We're Nomads...

Is it SERIOUSLY one week from Christmas?!  Holy cranoley...time flies!  


As I had mentioned in an earlier post, I spent all last weekend making holiday treats...which are FINALLY ready to be shipped...Monday.  The snacks didn't work out the way I was hoping.  When I went to the Post Office to get the boxes to ship in, I realized that the boxes were WAY too small to fit what I had originally wanted to fit in there.  So, Brian's coworkers will be getting a few platters of treats next week :).


I did get a chance to finish the Christmas cards and sent those out today...so you should be getting yours soon!  In case you are wondering, they are super handmade...so perfection is NO WHERE in the picture :).  Also, since they are our fingerprints, don't go trying to steal our identities or anything! :) JK!


This week we fell behind in the school program we had started.  We did two days, Monday and Tuesday, and then I looked around the house and saw how much needed to be done.  So, the kids have taken a hiatus from school.  We will be starting FULL FORCE on Monday :)...they are very excited!


After posting a picture of my VERY giant belly to the FB world, I realized that I have less than 3 months until Vera gets here.  Yep...less than 3 months.  WHAT?!  This house is a mess!  We have 1/3 of our boxes still packed and none of the baby's things are out or set up.  Sure, we have time...but it goes fast.  So, I started to get a little nervous and we have been spending all last week and this whole weekend unpacking boxes and fully moving in.  There is NO WAY we will finish this weekend...but with Brian at home we are making a huge dent and I should hopefully be able to finish by myself next week!


We also started going through our 'old' bins of clothes and setting aside all the things Vera will need...they are so tiny!  The kids are very excited with the whole process and Myah asks all the time to give the baby a "high-five".  She has been talking about holding her and patting her head...she's a very excited big sister!  I think Elijah's just excited to get someone to pick on :).


I had a sad 'mommy' moment earlier this week.  We were driving home from an errand and the kids asked where we were going.  I told them we were on our way home and Myah asks "Where's home?". I know this was an innocent question and she was probably just asking a question to ask (if anyone has a toddler, you know what I mean), but it still made me think.  In the past 12 months, our kids have had 4 'homes'.  4!  And that's not including any of the hotels we stayed at on the trip out here.  As a military brat, I know that moving when you are young will NOT scar you and will only make you stronger.  I KNOW this.  It is my own personal story.  But as a mom...this just makes me sad!  And in 18 months we will be moving...again.  


We are so incredibly blessed that the reason we have had so many 'homes' is because we sold a house, built a house, and moved to California for an amazing job.  We are, by no means, true nomads.  However, the sentiment is still there.  Luckily, being a military kid, I learned early on that 'home' isn't in a building.  It's where your family is, where love is, and where you feel safe.  I hope that my kids feel the same way and I hope that I can do as great a job as my parents did of instilling in me the true meaning of 'home'.


Off that sad subject...


I went to my first fabric store today in San Jose...WAHOO!!!  I dragged Brian and the kids along and found two fabrics I will be using to make Vera some crib sheets.  Oh, have I mentioned the AMAZING deal I got?  The fabric was ONLY $2/YARD!!!!  That's right.  So I got 8 yards and tons of elastic for less than $25 including tax!  I am more than positive I will have extra fabric left over which means I can make a blanket, pillow, top sheet, dress...the possibilities are endless!  I know I'm geeking out over here...but come on!  So exciting!!


Tomorrow we will be going to our first church since being out here.  While I'm not looking forward to the difficult process of finding a church we can call our own, I am looking forward to "getting my God on".  I really miss Heartland and the friendships I made there.  I don't know if I can ever be as lucky or as welcomed as I was there.  But I still believe that God has an amazing plan for the Relph family out here in California, and we will find our new church home when it's the right time.  For now, I just need to sing some worship songs and be around those who feel His love!  Plus...IT'S CHRISTMAS TIME!  What better time to be surrounded by Christians than now?!


Hopefully we will get the crib up tomorrow and I can convince Brian to let me paint it white...we'll see how that goes :).

On a final note, my friend Audrey got married to the man of her dreams Joe today.  I am so excited for them and extremely sad that we can't be there to celebrate with them!  I can't wait to see pictures, though, and I'm sure she rocked the house with the amazing dress she found!


I hope your weekend was as successful as our was!  Also, in case you haven't noticed...I figured out how to mobile blog, so you will be seeing a lot more short posts with pictures to keep you up to date when I don't have the chance to sit and write our life story :)!


We miss you all, especially around the holidays.  


Jen