Making acquaintances is easy. Making friends is harder. My oldest daughter makes friends so easily, while my youngest struggles with it. She gives up at the first awkward silent moment. We decided that it was important for her to learn how to make friends and so each day we go to the park, she has homework. So she brings her notebook with her to take notes. When we get home, she has to tell us the name of her friend and 5 different things she learned about her new friend(s). This is helping her to ask questions and listen. She uses her notebook to write her new friends name.
I am enjoying getting to know the other mom's. I have met a lot of other mom's that are moving from other places across the country. I find a lot in common as we are making fresh starts. Some are at peace with the move, some are nervous and others are bitter. For the most part, I am at peace with our move and I hope that I show it. But I notice that my heart is reserved to new friends. As much as I love and miss my friends in Oregon, I do know that I need to make new friends. This is something that I am struggling with inside.
I have been really bad about bringing my camera, but with the magic of the Internet, I found some pictures of an event we didn't make it to. But we did go to the park later that afternoon. She posted some pictures on her blog of the event and you get to see how green it is. We really like that park.
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/jaminacema/776342/
Sorry, couldn't get the link to work correctly. You can copy and paste to the browsser at the top of your page and it will take you there. The name of the blog is "Just Call Me Jamin!" It is a blog that I had been following for a couple of years.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
First Couple of Weeks in Texas
We arrived the day before Easter with New Beginings in our thoughts.
Our first assignment was to find where we were going to live with our 5th wheel for a month or two until we find out where work was going to put us. We found a park in the center of everything we need. The park has two other homeschool families. One has left for a couple of months. The kids have made lots of friends in the park that we are at.
Next assignment was to move our stuff that we had shipped into a storage unit. The girls had to help and they did a fantastic job. We were all beat when we finished. They definately earned ice cream that day.
Pat has worked hard at trying to find work. He has had interest for protential clients and one small job, but that is it. He is now switching gears and is at the unemployment office and the Lutheran employment office to check out job listings. We will be working on his resume tonight. Job hunting always beats down ones confidence level and I am praying that Pat will be able to hold strong. I am understanding a little myself as I am working up my confidence level to get a part time job evenings and week-ends. It has been about 13 years since I worked outside of the home. Knowing what you ones skills are and what they are worth are one thing, puting it on paper to look good is another matter. Just praying that God opens the door to employment quickly! Bills are just about due and money is getting smaller.
We have been making connections and friends with homeschoolers. We have already been to one park day, a nature walk and are planning on attending two park days this Friday. I am really liking one of the online homeschool support groups very much. There are so many of the down here and they share information. Sometimes the event might be hosted by one group and have several groups attending it. It is a nice atmospher to live in. We are trying to get connected into the Keepers of the Faith Group for girls ages 10 to 13.
We started school again, but without unpacking the boxes in storage to find the curriculum. Which is fine for now, we needed to review and get into a routine anyway. We have been working on flash cards, spelling, reading out load, mad libs, and doing a unit study about the state of Texas. The girls are really enjoying it.
I am also checking out different grocery stores. I found Whole Foods, Albertson, and Walmart. Fred Meyers is using the name Krogers and Safeway is using the name Tom Thumb. Still need to check out a couple more stores. But there is no Trader Joes or Winco. Nothing even simular to a Food 4 less and can't find any bulk bins for dry goods. The one area where I am a little disappointed, but I will make due.
Our first assignment was to find where we were going to live with our 5th wheel for a month or two until we find out where work was going to put us. We found a park in the center of everything we need. The park has two other homeschool families. One has left for a couple of months. The kids have made lots of friends in the park that we are at.
Next assignment was to move our stuff that we had shipped into a storage unit. The girls had to help and they did a fantastic job. We were all beat when we finished. They definately earned ice cream that day.
Pat has worked hard at trying to find work. He has had interest for protential clients and one small job, but that is it. He is now switching gears and is at the unemployment office and the Lutheran employment office to check out job listings. We will be working on his resume tonight. Job hunting always beats down ones confidence level and I am praying that Pat will be able to hold strong. I am understanding a little myself as I am working up my confidence level to get a part time job evenings and week-ends. It has been about 13 years since I worked outside of the home. Knowing what you ones skills are and what they are worth are one thing, puting it on paper to look good is another matter. Just praying that God opens the door to employment quickly! Bills are just about due and money is getting smaller.
