Moving again.

Well, goodbye summer.
Didn't I just write a post only a while back entitled "Hello Summer?"
We started our homeschool back up this week and, yep, school's back in full swing for the Zinga clan.  I'm planning to write up a post soon on our curriculum for this year.
Anyhow, things are still constantly evolving in our home.  As you know, we just moved to Monterey (well, Pacific Grove really) about 5 1/2 months ago.  We've been living in an apartment right by the ocean and acclimating ourselves to the new climate, culture, and community (the 3 c's!)...BUT...there has been some missing elements to our family life here.

1. We suffer from sticker shock.  A growing family of 4 with kids living in a tourist-enabled city doesn't quite equal to "family friendly" in my book. (Imagine no Target...but you do have a Macy's.  No Chick-Fil-A...but you have a nice mom and pop shop that will charge you 3 times the amount for a chicken burger).  Time to relocate.
2. We miss the warm weather.  It's the middle of summer.  I am happy, ReALLY happy, if we can shed our sweaters because the temp hit 67 degrees. A far cry from last summer's 107.  Can you tell I'm slightly homesick?  Okay, not to the point of desperation...just a twang of "ahhh...remember the days".
3. Space.  Need I say more?

So, okay, I have an aggressive house hunter hubby, and he's really been wheelin' and dealin' to get us a home a few miles inland from the coast.  It's about a 20 minute drive from his work here and really, I feel it's the best of both worlds.  God is so good (and no, I didn't always feel so positively about this move at first, but I've worked it through it). We'll still be an active part of the community here - because, hey, let's face it, it's a BEAUTIFUL place to work and visit and have a lot of fun in- but we'll definitely lower our living costs and have more space at what will be our new place of residence.  Did I mention that we'll have a Target and Walmart?  Okay that's a big deal for me. Not that I don't appreciate what makes Monterey unique (kayaking and surfing on the beach, scuba-diving, surfing, paddle-boating, fishing, upscale shopping if you got the moolah, cycling, riding surreys, a good city transit, ethnic restaurants of all types, and if you're into wine - which I'm not- you can have a field day as each restaurant thinks their selections are better than the next)...so there are a lot of good things about this place.  But on to why we're moving...
Did I mention that it's warmer?  Plus we'll have more space.  And we'll be in a house and I won't need to use the community laundromat anymore.
 I'm a sight to behold- 5'0" woman lugging  backloads of laundry in my husband's military bag up and down a flight of stairs every week- oh, you better believe I'm looking forward to having my own washer and dryer again!!!!  (You never what you're missing until you miss it.  The next time I see my own washer/dryer unit, I won't be complaining about how much laundry I have-- I'll be breathing thanks to God that I don't have to go up and down a flight of stairs for 3-4 hours each week, waiting on my turn for the dryers which never dry properly and cost a pretty penny).  So I'm excited. :-)

As for our moving prep, at this moment our apartment is nearly boxed up.  We've been living on temporary mode these past few months anyhow since we knew we'd be moving again...so I didn't unpack everything to begin with...but I'm really surprised at how much I DID unpack.  Thankfully I kept all my boxes. 

As for homeschool, like I mentioned earlier, we started this week with Ny's 4th grade year, and Z is officially our preschooler.  Ny is really excited because she'll be starting Classical Conversations here in Monterey in a few weeks, and the cool thing is that there are a few families there who also live in the community we're moving to- so maybe we'll connect?
Connecting is still a major activity on my list of must-do's...I think because it's the only way I feel anyone can truly survive a move- whether it's to a new city or out of country. I'm finding that on days we don't go anywhere the whole family is cranky. Really.  It's just not our cup of tea...and I really do like being out a lot- exploring the sights and sound of the world beyond "home". There's so much history and culture to learn about here that we've decided for Ny's first semester we are studying California History.

