Hello Roxie.

I promised a post devoted entirely to our recent change in address. Blah. Hopefully some quirky anecdotes will also come to mind to make this post somewhat interesting.

Well, the good news is we moved, we love our new place, and we're not bankrupt. Hallelujah! (For those of you who have not had the pleasure to move recently, it's expensive. Mostly due to my desire to "nest" and decorate with things I did not yet own. Also paying double rent for half a month as well as a new security deposit. Bah humbug.) But we're happy and God has provided such a great home for us for our remaining time in Davenport.

Our move was rather smooth- we had everything packed in boxes and four of us completely loaded the moving truck in 3 hours. Thank God for Joe. (Had to put that in here in case he or his wife ever have the desire to read my blog). Then the three menfolk went off to classes and told a few of us lady folk that we could "maybe start unloading the truck if we wanted to. But we didn't have to." So, we decided to unload the entire thing while they were gone. We got close. There was one couch and maybe five-ish boxes left to unload when they came back. They were surprised and pleased nonetheless. The rest of the afternoon/evening consisted of the girls organizing the house (I still can't find juice tupperware container, several cups, etc etc etc.)

The boys were busy entertaining themselves with their efforts to assemble a small curio cabinet. I'm pretty sure the whole house was organized before they put it together. (Actually, I'm sure of it. Because they never put the display light in correctly. It's just hanging from the top of the cabinet. Ah, oh well).

The day after we moved I was back to work. Nothing gets done during my days on shift, so it's prodigiously wonderful that Josh's mom showed up the next day to assist with the transition. (If you are reading this, Daniel Luttrull, can you tell me if I used that word correctly? 'Prodigiously.' I defer to you in all things writing and/or english.) She is one stellar woman and we are very grateful for the time she spent out here- spoiling us with good food, gifts, and her presence. Also, it must be mentioned that she brought Roxie home to us. It's been good to have our rat back- she is adorable and snugly and a great little fur ball to have around. Currently she is lying between Josh and me on a very soft blanket (which she has claimed as her own. You should see her little begging face whenever I move her off the blanket so I can actually use it.)

She is also wearing a Christmas sweater. Some website said yorkies don't have the undercoat needed to keep them warm in the winter, so a warm garment is suggested. I think if yorkies didn't have what they needed, they would all be dead by now. However, I found some cheap dog sweaters at Target and she looks so stinking cute in them that I went back and bought more. Yes, I'm ridiculous. Also, I hear dog owners begin to look like the dogs they own. To allow this to happen more quickly, I chopped my hair down to a long shag. I am beginning to see the resemblance...

Pictures of our new place are posted on facebook thanks to that delightful Mrs. Pattengale (ooh... the elder Mrs. Pattengale. Sometimes I forget that I am now Mrs. Pattengale as well. I don't expect to be called that until I have a 5th grader that has friends over to the house. Any younger than 5th graders and they'll probably have to call me "Mrs. P." Pattengale can be such a difficult word for the little ones. But not much more so than Potteiger. Shoot, 35 year olds still can't get that one correct.)

As it is, I'm off to make dinner for my husband. (But mostly for myself because I'm ravenously hungry and that silly man is not. More for me! :) Catch ya later, folks.