Gila

Today we went to Gila national park. We hiked several miles through a lovely canyon cut into some pretty rocks by a still vigorously flowing river.

We got to see a woodpecker, a squirrel, many spiders, lizards, huge bumble bees, some fish, and even a few other hikers.

In addition we got our feet wet, padding in the almost freezing river water to cool our feet down from the walking.

Afterwards we stopped off at a picnic spot overlooking Gila park and consumed a quick sandwich.

What's Been Goin' On...

Don't worry, we have not forgotten you. It has been SO BUSY at casa de Stephen and Amy that there has been little time to check our email, let alone blog. But there is time now, and This is the official Check in and Update.


After an incredibly busy Tuesday, in which the movers came and emptied out my house of items going to England, I drove to Mom Holen's. A hot night in which I had many nightmares about spider webs and being trapped while the millions of tiny spiders descended to eat me alive left me groggy and out of sorts on Wednesday. But it was a busy day none the less. An airport run to pick up a friend on mine and Stephen's, and then we hot-tailed it to the house to clean like crazy. During the trip and cleaning craziness, there was the silly little girl meltdown. What if what if what if. I can only think it must have been pre-arrival jitters in the worst way. I had a sudden new sympathy for all those brides who freak out at the last minute and change their minds. Thank god someone was there to hold my hand and let me cry, and talk me through it.

Stephen's flight out of Newark to Houston was delayed by 35 minutes, leaving him worried that he'd be unable to make his connecting flight from Houston to El Paso - a connection for which only 40 minutes had been scheduled. Some time was made up in the air, and Stephen had to race across the airport to arrive panting at the El Paso flight's boarding gate with only minutes to spare. That flight was supposed to arrive at 10.20... and we figured we had plenty of time to get there. We didn't. His flight was early, and there was no time to go back to the house and change from grunge clothes into something nicer, let alone shower off the moving stink. We arrived in time, but somehow missed him off the plane. We met up at the baggage claim and I felt as though I could finally breathe. That the hardest part was over.

We left the airport and hit Chico's Tacos for dinner. To his credit, he tried them like a trooper. His response after: "They tasted like nothing, like I was eating fried cardboard soaked in watery tomato juice." But at least he experienced them. Then home, and crawl into bed. It had been a long day, and we were all tired, but sleep was short for staying up, catching up.

Thursday was the start of family meeting time. All the Holens, then a trip to Stahmann Farms to buy pecans for Stephen's mum. They no longer make chile peanut brittle, which is what I specifically wanted to get for her, but they DID have chile dusted pecans, so that is what will have to do. I REALLY hope she enjoys them.

Afterwards was dessert with my mother, a cherry apple crumb cake. Yumminess. Stephen made quite the impression on my mother, who said he was so very smart and awfully cute. She may be as smitten as I am.

Dinner at Mom's - her chicken and green chile enchiladas. Then a movie: Stardust. It was good good good, and the main character has the same name as Boo, but it so late by the time we got home that we fell into bed. Still, it wasn't enough sleep, as we, of course, had to stay up talking until 2 am.

Friday was more family time. A late sleep-in, then rush to pick Tristan up at school on time, and a last conference with his teacher. We are going to be pen-pals with his class, sending pictures and treats to the kids, and able to answer questions. The teacher will definitely let Tristan email us from school, and may be able to work something out as far as IMing back and forth with his class. What an exciting prospect. Then Stephen and Tristan got to see the old house in all its emptiness; Stephen for the first time, and Tristan to say goodbye. It was a little sad.

Friday night was the big family dinner. We picked Ashley up from her Dad's and all of us, sin Mama, ate at a local diner that is older-people friendly. Stephen was amazing and charmed the socks off of every female there... including the ones under the age of 2 and the one over the age of 85. Then a night time hot-tub visit to my Aunt's house. Tristan got to hot-tub in his underwear. That was quite the exciting thing for a 6 year old boy. Again, we got home so very late.

Saturday was a trip to the approx 800ft underground Carlsbad Caverns. I had forgotten how lovely it is, and how much I enjoyed/enjoy such geek-y types of things. The cave decorations were as lovely as I remember them being. We walked the Big Room, which at it longest is just about a two mile walk. Tristan did wonderfully, only really getting tired during the last 10 minutes or so. Then fudge and cider (cherry non-alcoholic kind) and hometime.