However, Z has been having a really tough time lately with all the sights and sounds of Cali.  After 5 months of what in her 3 year old mind was one big vacation, she finally woke up to the understanding that we are here for a long time. When it dawned on her that our apartment is not a hotel and that we haven't seen her grandparents and her favorite friends back home in a really long time, she suddenly coiled into a shell and became our  baby all over again.  Lots of tears, not wanting to sleep alone, not wanting to feed herself or dress herself, and even lost interest in play...I tell ya, it's been a rough few weeks.  Then...she up and decided that she just didn't feel like speaking anymore either.  And that was the hardest of all of her symptoms for us to deal with. The day we quit hearing her voice, we knew there was a major problem and it hurt beyond hurt.  A friend of mine suggested that what she was going through may be very similar to grief.  Z was experiencing separation anxiety mixed with some fear and probably a dose of anger too, because she just didn't have it all sorted out yet.  My friend reminded me that in her small world, everything is larger than large, and her perception of the move was completely different than ours.  Whereas my 9 year old has come to terms with leaving her friends behind and is now making new friends and attempting to make the necessary adjustments to move forward, it doesn't quite work that way when you're just 3, and all you know is all you know.  And suddenly everything you see now doesn't add up in any way, shape, or form to the home you once knew.  Like the sights of ocean water on a beach and the smell of salt water in the air.  Or the sound of sea gulls, the feeling of cool, gusty breezes against your skin in the middle of summer.  What used to be your lone house surrounded by a huge yard to romp and play, collect rocks, and dig dirt has suddenly turned into a 100+ resident apartment complex featuring neatly numbered carports neighboring restaurants, businesses, hotels,and other apartments. Looking at life through her lenses, I am able to better understand what Z might be going through right now.
Granted, she is now talking to us again and eating just fine (praising GOD!!!!)-- although she still comes to sleep in our room some nights, and that's okay.  My main thing for her transition right now is just to help her to feel safe and to try to develop some form of routine for her.  Which is pretty hard right now (the routine part, that is), considering things won't be the same a few weeks from now after our 2nd move.  But we'll just have to take it one day at a time, one week at a time.
So, please keep us (and all our moving) in your prayers...and next time you think about us shoot out a small prayer on behalf of my kiddos and their transition into our new school year.
Hope you and yours are doing great!
Til next time...

Updates: How we're doing.

Yesterday I was a bit down...missing back home and such.  But today, God just totally took me for a loop, as He has been known to do. With time the kids and I are adjusting pretty well now and finally getting into the swing of things.

For one, I am finally finding my way around this place.  It's not so hard but like any new city you go to, it can be a challenge.  It takes some getting used to driving and parking downtown with all the 1 hour/30 minute/3 minute parking spots. There are a few parking garages.  Thankfully, parking meters are reserved for our famous Cannery Row area, a main tourist spot.  Typically when the girls and I want to go down that way, we just park a couple of blocks down and walk.  The more we walk around town, the more we get used to the area and driving seems easier.  Sometimes it's just a matter of perspective (getting around on foot is a good way to spot those easy-to-miss places when you're driving/zooming by).  So we've been walking around a lot.
I am also getting used to taxis, taxis everywhere.  And city buses.  My husband got us some bus passes this week so we can try it out a bit.  We're sharing one vehicle and that's different for us too...but it has been fun, actually- sharing a car.  We've been able to work out the scheduling with the car each day so we each have it when we need to.  Still, it's nice to have that bus option, just in case.  My husband's been really good at helping me to find my way around by car- without him I don't know what I'd do.  He's a life saver.  I always have my backup Google Maps plan, too.  I use it about every day now, especially street view.  I'm so vision-oriented that if you just tell me directions I sometimes get lost in a sea of words.  I need to visualize it...so I Google Map it and find out which landmarks are nearby, like "there's a red building next to the stoplight, turn right there".  I'm a bit funny like that, but that's what works for me.  Hubby tried showing me how to use our GPS, but I'm not quite there yet.  He's my GPS guy.
Another thing we're getting accustomed to- apartment living and laundromats.  It takes me back to my college dorm days.  The good thing about our temporary apartment-style living is whenever we have an appliance issue, we just call maintenance.  No having to scout around for a plumber or handyman.  It's also a pretty nice place with some extra perks (like a pool, which NO one has used lately that I know of- unless they just love the idea of swimming in 50 degree weather), and a courtyard, which has been loads of fun for Ny (it's where she meets other kids outside to play soccer).  It's quite an adjustment, though, when it comes down to laundry.  We will probably be moving again really soon and hopefully will have our own washer/dryer again, but until then, I'm just living in the moment, doing what I have to do you know?  Being at the laundromats hasn't been so bad.  The kids have met friends there, and the owner of the laundromat always brings her puppy for the girls to play with while I wash. 
As inconvenient as a lot of this may sound to some, it really has been quite an adventure.  I'm in good spirits now (can u tell?) and nothing can get me down.  Oh, I've had my days when I am tempted to think otherwise...but I just don't let myself go there- at least not for long.  There are too many people who are suffering for me to worry about the small matters of temporary inconvenience- like using laundromats.  It's amazing, too, how God will use those "inconvenient" situations to bring us much joy and show us how rich we are in Him. So I can't complain. 

