I didn’t have a chance to post my “Merry Christmas!” message on here, but I do hope you had a blessed Christmas! So we finally made it to Ohio. We arrived on Christmas Eve. If you saw my announcement about moving you may be thinking it took a little longer than you’d expect. You would be right! I’m pretty sure most moves don’t go as planned, but this one was particularly an adventure – not the good kind of adventure, though! The good news is, though, we made it! We finished unloading the truck today and are excited for our new adventure – the good kind of adventure!
One thing is for sure – the weather was totally against us. I said we were leaving on the 21st, but we didn’t. The day we got the moving truck it rained – ALL DAY. We got a few things on, but just a few. It gave us an opportunity to spend more time with our families before we left, though I am sad I didn’t get to see my grandma because she was in the hospital and not feeling up to company.
We did get to see my other family, and while we’re visiting our youngest, who had a cold at the time, started coughing so hard it made him sick to his stomach. I feared he wouldn’t be well enough for the move, but it was just a one time thing!
Upon returning to the house to load more stuff on to the truck so we could at least leave the next day, we discover our dog had gotten out, and I had to go find her. She’s not typically a runner, but since we weren’t home she decided not to go back. *Sigh*
We still weren’t finished that night, so we woke up and got right to work. It took much longer than I imagined finishing up all the little stuff and picking up and vacuuming the floors. Finally, though we’d be on our way!
It was almost dinner time when we left, so we talked about a more realistic goal for where we’d stop for the night because originally we planned on only one stop in Tennessee. We knew we’d have to stop in Arkansas but were hopeful we could drive straight through from there.
My husband’s alarm didn’t go off, so we left much later than expected, but we were off again! It was raining – and raining and raining and raining. By the time it was getting dark visibility wasn’t ideal. Since I fought a migraine the day before and was fighting fatigue that day, we just decided it would be best to stop again – in Tennessee where we planned to stop the first time! I felt like we’d never make it!
I bathed the dog and cat at the hotel because even though our cat did much better than I expected he still made a mess on himself, and the dog just plain smelled! Ha! So we had clean pets and a chance to get more sleep, though it was probably the worst hotel I’ve ever stayed, but this post is long enough, so I’ll spare the details. 😉
We didn’t need our alarm that morning as the cat decided to knock the gerbil cage off the table, and we startled out of bed to see the damage. Our daughter amazingly caught both gerbils (who were now loose) in one snatch. Phew!
It was super early, but if we wanted to get there at a decent time, we figured we might as well leave. It was Christmas Eve, so we wanted to see our family!
Off we went in the gloomy, rainy weather. We heard it might be snowing up in Ohio that night, so we were hoping to get there before the snow. There never was any snow, but it was gloomy, windy, and rainy the whole way there. The WHOLE WAY. It was terrible. Plus my husband, who was ahead of me in the moving truck, discovered our headlights weren’t working in automatic mode. I’m sure this is because you cannot move without some type of vehicle issue.
I was fighting my fatigue again, a headache, and a stomach ache surely brought on by the stress, so we had to make frequent stops. At this point I wasn’t even sure we’d make it there at a decent time that night – if at all! I just kept praying and praying that we’d be able to get through the final stretch.
We did! We arrived on Christmas Eve just before dinner. We walked in to the sweetest surprise – a Christmas tree with decorations and some goodies under the tree to welcome us to our new home. It was such an amazing blessing. We were finally home – and just in time for Christmas!
I have been trying to catch up on blog posts to discover my computer has malware, and I was going to have to get rid of it first. Plus our internet won’t be connected until Tuesday, but I’m here posting from my phone. I cleared the malware, so I should be “back” soon. In the meantime we’re working on putting things behind us and starting our new adventure. We had amazing help with unloading the truck today, got to the store for some winter gear, and got a few basics for the house. We are so ready to settle in to our home.
It seems most moves have at least something that doesn’t go as planned. Have you ever had a move that went as planned or one like ours that was a bit of a disaster?
Tomorrow is Moving Day!
Wow, it’s been a whirlwind of a year. I think “refine” was definitely a good word for 2014. We faced some of our biggest trials with the biggest being the eviction in September. Shortly after Social Security finally got approved for my husband (a Disabled Veteran) after 13 months of fighting including getting a lawyer. We were ready to just move on.
It got us thinking about a lot of things, though. Particularly about having a support system. There are things we love about Houston. We both have family here, and there are a lot of great things to do. When we had to move, though, it took us almost 5 days to move our stuff. We had very little help and even lost some of our stuff because we didn’t get it out in time. My husband had to go to the ER one night, and I was battling my Fibro as well. It’s hard to have health issues and special needs kids and endure something like that almost alone.
After much prayer and weighing pros and cons we decided we don’t want to stay here long term, and so we’re stepping out in faith and moving to Ohio!
I grew up in Ohio, and we’re moving back near my hometown in Northwest Ohio. Most of my family is there, and I can’t wait to reconnect with our friends, which is something we miss here. Plus my husband has family in Southwest Ohio/Northern Kentucky. We lived near my hometown when he enlisted in the Army, and we enjoyed living there, so it will be nice to move back!
Of course, there are some downsides, too. Although I prefer small town living it means less opportunities as a blogger. We’re also moving from a state that doesn’t require even notification for homeschooling to one that requires notification, curriculum, and testing. I’ve heard it’s not as bad as I picture, but it will be a change for sure!
