Update from Sunny CA

When moving more than 1000 miles and down sizing 2000 sq ft, I highly recommend that you sell everything you have and just start over. If the phrase "might need this" is in the decision to keep or purge - get rid of it because I promise you won't have room for it and a 2 door garage can only hold so much stuff labeled "might need this." Besides, the garage is supposed to house your car(s). At this point we can't even squeeze the bicycles in much less the Jeep or Pilot. We can't even squeeze ourselves in without passing around, over, and through all the wall to wall, floor to ceiling boxes of stuff we don't know what to do with, the area for the laundry (washer and dryer in the garage), the extra refrigerator, the furniture that has no place, the baby paraphernalia (because we can't decide if one child is enough -- you would think at 40, that would be an easy decision), the treadmill, the weight bench, the tools, the shelves, yeah...ya gettin' the picture? One word - ridiculous! Prayer request - we will get rid of the stuff we don't need, organize the stuff we do but can't fit, sell the stuff we don't use, and fit the bicycles and the Jeep in the garage sometime before Christmas.

The little house we found to rent is not little at all by CA standards and (by the way, God literally directed us to this house so we can't argue it's space) we have started to make home. We've had to rethink many things including what furniture works in a small house. Everything we had was too big, too much, too dark, too everything. We have sold much of what we brought with us (refer to paragraph one) and started over. We feel like it's home now and have begun to find a routine of sorts. We have managed to set up a guest room that also is the office. So there's a place for you if you want to visit. Turned the closet into an office. Took off the doors, painted, hung pictures, put in a small desk. Could've been something right off the home improvement channel. Very cute and efficient. JD had to give up his theater. This might as well been a death in the family. But we've since recovered and now watch a plasma. I must say, although significantly smaller than the 106" screen in TX, the picture on this thing is absolutely beautiful. We've been TiVoing Plant Earth and it is stunning. We have a great covered patio that has much potential. When we have patio furniture, it will be the place to have a meal and sit and visit while watching and smelling the roses bloom, listening to the birds sing, watching the humming birds eat and protecting the nest of eggs and pair of birds in the crook of the roof and beam. In the meantime, Colin loves to ride his toys back and forth and Tumbleweed (our cat) loves to sunbathe. Request: The we learn to live in our space with ease and gratitude.

Our bedroom has two big windows that when left open at night actually makes the room cold by morning. There's a huge tree in the font yard that makes good shade for the south side of the house (same side as the bedroom windows) It is such a great space. Huge for a master bedroom considering the state we live in and the age of the house (17 yrs). I loved it so much that I wanted to make the room feel like CA. Many of you know the linens we had in TX (dark, formal, heavy, big). I've since boxed it and put in the...YES you guessed it....the garage and replaced it with something light, airy, fun. So all was going well and JD and I were loving our room, sleeping with the windows open and then the new neighbor moved in. My guess is he was evicted from his previous residence because of all the noise he makes late at night. Although not a "night owl" he definitely prefers the night to do his work. I would say he's in the entertainment business, appropriate for LA. However, the quality of his work lacks something to be desired. Don't think he's gonna win a grammy any time soon. He is loud and obnoxious, relentless and consistent. His biggest performance is always around 3 am. I'm not sure who to call about this or I would have already made the call. Needless to say we have been sleeping with the windows shut for the last two or three weeks. He's ruining our CA vibe we had going. I would fight him if I thought I could win ..he's not very big. But he's faster and definitely younger, and he's got one huge advantage - he can fly. Request: that a timely death will come upon our mockingbird neighbor.

Speaking of having the windows closed. We now no longer hear the neighborhood noise at night (still can hear Mr. Mockingbird however). So, we missed the kid(s) who decided it would be fun to throw eggs at the Jeep while the doors and top were off. Senseless. I think we got it all cleaned out but what a pain. Seriously! Not the way you want your eggs in the morning. Request: that a timely death will come upon kid(s) who threw the eggs....kidding. Request: that whoever did it, doesn't feel the need to do it again.

JD is working hard and putting in many hours. It is to be expected with a new position. But because of the hours and the newness of everything and just trying to plug the holes that are sinking the ship he comes home exhausted. Yet he always finds time to play with Colin. He doesn't just tolerate Colin or absently try to pacify him but actually engages, teaches, listens, plays with him. I'm always very moved by his love for our son and relieved because by the time JD does get home, I'm in serious need of a break from the kid, I don't care how cute he is. Really, JD's work is hard right now. He works long hours and needs some time to reenergize. Request: That JD finds the necessary time to fill his emotional / spiritual / and physical tanks. All are running dangerously low.

Speaking of Colin and I, overall we're doing good, however, we get tired of just us. He and I are very similar in our strong-willedness and by the end of the day we battle. I'm still winning the war because I'm bigger but there are times that JD has to call time out...and we (Colin and I) get time out. JD said to me, "I'm not sure who to reprimand here." I try to tell him that it isn't like that all day, just usually at the end of the day because we're both tired and both tired of each other. Once Daddy gets home Colin tells me, "You go in the kitchen Mommy." Apparently, that's where mothers belong when not wanted by their children anymore. I find that funny because I can count the meals I've made at this house on one hand. Colin and I are still discovering things to do in Simi Valley. We try to leave the house everyday for something or other. Colin has a few favorites now that he requests. They usually involve water so instead of dressing him in shorts, I just dress him in swimsuits. He has 6 to choose from. He only has 4 pair of shorts. We miss our friends. We miss our play dates. This separation from his friends has forced Colin make friends with anyone that's his size. Yesterday, at a water spray park he latched onto a little girl that was really cute. He kept trying to engage her in play but her Grandfather, just an old crusty fart, wasn't going to have it. It made me sad, mad and homesick. There are moments of loneliness for both of us for different reasons. There are times of sincere grief. Request: that Colin and I have more patience with each other when it's just the two of us and we meet and engage with friends.

Colin has given up naps. Oh, how I miss his naps. Anyway, he has also decided that his crib is a "bus with lots of tunnels". I don't know what that means but I don't think it's good. I think it's "scary." He has a little love seat in his room. Currently, we (he won't go to bed by himself anymore since we moved) fall asleep on the love seat and then I move him to the crib. So to solve the problem, I've ordered him a "big boy bed". His crib converts to a toddler bed and then into a full bed. I'm going to skip to toddler part as it would still feel like a bus with lots of tunnels and just move him into a full bed. We keep talking about the big boy bed and what that means. I don't think it has registered to him that he will now be free to move about the cabin. But when he does....we will battle to say the least. The mattress set should arrive early next week. Oh, Lord help me. Request: Colin learns to sleep in his big boy bed, by himself, without fear and will stay in the bed.

Colin also is beginning to get the concept of potty training. I'm not forcing it but I gently prod him along. I swore that while in Costco recently that I had just bought my last box of diapers for the child. One should never swear about anything. Learning to potty in the potty is actually the least of my worries for him. Losing the "pi" is more fretful for me. Colin still has a pacifier. He refers to it as his "pi" (said like pie). The truth is, I'm more addicted to the thing than he is. I know that weaning him off is in my future. I've heard many creative ideas of how to break him of it. I know it's coming. Request: that I will have the wisdom, patience, and fortitude to let go of the pi when it's time.