Because you all rock so hard and have been faithfully reading and praying for our family during this 'moving-madness' (as I will now affectionately refer to it), I thought I'd give you a glimpse into how things are playing out for us.
It's been wonderful to see how the Lord has made our path straight and has been so faithful in providing for us through all the details. It's the best reassurance there is that we're right where He'll have us.
Rundown 1. So for starters, as I told you yesterday, we have some dear friends of ours that will be renting our house. I can't tell you how happy this makes me. Live on, my dear gardens.
Rundown 2. We found a house to rent! As the Lord would have it, I stumbled across an ad for a home in the local Fairhope newspaper. There were no pictures, but after a quick phone call with the landlord, I knew it was a house we'd need to look into. Again, the Lord was faithful in providing us with a wonderful contact in Fairhope (Hey Meredith!) that was more than willing to meet the landlord and walk through the home for us. I can't even tell you how wonderful it feels to just know somebody's name down there. I love her already and I've never even met her.
Anyway, the house is a 3 bedroom, 1 bath old cottage. The hardwood floors are worn, and it needs a little TLC, but the price was right and it is only 1.5 miles from the school where Stu will be teaching. Which is good because...
Rundown 3. We sold Stu's truck. So he no longer has a car. We're hoping we can get by with one for awhile, as he'll be within biking distance (or a quick lift from me) of the school. This will help us save on gas, insurance, and maintenance. Again, the Lord was incredibly faithful in helping us with this task. We didn't have to advertise it or anything - it just fell into our lap and worked out wonderfully. I am very thankful this wasn't a headache for us.
Rundown 4. My brother-in-law Jeremy was able to get time off from playing music to join Stuart in the drive to Alabama. Which means I don't have to ride 2,700 miles in a U-Haul, pregnant, and with Georgia. Hallelujah! I. Am. Rejoicing. Because we were then able to downsize to the smaller truck (since we only needed two seats now), even with buying a plane ticket for me and G, we were still able to save over $700.
Plus, I think it'll be wonderful for them to have the time together.
Plus, boys can not shower for 4 days and it's no big deal.
Plus, they can camp on the ground and not have to worry about things like Pak-n-Plays.
Plus, I'm pretty sure they can usually hold their urine longer than most females (especially pregnant ones), which I'm sure will make driving easier. I'm assuming, anyway.
Rundown 5. I convinced Stuart that they should head out on the road a day earlier than originally planned. I lay awake in bed one night with this horrible image of landing in Mobile with a grumpy baby, only to find out they were still a days drive away. That would be horrible. Horrible, I tell you! I'm going to be so sad and emotionally drained when I arrive, the only thing I'll want is my husband's arms around me. So he better be there. Every single day I make him promise he'll make it to Alabama by the time we arrive.
He assures me he will.
He better be.
Rundown 6. My good friend, Natali, volunteered to host a cleaning party at our current house once we're all packed and outta here. Thank you, Jesus. And Natali. I feel so blessed to have such wonderful people who are actively seeking out ways to bless our family during this time. What a help that's going to be! By the end of this, I may or may not still be alive. Only time will tell.
Rundown 7. I learned that the first week we'll be in Fairhope is the opening of brown shrimp season. Booya. A low-country-boil is on the to-do list before Jeremy flys back to Washington. Here's a photograph of the culinary adventure that awaits us:
Rundown 8. I'm hungry. For shrimp. It is now time to quit typing and eat something. Priorities, baby.
Thank you all for your continued prayers! The support we've received from our readers is such a blessing.
It's helping make the 'moving-madness' not quite as 'mad'.
Part of me wants to sit and suck my thumb and pout instead of writing this post. But I'll try and put on my big girl pants and rally. For your sake.
To go forward, we must go back. About ten weeks back, to be exact, when I started my dear tomatoes from seed for the first time.
They lovingly grew, though a little leggy. But I didn't mind. They were my very first seed tomatoes and I was just happy they'd made it. Though some gardeners find the task of seed starting to be tedicious, I find it quite enjoyable. All you've got to do is show those little seedlings a little specific love and soon they're producing fruit to feed your family. It's a miracle!
All the more reason it's so difficult for me to be packing up to leave my dear gardens. My seedlings. My tomatoes.
But the Lord is faithful, even in trials. Turns out, our good friends Jason and Aileen will be renting our house once we leave. Which means my gardens will not be left to die - they have been given wonderful caretakers. Friends who can enjoy the bounty of what has been sown. How neat is that!
