Sick in a new town!

It was just my luck that Caleb caught a cold before we departed for Indy April 6th. I got it on April 7th and we flew out on the 8th. Why do we still have it? I am guessing the drastic weather change of warm and sunny one day, rainy and cold the next was a huge factor, who knows. Caleb is much better than I, but symptoms are still lingering! I took us both to Urgent Care on Friday to get checked out and we were both cleared. Nothing we can do for an infant cough is what I have heard over and over again. Come on! At least his is not constant, it comes and goes. My throat was really sore so I thought I had strep. Negative. Over the weekend I was feeling worse, developed a lovely cough and Monday my ear felt weird so I decided to visit the Urgent Care again. This time I was diagnosed with Bronchitis and an Ear Infection. Prior to going I discovered a great tool called "Earcheck" which you can buy at CVS which is a scanner for children's ears to detect an ear infection. I thought it would be lovely to know if I have one, before I make a trip to Urgent Care to be told I don't have one. Plus, I didn't know Caleb had his ear infection a few months ago when he had another cold, so this will come in handy in the future! I had Kerry scan my ear and it flagged an ear infection! Wow! It really does work! My antibiotics kicked in and I was feeling so much better today until my cough kicked in rough tonight. I hate coughing. Maybe I should get that prescription cough medicine rather than wait it out........

I didn't want to start our new adventure out this way, but life isn't always perfect right?

Settling In

Our house officially closed a few days late on April 21. We are no longer home owners, but temporary apartment dwellers in Noblesville. Now our house hunt can start! There are so many inviting neighborhoods around here, its just a matter of finding just the right one for our family! Kerry and I are already arguing over interior paint choices of sellers online. Can someone really like that much yellow? Yes, I understand you can paint over it, but I remember we took one room at a time in Mesa and painting took us about a year until it was all complete.

The weather is a lot colder here, but I definitely like to bundle up. I just wish I hadn't packed all of my winter stuff in storage! I guess I thought Summer was right around the corner, but I guess the end of May, early June is not so close! At least they only have 3 months of heat and humidity which shouldn't be so bad. I will be sure to let you know!

I passed my Indiana written test for my driver's license which I was nervous about. They wouldn't let me smile for my picture, so I look like a complete wacko trying to grin. Kerry and I have been driving around neighborhoods getting a feel for the area and I have made some observations that have been unfamiliar to me having not lived in the midwest:

1) A lot of 2 way country roads.
2) Tulips and Daffodils are a common flower in front yards.
3) Everyone has their own mailbox out in front of their home.
4) I can't just drop a piece of mail off at a nearby mailbox, I have to drive to the post office. This is somewhat annoying, but I will get over it once I get my own mailbox!
5) Fast food establishments, drug stores and gas stations are not on every corner.
6) A majority of the fire hydrants are RED!
7) Open backyards. I guess theft is not an issue out here.
8) I have to travel to Indianapolis to get to the better shopping (Trader Joe's, Costco, Babies R US, etc) which is only about 20-30 minutes, but I am use to driving a couple miles. This is something I will have to get use to or just make a few trips a month. The scenic drive on Allisonville Rd is very pleasant though!
9) I see Robin birds everyday! How lovely!
10) It's ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL HERE!

I hope you enjoyed my first Top 10 Observation List. I am sure there will be more to come.

My new home!

Kerry and I arrived within a few minutes of each other Wednesday night. My friend Bethany picked Caleb and I up at the airport and Kerry and Speedy pulled in their driveway just prior to our arrival. Talk about good timing. We enjoyed a lovely dinner and birthday cupcakes for Kerry before watching the Idol vote off and heading to bed.

We got our temporary apartment (which is quite nice and very clean for never seeing it prior to our lease) Thursday morning and the moving company was sitting in front waiting for us. Talk about prompt! The driver's helper was a no show, but Andy was amazing! Started at 9, done by 2. Moving is exhausting. Do I really want to do it again in a few months? Not really, but after hearing my upstairs neighbor's surround sound full blast.......I think so. We are still unpacking our necessities while the rest is being stored in a garage in our complex, but it still feels weird to not have everything available to me.

Caleb is doing better than Speedy. He stays on his bed about 90% of the time because he knows its a safe place. Except for when Caleb decides to bring all of the kitchen utensils one by one and leave them in a pile on his bed. Silly kid. Caleb's room is set up so he has some familiarity, the only thing he hasn't asked to do as frequently is to go "outside". I guess not seeing a backyard plays into that. He has his toys, books and boxes to climb on, so he is content!

Kerry is still feeling unsettled and this might last until we find a house. He doesn't like being cramped in a small place, but I try and remind him its only temporary. Plus it has a nice, big garden tub........yeah for Kerry.

I have already fallen in love with the beauty here. The first morning I walked Speedy I was delighted to see red fire hydrants, beautiful daffodils and geese! (Why did I put fire hydrants first? First thing I saw and it was cool!) Driving around town you see beautiful blossomed trees, trees in general, woods, Robins (which Mary said I would see a lot of) and I also noticed a sign in a neighborhood near our apartments that said it was "Predator Free". They do not allow registered sex offenders to live in the neighborhood. Never seen that sign before! Will that be on my Indiana driver's license test?

Anyhoo, I already love it here. I don't miss the sights of Arizona at all, just my friends and family. It has been a bit chilly, but at least I get to experience winter before spring hits.

All packed up!

The last few days have been exhausting. Finishing a bulk of the packing so the movers could come in and do the rest, driving around town finishing last minute errands, dump runs, etc. We took Caleb over yesterday and although he had fun running around the empty house, I think he wondered where everything had gone. He helped me clean the refrigerator by getting in the bottom shelf, he is such a good helper! Today, we had the carpets and tile cleaned and now I am happy to say goodbye to Kiva Avenue.

Kerry and Speedy head out for a long drive on Monday, first stop is Clayton, NM, then Kansas before arriving in Indy late Wednesday. We got Speedy shaved today so his hair wouldn't fly around the car and drive Kerry absolutely nuts. I must say my dog looks 5 years younger and much thinner without any hair, but he is still my beautiful golden. Caleb and I will fly out on Wednesday, picked up by our dear friends the Odegaards who we will stay with for the night before getting our keys to our temporary apartment on Thursday.


Exciting, yet exhausting times. I don't look forward to unpacking, but I do look forward to my new home and church in Indiana. Saying goodbye to family and friends will bring tears to my eyes, but I will never forget the friendships and memories made here in Arizona.