Look Out! We're in Texas, Baby!!!! `

Well we've officially been in Texas, as a family, for 5 days!  And I finally have time to catch up on my blog.  The last 5 days have been very busy as Sean and I both were determined to get unpacked and settled, for our sanity, as quickly as possible.  Well Thursday, I arrived to DFW airport and Sean picked me up.  We immediately headed to dinner, since we were both starving.  He took me to this place called Shady Oaks that he went to with our friend Steve, when he was here looking for an apt for us 2 weeks ago.  It was delicious BBQ!!!  So yum!  After that, we headed home. :)  When we got to the complex, he made me wait outside on the front porch.  He went in and made sure everything was ready for us.  Then he came out and lifted both Emery and I up into his arms and carried us over the threshold (is it still called that 18 1/2 years of marriage?! lol)  It was awesome!  He had furniture placed and left boxes in the garage so it looked nice for me.  Aaaaaaawwwww..... As we have unpacked and found a place for everything and began living in our apartment, we are finding, more and more, how awesome this place is!  God really did pick out a crazy cool home for us!  Complete with nice carpet, crown molding, high ceilings, an entire wall of windows in the living/dining room, TWO balconies!, a huge room for Emery with bay windows, a huge walk-in closet for us, a jetted tub in the master, and tons of storage (no joke!) along with a really deep, finished garage (more storage)... that's just the big stuff... but God even thought of the little details.  So cool!

 Our drive home... this is what many of the major roads look like... 3 lane and hilly.  

But this is not even the nice area.

Our Home (that's us in the middle, 2nd floor, from the balcony on the left to the first balcony on the right)

I took a walk to the clubhouse and pool to check it out the first night I was here.  I called my step dad and we talked a while as I sat by the pool.  Before I knew the sun was setting.  It was a beautiful Texas sunset! (the pool overlooks wild terrain, and to the left, the golfcourse)

Friday we spent the morning unpacking and doing odds and ends.  Later in the day, we went to pick up Sean's new (used) car.  Yes... this will make it 21 cars he's owned. lol  A toyota Highlander.  Our friend Luke set Sean up with this guy, Jeremy, who buys wholesale at auctions.  Well before we left he took a picture of us with the car (check it out at www.ecarhouse.com) to put on his website.  But then, what was awesome is he asked if he could pray over the car for us.  We said heck yes! and he literally laid his hands on the car and prayed the most awesome prayer over the car and us.  Seriously the best car transaction we've ever had!!!  We then headed over to Luke and Kathy's for dinner.  After dinner they came back to our place to help us unpack.  We got a lot done... the whole kitchen was done!  We celebrated with Blue Bell Mint and Chip Ice Cream!!!  So yum!!

Saturday we pretty much unpacked.  I attempted to go shopping without using my gps because I thought I knew the way, but got lost. lol  I think I just didn't go far enough.  I eventually found a different super target.  We attended church at Gateway in Southlake with our friends, Luke and Kathy and their two girls, Brianna and Madeline that evening.  It was a great service!  Everyone was so active in worship... it was awesome!  Luke talked us into going to church saturday night instead of sunday because he and madeline were going to the lake on the boat on sunday.  It wasn't a hard decision. lol  We had a great time with them.  Emery loved being on the boat, although she was pretty somber when she was in her life preserver.  We took turns taking her in the water.  They have this huge raft thingy that you can ride on behind the boat.  We got to take Emery on that.  Obviously, Luke drove slow.  It was so fun though!  Then Madeline and I got on it and Luke went as fast as the boat would go!  lol  Then he started swerving back and forth making us go side to side over the wake.  We caught air a couple times and unless you were hanging on (which I was... for dear life) then you would have flown off!  But it was so awesome!  THEN.... Sean took a turn.  Well let me just say, all was going well until he got crazy and tried to surf on it.  All of the sudden the front came up and he completely flipped it!  It was awesome!... and yet at the same time, I was so worried he got hurt.  He hit really hard.  Luke kept saying he's never flipped anyone though he has tried, so it can't be done.  But Sean proved him wrong. lol  After a few hours on the lake, we headed home and we all took naps.  It's amazing how much that takes out of you.  Sunday night we finished unpacking and everything in the house had its place.  Every night we've been up until 11 or 12.  But now, we are done!!  Yippee!!!  It feels so good!

Daddy and daughter on the lake

Sean gettin up on skis for the first time in a long time.  He did good!

 Lookin good baby!!!