We have been making connections and friends with homeschoolers. We have already been to one park day, a nature walk and are planning on attending two park days this Friday. I am really liking one of the online homeschool support groups very much. There are so many of the down here and they share information. Sometimes the event might be hosted by one group and have several groups attending it. It is a nice atmospher to live in. We are trying to get connected into the Keepers of the Faith Group for girls ages 10 to 13.
We started school again, but without unpacking the boxes in storage to find the curriculum. Which is fine for now, we needed to review and get into a routine anyway. We have been working on flash cards, spelling, reading out load, mad libs, and doing a unit study about the state of Texas. The girls are really enjoying it.
I am also checking out different grocery stores. I found Whole Foods, Albertson, and Walmart. Fred Meyers is using the name Krogers and Safeway is using the name Tom Thumb. Still need to check out a couple more stores. But there is no Trader Joes or Winco. Nothing even simular to a Food 4 less and can't find any bulk bins for dry goods. The one area where I am a little disappointed, but I will make due.
Monday, April 19, 2010
New Title To The Blog
Finally came up with a new fitting name for our family blog. The old one was outdated the moment we left Oregon. We arrived with Bluebonnets welcoming us as they painted the side of the freeways. So, now our blog's name is "Living Among The Bluebonnets."
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Moving Camping Trip - Last day
We woke up in Odessa, Texas excited to get on the road one last day. Except, I was so excited, that I couldn't sleep. The wind was plowing making travel laboring. But we were going to make it no matter what. We were determined and when the girls were whining about being hungry, we fed them whatever chips that were in the vehicles. We weren't stopping except for gas.
We arrived in Weatherford, Texas after 4pm. We stayed two nights in a RV park called Cowtown and then we moved to a KOA in Arlington, Texas where we are paying a monthly rate.
The girls like it here, because there are lots of children living in the park. They already made friends with a homeschool family that has been living here for four months.
We arrived in Weatherford, Texas after 4pm. We stayed two nights in a RV park called Cowtown and then we moved to a KOA in Arlington, Texas where we are paying a monthly rate.
The girls like it here, because there are lots of children living in the park. They already made friends with a homeschool family that has been living here for four months.
Moving Camping Trip - Day 8
We happily left Deming, New Mexico, leaving behind the cold, strong wind. We seen lots of desert, with plants. We to see boarder patrol along the way through New Mexico.
We continued on Hwy 10 until we reached Las Cruces and then we traveled South on Hwy 10 crossing the boarder into El Paso. Had to stop and have lunch at Dave's Grill. Very yummy and good. After lunch, we saw our first look into Mexico. At first I didn't realize that it was Mexico, because the river was as small as the Long Tom River. I am sure that it would be a 30 second swim across at the longest. It looked like a canal. The first thought that I had was, "Oh, that must be the poor part of town." and then my thoughts turned to, "But wait, HUD housing is nicer then that and there is no windows." At that moment, Pat told us on his walkie talkie, that it was Mexico. Vicky was with me and talked about what she saw. She said, "Mom, I empathy the Mexican people." Very sweet. We also saw Boarder Control at watch through El Paso.
After leaving El Paso, we drove many miles through no-where. Eventually we turned onto hwy 20, heading North East. Finally, at dusk, we reached somewhere in the middle of no-where. Somewhere in the middle of no-where ended up being Odessa, Texas.
We continued on Hwy 10 until we reached Las Cruces and then we traveled South on Hwy 10 crossing the boarder into El Paso. Had to stop and have lunch at Dave's Grill. Very yummy and good. After lunch, we saw our first look into Mexico. At first I didn't realize that it was Mexico, because the river was as small as the Long Tom River. I am sure that it would be a 30 second swim across at the longest. It looked like a canal. The first thought that I had was, "Oh, that must be the poor part of town." and then my thoughts turned to, "But wait, HUD housing is nicer then that and there is no windows." At that moment, Pat told us on his walkie talkie, that it was Mexico. Vicky was with me and talked about what she saw. She said, "Mom, I empathy the Mexican people." Very sweet. We also saw Boarder Control at watch through El Paso.