So yesterday, as much as it pained me, I spent some time out in the gardens finally planting out my tomatoes. I'd given away most of the starts, since I knew we'd be leaving, but I am thankful I at least kept a few.
Because the tomatoes grew kind of leggy (too much fish emulsion, perhaps?), I decided to try a new planting method with them called the 'trench planting method', which is exactly what it sounds like - the tomato plants are planted in a trench.
This is beneficial for a few reasons.
First, it keeps you from digging too deep of a hole. The problem with deep digging is that the further you dig down into the soil, the colder the soil becomes. Tomatoes don't like cold soil, my friend. Using the trench method, the entire plant remains only six or so inches below the soil surface where it is nice and warm. This makes them happy.
Also, trenching your tomatoes allows you to bury the first few sets of leaves on the plant. The tomatoes will eventually grow roots from these spots - thus, by trenching, you can help the tomatoes to grow deep, wide, and strong root systems - which will lead to a healthier and more productive plant. Booya.
I know it's sort of hard to make out my method amongst the wood chips, but I at least hope the photos give you a rough idea of the process. A six inch by eighteen inch trench is dug. The tomato plant is placed sideways in the trench (removed from the container, of course).
Roots and the bottom set of leaves are recovered by dirt. The top is slightly bent and secured against a trellis for support (eventually, the tomato plant will grow straight again).
For the meanwhile, I used a simple bamboo stake and twist ties for support. One of the twist ties ended up in Georgia's mouth.
Who was having such a fantastic day, as you can tell.
This is my first time using the trenching system, and obviously I won't be here to see the results, but from what I've read, it seems to be a good option for our zone (where tomatoes can easily be delayed by cold weather/soil).
Maybe Aileen will send me some pictures of the harvest.
Wahhhh!!
But onwards and upward we go.
And there is more good news: I'll still be able to start some tomatoes once we arrive in Alabama - they have a looooong growing season. I don't think we'll jump into building garden beds right away (something tells me we'll be pretty busy for awhile), but I do hope to at least grow a few goodies in some pots.
Like some tomatoes.
And kale.
And maybe peppers even!
This is a period of my life where I am very grateful for real farmers, grocery stores, and farmers markets.
And friends who will care for your tomatoes.
And Amen.
Mother's Day is interesting, once you become a Mom to your own children.
You start seeing things in a new light.
"So this is what Mom feels..." A love that you can't quite comprehend until you understand what it's like to be a Mother yourself.
After a wonderful morning at Church yesterday and a delicious afternoon spent with my husband and sweet little G-baby (did I mention it included an Oreo blizzard?), we make the fifteen minute drive up to my parents house to say Happy Mothers Day! in person.
After a few hours spent on the porch in the sunshine talking about the gardens and the presence of alligators in Alabama, we headed back inside for some water.
Feeling sick and ya know, pregnant, I stared at the refrigerator. What did I feel like eating? Was I hungry? Was I going to vomit? Did I need to lay down? I didn't know.
Whatcha need, darling?, my Mom asked.
I don't know. I'm just having a moment. I don't know what's wrong with me, I replied as I leaned my head against the side of the fridge.
Sit down. I'll fix you something.
I sat and yapped my Mom's ear off about packing and tomato plants. Diapers and desks. Emotions and the physical changes of pregnancy. All the while, she prepared a meal for me - just for me - and yapped right back.
Ten minutes later, she served up a black bean burger (no bun) with fresh spinach, peppers, and avocado. Oh, and a bowl of strawberries, bananas, toasted almonds, and honey.
Thank you, Lord. And Mom. I swear, that meal saved my life. It was one of those soul nourishing meals - you know the kind I mean?
How is it that Moms just know these things? They know what we need, often before we do. They know how to heal our hurts, even when we don't. They know how to love us in a way that is so genuine - so real.
It's just the way a Momma works, I suppose.
And now that I only have a short month left in driving distance of my Mom, I'm really starting to appreciate this time spent together in a way I hadn't before. Because in a few short weeks, there won't be a Mom there to know what I need before I do. Or cook me wonderful pregnancy meals. Or let me sit at her counter for hours talking about all the troubles on my heart.
That's real Momma love. And I'm so blessed to have it.
And since yesterday was my first Mothers Day as a Momma of two (so what if one of them is only the size of a large olive!), I was able to enjoy this Momma love all the more.
Oh a less serious note, I got quite the compliment yesterday. Stuart told me he was glad I was his baby mama.
Such a romantic, that one.
Here's to hoping you have an overflowing supply of Momma love in your life! There just nothing better.