 Madeline and Emery chillin on the boat

 Family of 3 floating on the lake
That's the Gaylord Texas in the background, an enormous hotel and conference center

Sean hanging on for dear life

I'm pretty sure this is before he beefed it! lol

Well, we decided that on Monday, we were going to give Emery a normal day of naps and playtime.  She has done pretty well overall.  But we've definitely seen a change in her over the past few days.  She's acting out, throwing fits more often for no good reason and crying a lot.  I finally looked at Sean and said we need to get on the floor and simply spend more time with her.  I know back at our house, she sensed something was off.  And now, with all the unpacking, I think she's feeling left out.  Today and yesterday were the worst.  So today I stayed home most the day.  Sean headed out to REI in Dallas to check in there and get his schedule (he starts on the 21st).  She got in two good naps.  After 3 days, I finally took her to the pool at 9am, but they were doing maintenance and it was closed.  So we sat by the pool for a bit then headed into the clubhouse for a cup of coffee (keurig style!) and chatted with one of the office girls who gave me some pointers on places to shop.  During Emery's naps, I began decorating.  For 18 months all the wall hangings I had for her room sat on her floor.  So that was my number one goal!  And it is done!  yeah!  I still have one or two things, but I'm happy with it.  Her room is awesome!  There are three tall bay windows and so much space!!  We borrowed her tall chest of drawers until we get bedroom furniture, but even if it was in there, there would still be a ton of room!  It's fantastic!!  After Sean came home, I got a reprieve and went shopping on my own during her second nap.  I went to Bed, bath and beyond and World Market where I caught up with my friend Lisa, from back home, on the phone.  I miss her voice already.  I cooked my first dinner tonight as well!  Pork tenderloin, asparagus and salad.  Not fancy, but it was good.

And so, I'm caught up to today!  It's Tuesday.  And again it was a productive, yet relaxing day.  I did a dry run (actually drive) to work this morning.  I left my place at 6am to see what traffic would be like.  It wasn't too bad.  But by 7 it got backed up coming back, near the airport.  I got to work in 20 min after 3 interchanges.  It's crazy... feels like I'm in LA. I've never lived or worked in a city before.  But it was pretty easy.  The hospital is unbelievable!!!  I will post pics here once I can get them off my phone. I parked in the 6 story garage and when I came out, I didn't know where I was.  So since I was dressed in my exercise clothes to run, I jogged around the hospital until I found the main entrance. lol  It is breathtaking.  Especially at dawn.  I headed inside and quickly found the full size Starbucks!  Did I say FULL SIZE??!!!  I saw the Camelot Cafe, the leggo arial view of the entire hospital, and the soon-to-come nail and hair salon and yogurt shop (yep! IN the hospital!).  I'm so excited!  I saw a few people walking the same direction in scrubs so I'm wondering if that's the direction I will be going.  Anyway... I left and headed home.  But I stopped just short of our complex and parked near the Cotton Belt Trail that runs along a railroad.  It goes forever.  But I only ran a mile.  Just shaking the cobwebs from my legs and checking out the area.  It was peaceful.  But I was already sweatin like a pig at a warm 84 deg at 7:00 in the morning!  Yikes!

My hospital at 6:20 a.m.

This is just inside the entrance

Starbucks!!!

Camelot Cafe

An Arial view of the entire complex

The trail by our place

Speaking of which.... the weather has been pretty bad and hot.  Locals say we moved during the worst few days of the year.  It was 109 when I arrived and close to that when Sean and Kevin were unloading.  Today and the last couple days has been 104ish with lower humidity.  I don't think we've had high humidity yet (over 50%).  But honestly, it hasn't felt that bad.  If you are out walking in it, in the sun, you begin to feel like you're going to melt.  But today it was really cloudy so it wasn't so intense.  I would say that it is truly no more uncomfortable than Fresno's heat, just a different kind of discomfort.

Sean afforded me a two hour nap today!  Hallelujah!  All of the sudden this afternoon my energy of the last 5 days faded.  But afterward, I was up and cooking dinner!  Sean fed and bathed Emery while I slept and then we put her to bed.  After a simple dinner of spaghetti and salad, Sean headed out to the garage to finish up out there.  And just now, as I type this, he is done!!!!   My car is in the garage with about 5 feet of our stuff puzzle pieced together in front of my car. Praising God for this extra large garage!  No need to pay for storage!  Now I'm ready for our first storm! lol

Tomorrow I'm back to the hospital for my drug screening (no poppy seed muffins for me!) and then we're going to Steve and Tyrannie's for lunch (our other Fresno transplant friends)  I will soon post more pics from my phone and also a full video of our apt once I'm done decorating! :)   Good Night Y'all!!!