I know I promised to do this a month ago...my perfectionism has kept me from it. I've wanted to make it "just right" from the start. Include a fantastic picture of the kids. Only problem is that whenever I've thought to take a picture...the kids are sound asleep. And I don't even have the camera software installed on the computer yet. (Santa Doug bought be a really nice digital camera for Christmas...ours was stolen in July).

So here's the first post. No frills, just a bit of news. You can bookmark our site and visit as often as you like. Hopefully this blog will help you keep abreast of our lives here in the Lone Star State.

Here's the highlights of our first 6 months in Texas:

We bought a house. 3 bedroom, 2 bath about 1800 square feet with an enclosed 10x20 garage that is slowly becoming a multi-funtion room: school, air hockey, guest. The neat thing is that the house came with the 2 empty lots adjacent to it. So we have a REALLY BIG yard, right in town. You really have to be outside of the city to have this much property...or be really really rich. We've just completed fencing the property. Looks like a compound. I've added to my resume "chain like fence installer". My stepdad, Tom, did most of the work, but Doug and I learned a lot in the process. We also came across some privacy mesh to put on the fence. Its like the kind that you see on tennis courts. So our 5 foot fence with the dark screen keeps our brood of 4 shielded.

We found a great church (www.gmbc.org). Must be close to 1000 people. Fantastic children's program, AWANA, children's choir. Adult Sunday School class of about 30 couples - with monthly socials at the church (and FREE childcare).

Joined the local homeschool association (www.sachsa.org) and a coop of about 15 families. This has been the place the kids have found some new friends, and so have I.

Doug enjoys his job. Doesn't mind driving around a truck in the winter...of course it's not 20 degrees here, either ;-) I think he has something like 150 customers...so he gets around town quite a bit. He has some good relationships at work. We're really enjoying the fact that Doug is HOME on Saturdays and Sundays for the first time since Emma was born.

We're enjoying living close to my mom. About 2 miles from her house. I think she has finally adjusted to having her 4 grandchildren living close to her after missing out on the last 8 1/2 years. I would have to count, but I think we've seen here maybe 10 times in those 8 1/2 years. On our property is a large 2 car garage which we are letting Tom use as his shop. So we seem him just about every day (he really likes my coffee).

And living near my great grandmother has been great! For being 94, I am amazed that she still lives alone, manages her finances, and cooks and cleans! I think it was really hard for her when we moved out after 3 months. So now we try to visit her a couple of times a week and take her to the store when she needs to go. What a blessing it is to see my kids have a relationship with their great great grandmother. She has a special bond with each of them that is something I cherish and in time I know they will as well.

Well, thats enough for now. The kids need an education and I'm still in my pjs. I'll try to get a picture of them on soon. And I know that each of them have MUCH to tell you, so I'll have them take turns dictating entries. I'm sure that will be interesting....