So - are you back in the swing of things?

"So are you back in the swing of things? Are you all unpacked and back in the groove?"

3 separate people asked me this question on Monday Feb 4th - and the answer

was a resounding "NO!"

As you may know, we were in Kansas the last half of January for Scott's mom's memorial service. It was a good trip full of time to honor and remember Dee, and to hang out with family. (Look for more pictures of good family times in the gallery soon)

It was also an exhuasting and draining trip of preparing Scott's Dad for his new life and helping him negotiate all the details that come when your spouse dies. We came home pretty depleted.

We flew home February 2nd. Before we even had a chance to unpack, I was very sick and Scott had to go out of town for a quick business trip. The next 2 weeks were miserable and awful as we all 3 had the respiratory flu - at the same time. I won't relive it all in a play-by play - but here's a verbal snapshot to give you an idea: In the family room - Emma is laying on the love seat, I'm on the couch, Scott is on the floor under all the blankets we own. We are in the pitch dark because Emma's infection has spread to her eyes and she can't stand any lights on at all. We are all taking turns having coughing, moaning and shaking fits of chill that go along with the fever. Scott and and I are alternately attending on Emma and checking to make sure that she has no rash or swollen hands - that the lump on her neck isn't sore. If those symptoms pop up, we should take her to the hospital, according to our family friend who is a pediatric cardiologist - and is always patient and generous, but usually not much impressed with the list of symptoms for which we call to pick his brain, making this exception mildly alarming. Except that we are too tired to be alarmed. Growing up - my family titled experiences like this "family bonding."

When I was finally feeling well enough to start picking up - I decided to take some pictures first. It's kind of morbid I guess, but I felt the need to document the piles upon piles of mess that covered most of the open spaces in our house and give myself something to laugh about in the future. Scott promises we will laugh about it one day.

Now - during that week at a particularly low point - just as he was beginning to feel sick, Scott found out that he got the job in Huntsville. I actually laughed out loud when he told me. So - we're moving (but not until July thankfully).

Fortunately - God provided for us that week with great scriptures, great friends and family who delivered food. Praise the Lord!

It's been over a month since we left, and I finally, finally feel like we've landed back on earth from a distant, foggy planet and are getting things back together. Today we even had time to go on a date which included a short hike to rehab our cardiovascular systems.

Lots more details about the move to follow.