Updates {Home, Meeting a Blogger in the Real World, WIWS, + More}

I have so many things to say right now that I can only manage to get them out there in list-style.  We won't have internet in our new home until the 14th (at the earliest) so I can only steal so much time away at Starbucks to update.  Thank goodness I still have some amazing guest bloggers to feature, and then you're stuck with me again.  Sorry.

Did you notice I said "home"?  Yep, feels like home already.  Lucia's room is mostly unpacked but we still are a little light on the furniture necessary to really be able to settle in.  The townhouse isn't perfect, but it's pretty darn nice considering we chose it through pictures on the internet and the pictures were scant at that (no pictures of the bedrooms and bathrooms!).  There are things I would change, but there is a lot to be grateful for.  It's spacious.  The little back patio gets a lot of sunlight during the day so I can dry our clothes outside.  There is a little park down the street.  It consists of only a few swings and an old metal jungle gym, but Lucia spent more time playing with the sand and wood chips yesterday anyway, so it's perfectly acceptable.  It does have baby/toddler bucket swings, which is the most important thing right now anyway.  We did get a kitchen table from Craig's List that we love and will be getting a bedroom set later this week.  There is just this huge sense of peace now that we are finally here and I'm just so happy.  Of course we're missing family and friends like woah but we've been confronting those feelings since David accepted his job.

It wasn't easy getting here.  David and my father-in-law had a long, long, long drive out here.  He was pulling a Uhaul trailer with his truck and couldn't go over 53 mph without it fishtailing.  Slow, slow, slow.  Lucia was having an awful time last week between teething, daddy being gone, as well as her furniture and toys, and mommy's stress level at about a million (out of ten).  It culminated pretty awesomely at the airport when she melted down.  I was bracing for her to be difficult but it ended up being way worse than I imagined.  An amazing woman at the Southwest ticket counter asked my sister-in-law if she wanted to accompany us to the gate and that was an absolute life saver.  I don't know how I would have gotten the stroller, diaper bag, my purse, Lucia's carry on suitcase, and Lucia to the gate since she refused to ride in the stroller (and I stupidly had packed away her Boba carrier) without the help of my sister-in-law.  Sigh.  She was actually surprisingly well-behaved on the actual place, so there's that small miracle.

David started work yesterday.  Just teacher orientations and work meetings and time to work in the classroom this week, but he's loved it so far and I'm so, so proud of him!  I was able to meet his boss on Sunday after Mass (he's a Deacon at the church we will be attending) and David met the rest of the fellow teachers yesterday.  He's been really impressed by how friendly and kind they have all been, although I'm not surprised considering my wonderful experience with my Catholic school coworkers last year.  

Speaking of meeting fellow teachers, David got an email a few weeks ago from a teacher seeking childcare for his daughter on Fridays.  I jumped at the opportunity and we went over to meet little Mary Margaret and her parents on Saturday.  The question came up about how David found the job and he mentioned it was through a blog reader of mine (Which is still so crazy to say!  Thanks for looking out for us, ya'll!) and it turns out the Mary Margaret's mom is Laura of The Fantastic Mrs. McCants.  I've met people in real life that I first "met" in the blog world, but I've never met someone in real life that was part of the blog world.  No one I know really blogs, and Laura not only blogs, but blogs in the same online circles as me.  As in, she guest posted for one of my favorite blogs (Camp Patton) and participates in the same linkup as me (7 Quick Takes) and just, wow!  That was definitely a cool experience.  We'd never come across each other's blogs BUT we could have and we most certainly will blog stalk each other now.  I never put up pictures of people on my blog without their permission, and since very few people from my offline life know about my blog, I never get to share pictures of anyone but our little family, so I'm excited that in this case, you can just hop over to Laura's blog to see the darling baby girl Lucia and I get the pleasure of sharing Fridays with!

In other news...

What I Wore Sunday (linking up with Fine Linen & Purple):

Dress: On its third life.  Thrifted by my mom circa 1995, given to me last year.  One of my favorites.
Shoes: Amazon
Flexi hair clip: Lilla Rose





Lucia was surprisingly well-behaved in Mass on Sunday. (To make up for the airport?) Other than yelling, "Mickey Mouse" out of the blue - and quite loudly - she was great until the  Our Father when she had to be taken out.  She spent the rest of Mass screaming and crying in the hallway until she was allowed to drink from the water fountain.  Mass grade: B-

And speaking of Lilla Rose, I'm having a Grand Opening Party!  It runs through 8/18 and I'll be posting more soon, but if you want to check it out, you can see details on Facebook here or shop the party here.  The party is featuring Buy 3 Get 1 Free (up to $16 value) on items for new customers (never ordered from Lilla Rose before), so if you've been curious about trying Lilla Rose, now is your chance!

Kaia's family is in-country meeting her right now.  Prayers please!


Did you catch the new monthly linkup/photo submission I'll be doing with Sarah of Mommy Notes?

I'm sure I'm missing about a million other things that I wanted to share, but since I'd honestly be surprised if anyone is still reading, those might have to wait until Friday.  Starbucks is closed and I'm sitting outside on my laptop like a creepy stalker...