the house is very livable and we are feeling very settled.
We have found a church and have been there two out of our three Sundays here.  I was invited to a small group of moms meeting during the week tomorrow that works out well with afternoon kindergarten.  Sarah started gymnastics.  Nathan is signed up for Little League and Hannah for softball beginning in April.
We have been blessed and overwhelmed with the neighbors we've met.  Three neighbors called to check on us before the storm on Friday and one came by afterwards.  We've been brought lunch and cookies twice and a "Welcome Neighbors" cookie cake.

We spent Sunday afternoon at the kids' school Winterfest and were really surprised with how many of the kids knew our kids' names.  Nathan spent that time running around with friends and has already been invited to "hang out" with a kid from school.  (No more "play dates" when you're 10).

There is plenty more.  There has been a lot of stress.  A lot of feeling overwhelmed.  There have been days when my biggest accomplishment was finding Wal-Mart that my GPS wasn't that helpful in finding and in fog so thick, I thought I was going to lose my mind.  There have been rude people and poor customer service, but overall--we have been blown away by how kind and helpful people have been.  We are dealing with a whole new dynamic in homework for all three of them.  Trying to manage the amount of paperwork that comes home from school and stay organized and on top of the assignments.  Trying to manage this very new social media experience for our oldest and to set limits on all three of them with electronics after spending way too much time on them during our hotel stay.  It definitely isn't all pretty and there have been moments when we wonder why in the world we agreed to do this again, but we feel lifted up by prayer and we know there is a plan bigger than us.

Now I must end MY electronic time.  In order to set limits on the kids, we have to set limits on ourselves.  Being a grown up is harder than it looks.