Today Stephen and I began our week long trip to the grand canyon, beginning with shopping in Las Cruces, lunch (delicioso tapatillas de pescado y camaron con soda de Jarritos) and the Gila Wilderness. We are currently staying in a tiny (just a few casitas, but each one is relatively spacious) bed and breakfast in the Gila, and it is lovely. The cell phones don't work (nice for me) and there is high speed internet access (nice for Stephen). We originally planned to stay here 1 night, and head towards the Grand Canyon tomorrow... but it is so nice and there is so much to do that we have decided to stay here another day.

So far, Stephen has experienced hummingbirds and stink bugs for the first time. We are having elk with sweet vidalia onions, mexican squash, and purple potatoes for dinner, and he can continue to add to his list then.

We miss you all so much... but are happy to be alone in the wilderness for a bit. It's nice to spend time and just be in love. There have been no nightmares at all since he arrived.

The Big Day...

Good Morning!

Today I woke up in bed at Mom's house. Lovely breakfast of German pastries and tea. Time is passing slowly before airport craziness. Stephen arrives at 10:20 tonight. The clock is tick-tocking so slowly. I think it is delighting in tormenting me. Damn clock.

I suppose you want to know all the things that happened before this point...

On Monday, around 4 in the afternoon, the new moving company called me. They are a local company, and the lady I have been talking to (Julie... she who lets me vent and goes out of her way to make this a good experience for me, might have to name a child after her or something...) called me with good news and bad news. The good news: they had a cancellation for the next day, did I want it. YES!!! The bad news: they needed my passport in order to begin transporting my goods. My passport is currently in the British consulate in Las Angeles. ETA: Monday next. Oh well.

The result of the phone call was that I stayed up all night Tuesday night to get ready for the movers... and I half expected them not to show. But they did, bright and early. They were wonderful! Friendly, very careful with my things, I worked with the mother of one of the packers. We talked about books and the Rosetta Stone, and I bought them lunch. They finished up about 2:30. News on the moving front, with a half case, the estimate for moving went up to $5,200, not including insurance and port fees. But Julie was on the case, trying to find a way around it. Then it was last minute car packing, some books to Christine, and the trip to EL Paso, dinner with Mom, then a trip to my Mothers to drop off art and boxes. THEN, sleep. Not really good sleep - lots of nightmares about spiders. I consoled myself with the thought that I don't have to sleep alone anymore.

Did I mention that Julie is AWESOME? She called as I was writing this blog. They eliminated the half full case, and downsized it. She had a final total for me......

Wait for it.....

$4,488. Which includes all the insurance and port fees. The only thing it doesn't include is the cost to carry items up stairs, which should come out to less than $400. Yay! That is almost a thousand dollars less than I expected. Plus, she told me that I could just give them my full name and SSN and they would start the move without a copy of my passport. So it's official: my stuff is on its way to the UK. We will have furniture.

So today is full. Tune up for the car, finish at the old house, trip to the bank to pay for the move. Lovely. Pick Stephen up, lots of kisses, Chico's Tacos for dinner. Right this minute he is over the Atlantic Ocean. He arrives in Newark in about 2 hours. I wonder: did I sleep so poorly for being a bit nervous? Did he sleep poorly too?

Maybe a nap would help.

The Redcoats Are Coming! The Red... Wait, I Mean the Movers...

The Redcoat... I mean Stephen... arrives Wednesday night. I just spoke to him for the last time before I see him. Today is his last day of work at his old job, and last night was his last night sleeping in his old room. Tonight he heads to London to stay at his mum's to be closer to the airport the following morning.

And Tomorrow... THE MOVERS ARE COMING!!! They had an unexpected opening and they just so happened to squeeze me in. I got the call this afternoon... which means I have been running like a chicken sans head to get everything ready. I'm taking a break to post because I promised Dan there would be one tonight.

Its just SO busy. I hope to be able to take time to catch everyone up on Yard Sale Drama and the shocking British Consulate Secret... but it will have to wait. (HAHAHA! cliff hanger!)

to be continued...

These are the Days of Our Lives...

It has been 7 days since I last posted. I am now 1 year older than I was then. Stephen stayed up late so he could sing happy birthday to me the instant it was the morning of my birthday in England. He also called me his 'birthday beauty'. It is lovely to hear. His perfect gift to me: an Aloe Vera plant for our new house. He could not be any sweeter if he were made of honey.

