We survived the move!

I'm officially a Portlander now, which feels surprisingly awesome. Especially since the water in Oregon is softer and does good things for my hair.

So far we LOVE the house. Of course, like anything, it has a learning curve. On the first night, we spent half an hour in the muddy back yard searching around by the light of our cell phones trying to find what we thought was a lost chicken. We put the other two in the coop and figured we'd find a body the next morning, but when the sun came up, the lost lady came trotting out with her sisters like she hadn't scared us half to death.

Last night we cooked dinner in the new kitchen for the first time and it's going to take me a while to figure out how to use an electric stove again, not to mention an electric oven (oddly not as hot as gas...). Joel lit a fire in the fireplace and discovered his own learning curve about opening the flue. Let's just say we tested the smoke detectors and it turns out they work great!

I'm still hovering back and forth between extreme bliss and abject fear, but Joel, like always, is a rock. EVERYTHING rolls off his back, so when I got snotty that he texted me about turning off the lights (HELLO MARRIAGE FLASHBACK!) and accused him of getting too husband-y on me, he just laughed and promised he'll never give me a speech if I forget to turn them off. Which was refreshingly un-husband-like!

I miss my kids, though. MAN. I dropped them off at their dads for Thanksgiving and because of the move and the trip to Klamath Falls, I haven't seen them in a week and that is just WAY TOO LONG for me. I was planning to sneak off and have lunch with them at school today, but a last-minute appointment came in and I'm in absolutely no position to turn away work. Fortunately, I pick them up tomorrow for the day and then we all get our first week in the house together beginning on Monday.

I'm not sure why, but there's something about living in a house that makes you feel more like a family. I know people will accuse us of shacking up and neither of my kids will ever call Joel their step-dad (because we refuse to get married), but this is the family I've made for myself and Sweet Lord Baby Jesus, lying there in his little ghost manger, I LOVE IT.

Comments

[Kathy C.]

So, SO happy for you, Pretty Lady. Love getting updated on your much-deserved, happy new life. Beautiful picture of you; I see so much resemblance to Miss Genoa in it. She certainly looks a lot like you.

[David]

Welcome to Portland! :D

[Jules]

Can't wait to see the place! Glad you guys are all settled in (for the most part . . .)

[Nancy]

Electric ovens run just as hot as gas. Your particular one may just not be well calibrated. If it isn't doing what you expect, crank the temp up a few degrees.

Enjoy the new place - hope all the kids love it!

[Amber]

Yes! The chicken stories have begun. ;) Would you like that recliner and a mediocre mountain bike or two delivered?

[Jami]

Your hair is gorgeous!

[Jamie]

Chickens....when you go Portland you go all the way don't you :) Congrats on the move!

[Mrs. Kennedy]

Yaaaayy!

[Meredith]

I just love how the ad next to your post was for diamond wedding rings!! I just laughed myself silly!

[SaraJo]

I've always wondered about gas vs. electric. I set my electric oven 10 degrees hotter than the recipe calls for to get it to cook properly. Enjoy the new house!

[Rachael]

Congrats on the new house!