Wanna know another really cool thing?  Today we unpacked that last box!  (Yippee!)  And now my children's bedroom is livable again.  (Hallelujah!)  Ny and Z are totally enjoying their room now that they have their books and toys organized and a place to relax and listen to their music, play guitar, etc.  They still don't have bedroom furniture yet (dressers, toy boxes, storage bins, etc.), but we figured out a unique way to store their unused books and toys in boxes with lids down, scoot them side by side and cover them with a blanket- then place Ny's showcase items and alarm clock on top for decoration.  Looks just like a small table in the corner of their room, plus it serves a practical purpose (storing items) and makes their room look more decorative.  If I can remember, I'll try to post a picture next time so you can see what I mean.
I am giddy with excitement over the small stuff now.  Everything means the world to me.

More updates:

My oldest daughter, Ny, is now enrolled in a weekly sign language class with an organization that offers a variety of classes in all kinds of subjects to public/private/and homeschool kids.  The classes range from hands-on art (with local experts- yay!), star-gazing and hands-on tours to humanities and foreign languages.  They even offer mock trials and spelling bees.  I am really excited about having Ny be a part of these programs/classes.  Next time we'll probably try out an art class. I'll update on that.

We also have been on a strict wheat-free, gluten-free diet this week (the girls have, at least).  I wanted to see if Z's eczema would clear up.  So far we held out the diet okay, but the girls are getting a little tired of the specialty bread (made of brown rice flour). It's not bad, but it definitely has a harder texture than our typical, soft wheat bread we're so used to.  Everything else went well, from the wheat-free pancakes most mornings, to the wheat-free crackers.  We even skipped the improptu pizza that arrived in our home without warning (thanks to my dear hubby!) and vegged out on our homemade pizza  made with gluten-free flour instead.  Everything was super easy to make and work with (thanks to Whole Foods and Trader Joes).  

This picture doesn't show it, but the wheat-free pasta was really good this evening. I didn't tell the difference, really, between it and the regular pasta.  To me it tasted slightly better than wheat pasta.  For sure, it's way better than quinoa (so if you're thinking of going wheat-free, you might want to eeeease yourself into quinoa pastas if you don't want to confronted with a distinct taste).  Me, I prefer my pasta to taste less and the sauce to taste more.  So the gluten free pasta we used was made of rice flour, which I think has a milder taste.

BTW, those chocolate chip cookies in the middle were the bomb!  The kids also love the crispy rice cereal...tastes very similar to the chocolate rice krispies.

 So this week we've also been out a good bit.

On our walk to the beach, we ran across some deer.

We headed down to the beach where Ny collected a few sea shells to study.

"Look at this sea shell!"

Me too!

Nature- the world's best classroom.

Z wants in on the action

 

An incoming tide

Peaceful.  Imagine seagulls in the background.

While there we met a lady with her toddler, slightly younger than Z (who happens to be really into babies right now, for some reason).  They hit it off really well.  We exchanged phone numbers and there might be a small play date in the making.

