Summer of Awesome, Summer of Grace

Many moons ago, about 5 months to be precise, Hubby T was scheduled to come home from work one week day morning to participate in a Skype interview for a new job that was, in his words, "perfect."  Before we cleared out to give him quiet, the boys and I pulled up a YouTube video of the "Everything is Awesome" video from the Lego Movie.  We left it on the computer screen with a post-it note informing him that we thought he was awesome and wishing him good luck on the interview.  I know, the song is a bit obnoxious but it's also catchy and I knew it would bring a smile to my Lego-loving husband's face.

My two very best buds!

Fast forward five months and Hubby T is now well settled into the said "perfect" job.  And, not surprisingly, the "Everything is Awesome" song has been joyfully and spontaneously bursting forth from my boy's mouths all summer long.  While some parents might groan, for me these musical explosions have been a beautiful whisper of grace, a reminder that in spite of the challenges of moving, everything is, in fact, awesome.

We left before the sign changed from "under contract" to "sold"!

When all is said and done, we will have lived with Hubby T's parents for about two months between selling our old house and closing on our new one.  While this limbo period has been emotionally taxing on me, the boys have had daily access to two of the most generously loving grandparents ever.  They also happen to be two of the most awesome in-laws ever, and have continuously stepped in to help me out or give me a break from the boys exactly when I've needed it without me saying a word.  Awesome grace...

"Helping" Mom-Mom make yummy blueberry pancakes:)

In an effort to keep the boys active and entertained and distracted from tearing apart their grandparent's house, I've been working hard to find new places for us to explore and adventures to have around our new neighborhood.  Although there is no replacement for CW, we have already paid for our membership to Longwood Gardens, which not only has beautiful paths to walk around (including 3 tree houses and 2 children's gardens) but it also has an amazing organ that has captured Little B's imagination.  (I love seeing how music speaks to his soul!)  We've explored Mom-Mom's library, splashed around in her neighborhood pool, explored about five different playgrounds multiple times, conquered three different amusement/water parks, visited several extended family members, joined a great children's museum, gone back to school shopping, found an interactive farm with new animals to love, joined a new MOPS group and started making friends, changed our driver's licenses and license plates, and reconnected with an old college friend and her kids, who so graciously and easily picked up our friendship as if a decade hadn't passed since our lives intersected and for this breath of fellowship I will be eternally grateful.  Awesome grace...

One of our many adventures - on the lake in the Poconos!

We've experienced a lot of frustration with our new house because the seller hasn't been willing to make any of the repairs to the house that we requested other than what she's required to do by law.  However, it's nothing we can't fix ourselves so we keep returning to the big picture that "everything is awesome" and the hope/belief that this house will be just right for our family.  I can't wait to sign the papers and start the process of settling in soon.  Tons of anguish and anxiety, but at the end of the day, awesome grace...

Conquering fears and enjoying the ride with the taller best bud who won my heart first (sorry little boys, you can come with us when you're taller!)

And finally, one of the biggest things that I was worried about - finding a preschool opening for Little B so late in the summer - turned out to be one of those instances where God is at work in greater ways that you could ever have imagined.  In the process of selecting Little B's school, I applied for and was offered the aide job in the school's brand new two year old class, which just so happened to have exactly one opening left for Baby P.  So starting next week, we'll all pack our lunch boxes and backpacks and start going to school two mornings a week, hopefully embracing the chances to make new friends, rejoicing at the ever so small financial contribution I'll finally make to our household and regaining a sense of structure to our life.  Awesome grace...

Ready to take off!

Did I mention how much I love being up here and living close to family?  The biggest drawback is that by moving closer to Hubby T's family we moved significantly farther away from my family, something we're all still adjusting to.   In the meantime, we're surrounded by family, Eagles football is back, and my favorite season of fall is already on its way, which will include lots of visits from my family and a preschool field trip to an apple orchard!  Our house is almost ours, and we're well on our way to creating our new life.  I am so glad to say, my friends, that everything, most of the time at least, is awesome...