After leaving El Paso, we drove many miles through no-where. Eventually we turned onto hwy 20, heading North East. Finally, at dusk, we reached somewhere in the middle of no-where. Somewhere in the middle of no-where ended up being Odessa, Texas.
Friday, April 2, 2010
Moving Camping Trip - Day 7
We left Mesa, Arizona's sunshine and into New Mexico with strong winds and rain sprinkles. Felt very much like the Oregon coast.
The rest of Arizona was beautiful, but when we went into New Mexico it became flat and boring. The only excitement to see was the dust/sand storms and the Border Patrol. We were really excited to see two of the Border Patrol vehicles on the side of the road with their lights on. Finally happy to see my tax dollars at work. This attitude comes from seeing how Oregon's social services and Oregon Health Plan are drained by the Mexicans. It is illegal to ask if a Mexican is in the US legally, but they qualify for the social services easier, because they are considered a minority. And I have seen more Mexicans in Oregon and California than I have seen in Arizona and New Mexico. I was surprised about that.
The people in Arizona and New Mexico are really nice.
Tonight we stayed in Deming, New Mexico.
The rest of Arizona was beautiful, but when we went into New Mexico it became flat and boring. The only excitement to see was the dust/sand storms and the Border Patrol. We were really excited to see two of the Border Patrol vehicles on the side of the road with their lights on. Finally happy to see my tax dollars at work. This attitude comes from seeing how Oregon's social services and Oregon Health Plan are drained by the Mexicans. It is illegal to ask if a Mexican is in the US legally, but they qualify for the social services easier, because they are considered a minority. And I have seen more Mexicans in Oregon and California than I have seen in Arizona and New Mexico. I was surprised about that.
The people in Arizona and New Mexico are really nice.
Tonight we stayed in Deming, New Mexico.
Moving Camping Trip - Day 6
We left Banning and took Hwy 10 East. Past the hundreds of windmills that looked like an army of them. The wind was at our backs and travel was far easier. The sun was shining and the temp was around 70 to 77 degrees. The Mojave desert wasn't as pretty as it was around Yucca Valley at first, but as we traveled further east in California, the variation of plants were greater. I seen a short cactus that was in bloom with fuchsia pink blossoms, but that was only over one of the small passes. I was very disappointed that I didn't get a picture of it.
We were very excited to reach the boarder. We had lunch just off the road, but isolated a bit. We were next to some red ant hills. Pat heard motor cycles and then lunch was over and we hit the road. We went over the river and we were in Arizona. All of a sudden we were seeing large cactus standing with their arms straight up. Pat gave the kids a goal to look for the ones that look like people. The hills were also very beautiful. Liz was taking lots of pictures.
We had a tire blow out on the trailer about 30 minutes before Phoenix. We felt very lucky to have had it happen at that point, because we hit Phoenix at rush hour. When we got the spare on, we were back on the road again and through the heart of Phoenix. Phoenix is a beautiful city and very clean. We were very blessed having GPS, because the Hwy kept splitting. If we didn't have it, I know we would have been lost about 5 times taking the wrong split. By the time we arrived in Mesa, it was dark. We spent the whole day looking forward to getting into a hot tub, but we arrived at the KOA 30 minutes after the Pool closed.
We traveled a total of 310 miles.
We were very excited to reach the boarder. We had lunch just off the road, but isolated a bit. We were next to some red ant hills. Pat heard motor cycles and then lunch was over and we hit the road. We went over the river and we were in Arizona. All of a sudden we were seeing large cactus standing with their arms straight up. Pat gave the kids a goal to look for the ones that look like people. The hills were also very beautiful. Liz was taking lots of pictures.
We had a tire blow out on the trailer about 30 minutes before Phoenix. We felt very lucky to have had it happen at that point, because we hit Phoenix at rush hour. When we got the spare on, we were back on the road again and through the heart of Phoenix. Phoenix is a beautiful city and very clean. We were very blessed having GPS, because the Hwy kept splitting. If we didn't have it, I know we would have been lost about 5 times taking the wrong split. By the time we arrived in Mesa, it was dark. We spent the whole day looking forward to getting into a hot tub, but we arrived at the KOA 30 minutes after the Pool closed.
We traveled a total of 310 miles.
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