Can't forget our weekly preschool storytimes at the library.

Later on that day I also met some hippies and I mean that in the literal sense.   Besides homeschooling, which we do have in common, there were so many things we didn't have in common (they were dressed differently, live pretty much free of electronic gadgets, and taught me a bunch about hemp seed oil!)  They were pretty cool and I enjoyed talking to them.  It also made me realize how that in our preconceived notions about people and even places, we can sometimes rule out the best opportunities to let God use us- or even just teach us, for that matter.  I also realized just how narrow-minded we can tend to be (as Christians or even just as people who are accustomed to one type of culture).  If we overlook outward appearance and learn to truly connect with people even if they are different from us, we can probably find a lot more in common than we think.  And even if we can't, there is a purpose in the appointment. (You never know what God wants you to learn through your divine connections unless you drop the judgementalism and listen up to His prompting). 
I honestly didn't mean to get all preach-y right there...but I am just excited about the things God is showing me, even if they seem miniscule or elementary to some.  Again, the small things are important to me now!  Being uprooted cross-country kind of did that to me.

Anyway, there are some cool things happening in my neighborhood and we want to get involved.
This weekend is our community's "Good Ol' Days" celebration- carnivals, bands, food samples, parades and all kinds of fun stuff are in the works.  The Chamber of Commerce is expecting over 30,000 visitors to show up, so it will be super crowded.  It's right around the corner from my house, but I definitely don't plan to move the car- no telling if I will find parking.  We're planning to walk or bus downtown and enjoy it together- so that's a fun outing we look forward to this weekend.


Then in a few weeks our family plans to celebrate Passover.  We have a local messianic congregation that might be hosting a passover seder, so I'll be checking into that.  Either way, we'll have our own at home also.
Speaking of that-- we're still looking for a good church to plug into (although I admit we've visited one at least twice that might be the winner!) It has a nice children's department and is more of the charismatic nature.  We love the worship and the messages are life changing.  It also helps to hear that familiar southern accent (the pastor's from the south) out in the middle of the west coast.  Makes me feel at home :-)

As for Z...she really is growing up a lot and changing right before my eyes this week.  I realize now how much her efforts at learning sometimes get lost in the shuffle when we focus a lot our school time on my 3rd grader.  Sometimes it's easy to let the preschoolers coast along, forgetting that they are no longer infants or toddlers and can really use some intellectual stimulation besides a bit of coloring and block-building.  I finally got the message when she started to literally beg me this week: "Mommy, do gool (school)?  Gool?  I want you to do gool with me".  She surprises me all the time with her little quips and sayings.  Like, "Mommy, I want to be a mommy one day."  Uh....okay we need to wait a few decades on that one!  Or my favorite one: "Mommy, I want to be married."  Well.  I can only hope she says these things because  she thinks (after living in our home and observing me and her dad for some time now -ha!)- that being married is fun.  Either way, she's a funny one.  Keeps me laughing and is very insightful.

So, here's a cool activity we did today.  Some matching, sorting, and counting using activity kits I made from this workbook:

"Take It To Your Seat Phonics Centers" .  Publisher: Evan Moor.
 (we got grades PreK-K)

If you can get this on Ebay or on sale somewhere it's worth it for preschoolers.  I think they have the math centers too.
Basically, you have to cut them out and laminate them yourself, so there is some work involved.  But once you get the envelopes created for each activity you are set for years.  I originally made these for Ny when she was 4- and I am reusing them now, 4 years later for my 2nd kid.
If I get inspired to create my own (I've been tempted to save some money and try to do it myself), I'll let you know.  That all depends on if time permits and I feel up to a fun challenge!  If I do decide to create a few of these myself I'll be sure to post these and, of course, add these as resources for you to download too.
I'm not promising anything-- but maybe.  We'll see.

Well...that's enough updating for now.  I said a mouthful in an hour and it's time for bed. 
I'll keep you posted.

