Finally!

We have finally made our move! We are now living in TN. It was about a year ago when we thought we were gonna be moving but with one thing or other, it's taken us this long to get here.

Since I don't like to drive very much and especially at night in unfamiliar places, we asked our SIL to fly out and drive back so he could help drive my car while DH drove his truck. A week ago Tuesday we arrived at about 11:30 p.m. after driving all day. The Lord certainly answered prayers that day. I chose to drive first because I'm mainly a daytime person and SIL is a night owl! I figured I would be driving for a few hours and then he could take over. Turned out I drove all day until we reached Bristol, TN. I couldn't believe I wasn't tired or sleepy at all. I sometimes found myself falling asleep at 3 pm on my way home from work so I was surprised. That definitely was strength and help from the Lord!!

Needless to say, the rest of the family here was happy to see us when we walked in the door!

It's been a whirlwind of trying to unpack and decide where to put things, helping DD and SIL move into their apartment, visiting with them when SILs parents visited on their way back to PA from a trip to Florida, babysitting tonight while DD and SIL went to Bible study, etc. etc.!!

DD helped me with setting up my craft room, though there is still more to be done. I'm anxious to get it finished so I can get back to making cards for Operation Write Home as well as participating in their Stars and Stamps Weekly Challenges. And, of course, there are the usual cards to be made for family and friends for their birthdays or anniversaries.

The weather has not been very good since we've been here. It's rained just about every day and has been miserable! I'm also anxious to get outside and start working in my garden. I want to start a veggie garden and expand the gardening done by the previous owner. I see she must have liked tulips because there are tons coming up!! That part will be fun.....seeing what is growing besides the weeds!!

Next week I hope to be able to get to the library. Back home I belonged to two book clubs and I hope to be able to get the books they will be reading each month so I can keep in touch that way. And, as my DD pointed out, perhaps sign up for a local book club if there is one available. Or, she said, I could even start one myself but that will be something for future consideration.

We'll have to do more important things soon, too, like find new doctors and change our drivers licenses (thankfully we don't have to take a test here) and vehicle registrations.

Another important thing for me is that I will now have to learn to pump my own gas! Yuck! Not looking forward to that at all. Hey! Jersey Girls don't pump gas! Why should I have to get out of my car in all kinds of rotten weather to mess around with smelly gas? Besides, having full service gas stations provides jobs! And, isn't that a good thing in today's ecomony?! Self-service gas certainly isn't any cheaper; in most cases, it's more expensive. So, what's the point of it?

This is a new venture and chapter in our lives. We can choose to make it a happy, productive one or be miserable and unhappy. I choose to be happy and, Lord willing, productive. That's not to say I don't miss what is familiar in New Jersey but as one of my cousins pointed out, after awhile things here will become familiar and feel like home.....finally.

Stars & Stamps Sketch Challenge # 6

Can't believe it's already the sixth week for the S & S Sketch Challenge from the Operation Write Home website. I won't be able to participate next week (and maybe the next two weeks) as we will be moving to TN and I packed up my craftroom today. :-(

Well, anyway, here's this week's sketch.....



And, here's my creation based on the sketch....



Heart stamps are from Hero Arts and stamped with SU ink. I cuttlebugged the heart in the middle and then outlined it with Stickles.

See ya in a couple weeks!