Life was CRAZY this summer and it doesn't seem like I was in one place long enough to update the blog. Now that I am in Saudi Arabia with no children and what looks like endless hours on the horizon...I guess I have no excuses.
As everyone knows, we moved from Sweeny to College Station this summer. It was an interesting few months trying to figure out how to fit 15 years of junk from a four bedroom house with a two car garage into a new three bedroom townhome. We did a lot of downsizing this summer. It took a few months, but I think that we are almost finished. There is still a twin bed standing upright against the wall in poor Alison's room, but hopefully she will move it to our bedroom now that I am gone.
Alison spent the summer working at a law firm and living with her aunt Susan in Houston. Janie spent the summer taking classes at A&M, and Madeline and I spent the summer going back and forth from College Station to Clear Lake so she could be in "Holy Musical Batman." Thank goodness Jerl and Sue moved to League City, which was only ten minutes from the theater, so that we had a place to stay during the week. They were kind enough to let us crash at their beautiful home for weeks. The musical was so fun. It was a great group of very talented kids! We are so glad that Maddie got to spend the summer with her friends, Patrick and Ethan, before leaving for boarding school.
Madeline, as she is now known in NY because she moved in to a dorm with THREE "Maddies" of various spellings, is at boarding school in NY. It is about 30 minutes outside of NYC in Westchester County. She is loving it...she is doing MUCH better than I am with this situation. She has been busy since the day she moved in to the dorms. She has gone to street fairs and shows in the city, the renaissance festival, a Mets game and has tons more on the schedule in the upcoming months. She has made some really great friends and God is so good that he moved her in to a dorm with a group of girls who all like the Avengers and Dr. Who. It seems as though she has found an entire school full of students and administrators with similar interests...and it HAS to be a God thing because her interests are a little off the beaten path.
Ali and Janie are learning to live with each other in College Station. They are going to Aggie games and tailgating with the Marsh clan (thank God for them...they truly are a blessing to our family). I am so glad that they have each other because it puts my mind at ease....BUT...the caveat is that it has been an adjustment for both of them. Those of you that know them well won't need an explanation as to why. He He.
As for me....I am getting used to the empty nest. It has been a week and a half since I've been back and I am just getting over my jet lag. I think it was so bad this time because I was also facing life without kids...I always prided myself on having an identity outside of my children, but when we moved overseas that all changed. I apparently had no identity outside of my children. HA! So I am adjusting. I am slowly starting to go through the stuff the girls left behind and making decisions as to what to do with it. I have started Beth Moore's James bible study with an incredible group of women here. I am officially over my jet lag thanks to a 14 hour slumber the other night....just in time to go back to the States to visit Madeline. It is parent's weekend in a little less than two weeks so I will be going back to NY. I can't wait to see Madeline and she can't wait for me to get there so I can take her to get her hair done...HAHAH!...I guess she still needs me for SOMETHING. Please pray that my visa gets renewed in time for me to go. You just never know with this country.
I would post some pictures, but my children take very few...or if they take them the pass along very few to me. I will be taking a TON in NY because the leaves will be changing and I cannot wait to see it and to experience cooler weather!!!!
I miss my family and friends but it is nice to be back with John...poor guy, he was lonely here without us.
Until next time....