Grateful

Well...while I've been thinking about how to get our family more connected into the community (making friends, going places, etc.), I  realized just how much we really have to be grateful for.
 One reader left a comment that this is an "adventure", and the more I thought about the more I have to concur...it truly is an adventure - and yes, this is a stretch for me.  But it's an adventure nonetheless-- and it is a gift.
I must constantly remind myself that this job opportunity was an answer to years and years of prayer, and this entire move (though not in the least the type I would have originally wanted) is a gift from God.  He is the ultimate orchestrator in our lives, and I am daily yielding to His will, even if at first it feels a little scary.  There is always a blessing on the other side.  Plus, it's not as if we are overseas (which, when I was younger, was the kind of move my parents and I had to live with).
So now that the excitement of getting here, getting unpacked and settled in is in process, I figure it's time to really start enjoying life here.


So, here are some things I am grateful for this week

1. Good weather.

First of all, the weather here has been extremely beautiful the past 2 days.  It's typically a bit chilly over here on the Central Coast.
So of course, we had to play at the park.

 

 

Sisterly love

a little sand play

 

 

2.  I am grateful for these parks nearby.  

It turns my kids' school days into hours of fun.  Right after our lessons we can head out and enjoy beautiful scenery (even if the weather is cool, which is typical for this region). 

Maybe it's  not so visible, but there are some folks out on the lake paddle boating.  It's right next to the park and is just a peaceful view.

 3. Beautiful scenery, afternoon walks, nature, and the Pacific Ocean.

I'm smiling and shivering...it's a little chilly

The Pacific Ocean

Striking a pose for Ny

4.)  Fun places to take the kids to eat

5.)  Another thing I am extremely grateful for is the natural, organic produce that is grown right here on this soil. 

Because there are so many organic farms which care about the way they raise their livestock and grow their crops, California has a lot of opportunity to offer some of the healthiest foods to the community- and the nation.  I didn't realize how much of our foods back home were shipped directly from California.  I guess that also explains why some of the produce didn't quite make it through (poor strawberries!)  They had a long shipping process.
So while I have this opportunity to frequent farmer's markets (there are two big ones here), I've been picking up some items here and there.  Mostly I've been looking into changing my kids' diets - eventually we'll work on me and my husband!  Z seems to have a bit of eczema- it's not a major deal, but it's still bothersome and I wonder if Ny's sinuses could also have something to do with her diet. There are some other issues I've noticed too, and I just wonder if changing our diets will do the trick.
I was talking to a friend who completely cut out the dairy in her diet and noticed a remarkable difference-- so, I may start there.
I'm looking for starting points for a diet change right now.  Maybe we should visit a nutritionist or natural health specialist- another thing I am grateful for (the fact that there are holistic care practices on just about every corner here).
Anyhow, besides the few farmer's market outings, here are some items I picked up at Whole Foods the other day.

Back home this would have cost about $10 or so.  This is 16 oz. of salad...but b/c lettuce is grown here so cheaply I paid about $4.99 from Whole Foods.

Healthy, healthy, healthy. 

The natural milk with cream rising to the top was quite a treat for my husband.  Different, to say the least.  It was rich, organic, and straight from the farm.  I'm not sure what the container fee was for (you have to pay for the glass container separately along with the price of the milk). They ask that you bring back the container to the store when you're done.  This is all new and different for me.

Now the kefir was something I have been reading about for ages.  In another post soon, I'll have to share with you some books I'm reading on natural health.  I've been reading Jordan Rubin for years now, and he highly recommends kefir which is extremely rich in active probiotics, good for digestive health.  It's better than the sugary-laden yogurts we usually purchase, but because it has a bit of that sour, true-yogurt taste, it takes some getting used to for Ny who loves her sugary, strawberry (artificially) flavored yogurt cups.  Z, on the other hand, just gobbles it right up and asks for more.  With time I think we'll all get used to it.
Now...whenever we start doing our elimination diet and remove the dairy we'll say goodbye to the kefir for just a little while.
One non-dairy product we've been using for a long time is that almond milk you see pictured above.  The kids have grown to love this and prefer it over cow's milk.  Now when they taste plain cow's milk they wrinkle their noses and ask, "Mom...is this real milk?"
Funny!
We tried that almond cheese you see in the pic above...BUT.  Uh...it tasted pretty bad.  I was able to fool the kids for one day only.  They ate the almond cheese in a turkey sandwhich and didn't notice the difference.  But when Ny went into to the kitchen to fix herself some crackers and cheese one evening, she tasted the cheese by itself and had a hard time overcoming that awful taste!!!! :-) 
To give it some credit, it does have a bit of a cheddar taste, but mostly it's nutty (hence, almond cheese!)...so it's definitely weird.
Anyhoo...