7 days has found a lot of things happening. As of Tuesday, the moving company with which I have been working has decided that they are not capable of moving me or any of my things. That left Wednesday full of a desperate scramble to find another moving company, and to study for the final in my Spanish class, which I took this morning.

I have accepted the quote of a different moving company. This one is local here, and will be handling all aspects of the move overseas. The lady is SO nice, to the point of even letting me vent about the terribleness of the old moving company. Plus, she calls me back. Part of me wants to tell her that I love her. Except that it would just be the relief talking.

It turns out that this company has the possibility of being less expensive (yay!) and they are coming to evaluate a much more exact quote tomorrow morning. They have already scheduled to come and pack and load on the 21st of August. Stephen and I will be gone then, but THANK YOU!!!!! to Christie and Dan for being willing to be there in our stead. Things will be in good hands.

I'm still waiting to hear about Visas... but that should be soon. I start on the rest of the house today, need to have a last minute yard sale (anyone want to help?) maybe this weekend, have everything else done in the house by Wednesday when I pick Stephen up at the airport.

In only 6 days, we will be having Chico's Tacos for dinner, and all will be right with the world.

In the English neck of the woods, Stephen has been very busy moving from house to house. (He told me yesterday that he is totally capable of taking over my closet in addition to his own.) He packs bags and carries them, three a night or so. I admire his decision to walk things from place to place. Wish I could do it with the rest of our things. It might actually get done in a timely manner were I to. This weekend, he moves his bed and other big things, and I suppose it will be the pseudo-official move in time.

It is interesting to me how the ball keeps rolling even though it feels like nothing gets done. No matter how overwhelmed or stressed out I get, time passes. I'm glad.

Kind of Sad News...

I received an email from the University today. I was expecting it sooner rather than later, as the scholarship decision was to be made by the end of July.

I didn't get it.

I'm a little sad, but its ok. I have to keep in mind that I did my best, that my essay really did not suck at all, and that I had no way to know what it was they were looking for. I didn't beg for money. I didn't grovel. I just wrote the best possible essay I could. I have reason to be proud.

I can always try again next year, and I will. But I still won't grovel or beg.

Tristan has started expressing his sadness at our moving. He will miss me, he says, and I know I'll miss him. I have to drop what I'm doing every now and again and just hold him. I feel like I need to breathe deeply of him so I can remember his smell, hold him so very tight so I can remember what he feels like in my arms. I'm excited, and yet so sad at the same time. It feels like my heart is being ripped apart. I cry too often, and sometimes I don't even realise that I'm crying until the tears are silently dripping off of my nose. This is hard. I remind myself that I'm doing the right thing.

No news on movers yet - no dates scheduled. I have moved past anything productive into impotent, temper-tantrum rage.

On a brighter note, Stephen will be here in 13 days! There's a spot in his arms with my name on it. Maybe then it will be easier to let everything out, because I won't be alone in my house of disarray.

Which do you Want First?

Bad News: I'm sick. Pathetic, whiney, curl up in a ball, hot then cold then hot then cold, all I want to do is sleep, want to be held sick. I cried twice today for no appreciable reason. Stephen lay on his bed and pretended to curl around me so I could close my eyes and pretend that I was lying there so I wouldn't be so pathetic. I don't know how he puts up with me. Sometimes it amazes me how good he is to me. I don't think I would be nearly as good to myself.

Bad News: Movers suck. We are now at 7 days late, and they still do not have any idea when anyone will be here. @!*#'s.

Good News: We have a house! That's right, Stephen has the keys to our lovely flat in his hot little hands. It takes a huge load off to know that there is some place for us to live. 2 bedrooms, plus a funkily shaped study, a kitchen with a refrigerator that is bigger than a breadbox, and a washer/ dryer. Heaven. It's on the third floor (To us Americans, that means the fourth floor, but I am learning Brit speak now.) It's close to the train that Stephen no longer has to take to work, and is about a mile away from Ashley's school, my school, and Stephen's new work. Walking distance. His mum is already bringing us furniture. She is lovely. I can't wait to meet her.

Additional things of note: Applied for Visas yesterday. Confirmed that the British Consulate received my package of important documents. Reserved rooms at the Grand Canyon for mine and Stephen's mini vacation. After visiting 4 pharmacies, found the important condiment for the important prescription. Had horrid photos taken for the visas. But on a happier note, Kelley sent me a photo that doesn't suck. I think I'll share.