Overall, we’re so excited. We feel like this a new chapter and we can finally get settled and move forward. It’s going to be a long drive, but I know God will direct our path! I may be “quiet” for the next few days, but I’ll be sharing pics along the way on my Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter so be sure you’re following! 😉
Where Am I?
You may have noticed I’ve been posting less. I usually post at least daily with the exception of a day off here and there, but a couple of days in a row? What gives? If you read my posts regularly, you’re probably aware of the fact that we got evicted from our last home. We have been trying to make it on the income from my blogs and my husband’s VA disability, and with high rent, we were struggling.
We were blessed to find a place to go in time (thanks to our amazing friends!) because for a while I wasn’t sure what we were going to do! The donations I received through the campaign helped us move. We wouldn’t have been able to even get a moving truck without it! It was a really stressful experience. We didn’t even get everything out of the house in time because moving stuff with just my husband and I who both have physical challenges was quite overwhelming.
Shortly after the incident, though, Social Security finally approved my husband’s case and I really feel like a huge weight has been lifted. It was a hard experience, but I’m filled with so much hope that we can just move forward.
Transitioning has been hard, though. I shared some tips for Homeschooling During a Move, and honestly, I don’t know how we would have made the homeschool transition without them! It may have been an unexpected move, but having moved before really helped me prepare!
The not so smooth part is obviously the fact that our kids have a hard time with transitions due to their special needs. It has been hard. To top it off, my health problems are at their peak. The migraines have been unbearable even with my usual essential oils and homeopathic remedies that usually help. For the record, migraines and computer screens don’t get along.
For that reason, I’m also wrapping up this post because I have a little headache, and I don’t want it to get out of hand! I’ve had pleurisy (again – I seriously get it all the time!) for the past few days as well, so I need extra rest. I hope to catch up on some more posts tomorrow, but I wanted to assure you, I’m still around – just not as much as usual! 🙂
Here are some things that will be coming up this week:
- I will be rolling out my 2014 Holiday Gift Guide!
- I will also be sharing information for those that would like to have a product or service featured in my gift guide! Would you like more details? Please feel free to Contact Me for details.
- I’ll be sharing more great reviews and giveaways (including the start of those that will be included in my Holiday Gift Guide!). I might have to double up on a few because of the unexpected break, so please bear with me as things will be crazy busy!
- I will be sharing a new post with our latest giveaway winners.
In the meantime, be sure to check out my guest posts!
I shared both the challenges and blessings of parenting special needs children with a chronic condition on Beautiful in His Time.
I shared tips for teaching history to hands-on learners on The Homeschool Post.
Be sure to check them out and show some love – and check out other posts there as well! I know you’ll be blessed!
I hope to start connecting regularly again soon!
Tips for Homeschooling During a Move
Moving a family of 5 is no small feat. We have moved many times, but this was, by far, the most stressful! Moving and homeschooling can be a tricky combination! How do you keep up with homeschooling when your stuff is in boxes and you’re spending so much time packing and unpacking? It’s definitely not easy, but having a plan makes a big difference! Here are some tips that have helped us through our moves!
Keep Important Resources Separate
It’s possible that you, like us, use a variety of curricula. When moving, though, it can be hard to keep up. I always choose our most important resources first and add them to my big “Homeschool Mom” bag. I make sure we have a little school supply box for each child that includes 3 pencils, a small box of crayons, scissors, a small box of markers, and an eraser. Mind you our children are all young (our oldest is 8), so with older children you may want to include things like a calculator and pens as well.
Once I have our primary curricula books and notebooks and the kids supply boxes, I evaluate how much room we have left, and from there I may add additional resources as room allows. I make sure to keep the bag separate from everything else so we have easy access and it doesn’t get mixed in with items getting packed! We then work with these resources and apps and online resources while we can’t access our full resources.
Take Advantage of Mobile Resources
There are so many great mobile resources that can be accessed on mobile devices. If you have a laptop (which I got fairly recently), it opens up a portable option for a wealth of online resources as well! It’s been a huge advantage!
Even with just a smart phone or tablet there is a wealth of resources available! Some websites even have a mobile or tablet friendly version. Mobile resources are particularly amazing during the packing and unpacking process because it allows the kids to learn independently while we work on the moving stuff!
Be Flexible
I love the flexibility of homeschooling, but sometimes we fall into such a set schedule I forget I have flexibility! It’s so important to stay flexible during a move. Set reasonable expectations. If you usually do 6-7 lessons per day it’s reasonable to say that dropping to 4-5 lessons may be more realistic – or less if needed.
Label Boxes Well
Labeling boxes well won’t only help to find your remaining homeschool resources, but it also simplifies the unpacking and organizing process so you can get back to your routine as quickly as possible!
Plan for one Month or More
I know you’re probably thinking it would never take a month to unpack! I said that once, too, and wasn’t prepared! Perhaps it’s because my husband and I both have physical disabilities, but I recommend planning for longer than you expect! Using the tips above can really make a difference!
Grace Goes a Long Way
In addition to being flexible, offer yourself (and your children) grace. With a move it’s almost inevitable there will be stress. Our kids have been arguing more than usual because they’re having a hard time adjusting, and I’m left feeling overwhelmed.
I admit there have been a couple of days where we didn’t do much of anything. I could beat myself up and feel even more stressed or I could accept that I’m human and doing the best I can during a stressful time. Grace goes a long way.
Pray
Above all else, don’t forget to seek God regularly. Moving can be hard. Trying to stay in routine can be hard. Tension can grow. Staying in God’s Word and praying can help make the transition easier and offers the peace that only God can give.
What are some tips that have helped you during the transition?