6.)  Oh, and speaking of Ny fixing herself a snack, here is another grateful moment.

Ny wakes up one morning this week and helps me make breakfast!

Toasted tuscan bread, scrambled eggs, with a side of grits and butter

Oh, did I mention how extremely difficult it is to find grits out here?  Yeah...I'm from the South.  Gotta have my grits.

Enjoying their meal

Building castles with blocks after breakfast

7.)  So, I'm grateful for kids that will pitch in and help mama out some mornings with breakfast, or running the vacuum, cleaning up, things like that.  I'm grateful that they trust me to teach them and lead them and that God gave them to me.  I am so grateful for my kids.

8.)  Oh, and I am grateful for the good times we are beginning to learn to have out here in our new city.

The fam eating pizza at Lover's Point park.

I am sure more good times and grateful moments will follow in the days ahead.  Sometimes it's about looking for the good and not the bad.  Even when we are tempted to complain or grouch, we have to realize, my goodness, God has been VERY good to all of us.
I told Ny just the other day, "I bet if you forget about all the things you really want and enjoy the things we already have, you'll really start to enjoy yourself!"  And then I realized that my own statement applied to me, too.  Just look around.  Life is for the taking.  No time for self pity or worry or complaints.  Sure, there are a lot of things we have yet to do in order to get settled here...but oh my, how much WORSE could things have been!  We are blessed.  So I'm learning to complain less, worry less and enjoy life MORE. :-)

Learning to be grateful.

Trying to get connected

Wow-- I was just checking my calendar the other day when I realized we have actually been in California now for one month.  A little over a month, really.

And during this month of moving in and getting acclimated to our new environment, my kids and I have been jumping in all these different activities held around the community, but not really involved connected.
I have to admit, getting connected has not been the easiest feat.  It's like our roots are still back home and we're just floating around trying to tie those loose ends to some anchor out here.  I know it's important to find those connection points, and that it takes time (sometimes months or even years for many people), but for the kids especially it just hasn't been happening fast enough.

Ny asked me the other day why none of the kids seem to come out in the neighborhood to play.  I thought that was a good question.  She seemed peeved by it (and I would be too if I were 8 and needed some playmates!), so I did what any mama who loves her kids and believes in God would do.  I prayed.
"Mama, maybe some girls my age will come out in the courtyard tomorrow and I'll be outside at the same time", Ny said.
Yeah, maybe.  I didn't give it a second thought.  Until the next day (which happened to be yesterday) I noticed a few girls around her age outside in the courtyard playing ball.
Whoot!  "Get on your shoes and go play!" I yell...and Ny is off running outdoors.
Finally the beginnings of what I hope to be a good play group for her around our home. 
Prayer really does work, and the faith that children have-- phenomenal.  Now, if I can only have the same kind of faith for myself.
While hubby is at work, I've just been kind of getting us settled in.  He's been out making those work-related connections.
But on my end, I haven't really gotten involved with anything since we've been here -- not any thing that's not kid-related, that is.  We visited this church downtown that we really liked this past Sunday and I am thinking of joining one of the small groups.  I love that they have an awesome kids ministry and my children seem to enjoy it there (that's always one of the first things I check for before settling on a church). 
I did sign up for a Pilates class this weekend, but I'm wondering if I'll really follow through with it or postpone it.
At this point I am still in the out-of-sorts mode- still unpacking a few things at a time and arranging our lives here at home. We still can't find a few items (I know they're in a box somewhere)...and there are times when I just get so frustrated because I want this stage of the unpacking and settling process be over.  Completely over.
I want to sit on my patio and enjoy a fresh cup of tea and watch the sunset without the nagging reminder of the boxes in my living room I still have yet to unpack.  I'm tempted to leave them packed in case we move in a few months down the road a piece -- but...there's always that unsettled feeling one gets from realizing they still have unpacked boxes.  I want to feel settled.

