Finally....we are here!

We have been in Springfield since Wed afternoon and we were very glad to be here. We had a wonderful trip up here and really had fun at the TN Aquarium, Ruby Falls, the water park & the outlets but we were happy to be out of the car. It wasn't a bad trip and our longest day was only about 6 hours but I think we are still remembering last summer when we spent HOURS in the car to get to Alabama! We were glad it was not that. I'm finding myself looking 3 years from now and wondering how long that trip will be.....

We have been hanging out in Springfield for the rest of our time. We went down to the outlets in Woodbridge called Potomac Mills. So for those of you who have "Mills" in your city, you know what that is. I know there are some in Dallas, Houston, Denver so I think most of you have been to one at some time. Anyway, they are good and we'll visit again. There are also a ton of furniture stores down there so we may have to go back to get a couple of things for the new house.

And then, Barrett & I have just been doing a lot of just driving around. The area is so big that we really just want to get our bearings(sp?) Barrett went into work on Friday and so the kids and I went to school and registered. We got a little tour but they are getting ready for summer school so it was a mess. The lady that showed us around didn't really want to have us get hurt and sue her or anything. I think she's a little paranoid but that's just me. There will be an open house in August so we'll get a good look then. Then we went to the library and got library cards & a bunch of books. It was very fun! We have missed a good library SO much. Prattville's was nothing compared to Colorado Springs so we've been missing a good selection of books & audio books. The kids both got cards, too, and ckd a bunch of stuff out. We signed up for their summer reading program and Hollyann is already done with it. Andrew has a ways to go but he is doing well. He read 2 chapter books all on his own on the trip so he is doing better. For those of you who don't know, Andrew can read just fine but really doesn't like to. He'd rather build legos & play video games so we've really been trying hard to get him to read for pleasure. I think we may have him off to a good start. When they are riding in the car & Hollyann has her nose stuffed in a book, he really has no choice so that has been nice. He's doing great with his math & phonics.

I have to tell you....Yesterday, we went into DC after church and took the Metro(subway.) On the way back, we were waiting for the train and there were screens with the arriving times listed with their destinations. On the screen it said,

Largo 5 minutes
Huntington 8 minutes
Largo 18 minutes

Barrett asked Andrew, "if you miss the train to Largo in 5 minutes, how much longer will you have to wait for the next train to Largo?" Andrew thought for about 10 seconds (you could see the wheels turning) and said "13." I heard Barrett ask & I thought that one is just too hard. Not the math but the figuring out what to do. Well, not for our little math-dude. He surprises me every day with all the counting and figuring he does. Barrett does all the same stuff so I guess he comes by it honestly. Like, we left the library on Friday and when we got to the van, he said it was 47 paces from the door to the van. His mind just works that way so I guess that's what he does with his brain instead of wanting to read.

So while we were in DC, we saw the Washington Monument, the WWII Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial and the reflecting pool. If you have been there, you know what a hike all that is but for those of you who don't, it's at least a couple of miles by the time you walk the whole thing. The kids did great! We have really walked them all over tarnation in the last couple of days and they have done super. Never complaining about being hot or tired but just keep on trucking. They are really getting big.

We are starting to have to explain tough things. Yesterday, they wanted to know why Abraham Lincoln was so special. So we had to explain about the Civil War and that led to slavery and all that so it's getting hard :0) But kids just take all that stuff just as you explain it so I hope we are doing an OK job of telling them about war & slavery!

And today, we ck out of the hotel and start moving into our house. The trucks come this morning and so we need to get started. The Lord is so good as the weather will be only about 80 today with low humidity. We painted the master bedroom yesterday so we are good to go! The house doesn't have any ceiling lighting in any of the main rooms so we need lamps....badly. Could you all send some? I found a ton of them on yard sales this weekend but forgot to bring my money so I felt really stupid and now even more stupid as we really NEED them. We'll have to be on the look out for just the right stuff.

Thanks for all of your prayers. We have felt them so strongly. We have had a really easy time of this whole DITY and the drive and the kids have been great and our new house is fabulous and we've already been invited to a 4th of July BBQ by the neighbors! If Barrett & I were the type of people who asked God for signs of His will, we would have a very definate answer on this whole chapter!

We love you and miss you! Please email and let us know how you are doing :0)