We're HEEEEEEEEEEEEERE!

Hey all-

We are all set up in A-town. It has been a positive experience overall. I did forget one little thing... having the water turned on! So we had to wait from 11 to 4 before the water guy got here, so I could clean! But the movers were really good and everyone I've met in A-town bends over backwards to help you, so things are good! My across the street neighbor gave me a bucket of hot water to start cleaning with and said he'd drag his hose across the street if I needed more. :) A little girl J's age and her mom stopped by to say they were thrilled to have girls on the block! Church was pretty fun. The ward is actually smaller than our last one (B had said he thought it was about the same but maybe there were a lot of visitors that first week that he went?) and I think it'll be easier to get to know people this way. A lot of people introduced themselves before the first meeting and then they announced that they received records for new members (us! -- hooray for a ward clerk who works fast! -- thanks Taylor!)and afterwards a lot of people came up to meet us. They were thrilled that we're boosting the Primary with three more kids and there about 15 of us in Relief Society, so they're probably glad I'm filling a seat in there too!

The house has been great so far and it's getting better. After about $1500 spent at Lowe's we are really loving it! :) My awesome mom and brother came down to help out and did SO much. My poor mom was even sick and came later than she planned but still came and watched my kiddos and cleaned and unpacked a ton. My brother who is just a master at anything electricity-related or anything really (he impresses me, ok?) did a ton of work updating nasty ceiling fans, lights, outlet covers and switches, switched out the dryer receptacle to fit our dryer cord, fixed the back porch post, put up new smoke alarms, and a bunch of other stuff. B helped him do a lot of these things plus he put up towel racks (they had none in the house!), toilet paper holders, new knobs and pulls on every drawer and cabinet in the house, etc. This place is looking nice!!! Next project is new doorknobs which should arrive today. Yay Ebay! None of them match in the whole house and there's 16 doors in this house! The carpet is in poor condition (feels like no pad underneath in most rooms!) and the kitchen cabinets should be axed down but... :) we'll live with those for now. The house is very livable and even nice and HUGE! The kids get kind of lost and say, "Mommy, where are you?" and because we don't have enough furniture to fill all the rooms, there's an echo and it's hard to figure out where I am even when I say, "I'm in here!" :)

I am SO grateful for my friends. Marilyn called the day we closed on the old house to see if she could do anything to help. I was running late, so I swallowed my pride and asked if she could start vacuuming. By the time I got to the house from my in-laws (where I was staying), she had finished vacuuming the whole house, plus cleaned up the laundry room, and I am SO grateful for her!!! I never would have had time to finish it all and get to closing on time.

Meredith called me once I was in the new house to see how things were going. How nice to hear from a friend when I'm in the midst of being the new person and knowing noone here! Thanks Mer!

So things are good here and I think we've made a great decision to become A-towners. Keep in touch everyone!