Part of that unsettled feeling will be quenched once I make some connections, meet some people and make some friends...and being thousands of miles away from the only friends and family I know makes it all the more important to me.  It's like a necessity. 
I don't see how anybody could do it alone.
This is a bustling military town where re-locations and new faces are a natural part of the life and blood of what makes this place unique.  I am positively certain that there are other stay at home moms in this city who are experiencing the same feelings as I am.  Just wish we could run into each other?

S-T-R-E-T-C-H

These past few weeks have been stretching...s-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g me...to say the least.

Three weeks have turned into nearly a month and yet I feel as though I've been in Monterey for a very long time.  But it's not quite "home" just yet, and I still have so much sorting out to do- both mentally and, yeah, physically (unpacking, shifting around boxes, making space, etc.)  And although moving in was a lot easier than moving out of our home in Alabama, it's still a pretty tremendous transition to be suddenly transplanted from the South to the West Coast.

My stretching this week has a lot to do with finding my way around the city and navigating.  This place is not difficult to get around in- there are taxis and citi buses everywhere and once you learn the map and know which streets are one ways, you can get around.  The cool thing about Monterey is the amount of people riding bikes or walking and jogging along the recreational trail.  It's definitely a place to stay green and active and I'm hoping to add a daily walk in the city as part of my own regimen, but for now...I'm just happy to find my way around to the local grocery store, pharmacy, library, parks, stuff like that.

The other big stretch for me is making new friends.  So far I have met a lot of nice people, but I haven't really connected with anyone on a friendship level- and yeah I know I have to be patient-- friendships take time.  I guess I am in such a hurry to pick up where I left off in life before Monterey that it's been a bit of an adjustment for me to start completely over from scratch.  Family and friends are far, far away.

But you know what?  I'm not afraid or scared...just feeling really STRETCHED right now.  It's like the Lord is showing me how to truly be transilient, how to really, truly trust Him for His provision in my family's life.

The move here was a blessing and a miracle in itself.  Maybe one day I'll be at liberty to talk about how God worked all of this out for us, but it was definitely a move we needed and saw coming (just not one we thought would take us this far away from family and friends).  But it was an answer to our core prayer, and my husband and I are really extremely thankful.

Just being stretched right now.  New job, new environment, new place, new people--need to find a church, trying to get plugged in wherever we can.

That kind of stuff.

Pray for us?

Oh, and I'm thinking really seriously about switching over to Blogger (blogspot).  This domain name will expire in a few months and I'm not sure it's worth renewing it.  I'll give you a heads up if I should decide to switch.

Okay...well off to story time for my kids here in Pacific Grove.

Settling in

These past 2 weeks have been a whirlwind of moving in and getting settled...but still we've found time to get in some educational fun.  Z is drawing sky pictures on our bay window.

Paper plates and fixing your own meals.  I'm almost tempted to keep that going :-)

 

Ny works on Saxon math 

Z sorts shapes for math

Then the furniture arrives- whew! 

 So...we get out of the house for a change of scenery.

Taking a walk to the beach behind our home.  It's definitely not "beach" weather so we're still in sweaters and hoodies, but we are just grateful for the change of scenery.

So beautiful.

I am hoping that this move will teach me to rest.  Really.

Every time I view the surrounding nature I just want to bask in God's presence.  I want to relax and enjoy the true peace of God- not the kind that comes from trying to be "supermom", or from home education, or from money (with or without), or from friends or family (although SO important)-- but my foundation has to be, HAS to be, in the peace of God.  The only True Peace is Jesus.  It's in Him.

The Big Move- from Alabama to California

So in my last post our family was in a transition- putting homeschool on hold for a while  (I've deleted that post, by the way...)

Well...hello, homeschooling again!

Shortly after I wrote that post, my husband received a job offer that would require us to relocate to California. 

So, four weeks later, here we are in Monterey- and after considering all of our educational options here, we decided to hop back in to the homeschooling mode.

Hello, California- again.



Can you believe I said all of that so passe?  Really?


I think I just haven't really had a chance to let this all marinate.  In four weeks we packed up our family and drove cross country, uprooted our lives to live in a place where we don't know a soul.  We said goodbye to dear friends and family.
Whoa.

Still though, I guess it's nice to be back in sunny Cali--I lived here as a kid, spent a few, short years in Atwater with my parents.  I just never thought I'd be back to live, but anyway, here we are.

Hello, homeschooling- again.

I still haven't quite figured out how I'm going to mix that in with new business I just began, but I'm remaining positive that it will somehow work out.  My kids have had enough transition and change as it is, and putting them in to the local public school here wouldn't be a BAD idea...just not the best for now.

I want the best for each season of their lives.  If there's anything I've learned over the past few months, it's how to be open to the different seasons in our lives as a family...and I don't have to tie our family down to any one mode or the next.  To be open to God's leading in our lives is important.   Being resistant to change means we'll simply make a religion out of our mode of lives...but is that meaningful?  I think God is showing me how to transition easier, and be open to His guidance.

The drive here was a treat.

Arizona with its dry climate and cattle galore.

As soon as we hit New Mexico I knew were nearing the West Coast.  The mountainous region was dry with its infamous red adobe, rocky hills and gentle sunlight.

We were COLD, though...even though it looks sunny!

We're so cold our eyes are squeezed shut!

The winds were blowing some cold, gusty winds our way that day.  It was around 53 degrees...
We drove an hour or so longer and suddenly were in the snowy mountains of Arizona...

This is probably the longest train I've ever seen.

Closer to California my battery went dead on the camera and I wasn't able to capture the beauty of freshly cut green grass on beautiful rolling hills, majestic mountains, free range cattle that somehow made it to the top of these high hills, and nearly perfectly aligned crops of every sort (strawberries, wheat, orange groves, vineyards) grown all over the earth of Cali.  I did manage to catch a few the second day after we arrived to Bakersfield.  Maybe 100 miles out we ended up in the middle of some breath-taking ranches, rolling hills, and small mountains covered in luscious, green grass.

At times, the free range cows would come out to play.  It was a strange experience being so close to cows...but in a serene environment.  All natural.  I couldn't catch a snapshot of the animals, though.  Ny may have captured some on her camera.

It's amazing the startling difference in climate and landscape from one region of California to the next.   You can be in the snow capped moutains in skis and and snowsuit and minutes later be sunbathing out on the beach.  One minute we're on a cattle ranch, the next we're in a bustling city surrounded by palm trees.

This was the biggest field trip of our lives.  Ny studied the maps the entire way and got pretty good at letting us know how many miles we were away from the next town or the nearest Sam's Club (the $10 Sam's Club Atlas was a lifesaver, by the way!)  We mapped out all of our gas stops and hotel stays before we set out and gas was definitely cheaper at Sam's.  Once we arrive in California we made the mistake of stopping at a local gas station and paid about $4.30 a gallon for gas.

So, there you have it...most of our trip and highlights of some of our memories driving over.  Add in nightly Marriot stays (it pays to be a member if you travel a lot- you can redeem those points back for some cool rewards and we got continental breakfast and light dinners free each night), some Israel Houghton for background music effects, Veggie Tales DVD's in the backseat, restroom stops every 3 hours and a cooler full of juices and snacks for the kids and that was pretty much our entire trip.  Oh, and throw in some extra doses of prayer, especially during those drives through the mountains.

I look forward to our new life here- to see what God has in store and to get plugged in to the community here.  In my next post, I'll have some pics of the kids and what they've been up to.