Moving...

We have now moved nine times - that's counting all the moves in-between moves! I don't think it ever gets easier! And now that there is nothing left in our house but mattresses, I can't wait to see my stuff once it gets off the boat...which will probably be 2 months. Although, this is the most prepared we've been - we've gotten rid of so much junk - no more baby stuff to lug around! Moving every couple of years affords you that luxury...I told J "some people live all their lives in one place, one house even, and don't get the joys of moving around and cleaning out the house every two years!" We love it, though. We enjoy the adventure of a new assignment....and as the packers are boxing and crating, I reminisce of our time in Germany and our house and just think how good God has been to us, how much fun we've had traveling the world, how much fun we've had as a family, and how ready we are to be back in the states. It's snowed the last two days and is frigid cold - HELLO TEXAS SUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lost teeth, the tooth fairy, cats and lists

The day has finally arrived...A lost his first tooth Sunday morning! It has been loose about 2 weeks now, but my beautiful big tenderhearted boy who loves swords and lightsabers and ricochet's around the house as a ninja, was too terrified to touch it or let us wiggle it out! So, having lost our teeth ourselves and watched his older sister loose hers, we knew it was only a matter of time and left it alone :) He proudly walks in our bedroom and says "LOOK!!!" Then tosses me the tooth and leaves to play. One down, lots more to go! So, at bedtime he is asking for the tooth and a ziplock baggie. From watching N, he knows that we put the tooth in the baggie under the pillow, then in the morning there is money. He asks about the tooth fairy...then proceeds to say that there is no such thing as fairies and it is Dad and Mom who come into the room and take the tooth and leave the money - smart boy! He then asks to have a quarter for his tooth. J says "how about a dollar?" A pauses, grins super big and says "that would be SO cool!!!" We are all on the same page now about the tooth fairy....Lil L will just get a deposit in her bank account by the time she starts loosing teeth.

So, N has allergies...LOTS of allergies. Even on two daily allergy meds, she retains her allergy "shiners." The Doc finally suggests allergy testing so we can pinpoint the allergens. She did so good...quiet as always, but very brave. They have a ten sample mix of the most common allergens and then they do more comprehensive testing based of those results. They mark two rows of five, then with a tiny needle containing the sample, they pricked her skin and we waited 15 minutes for her skin to have a "mosquito bite-like" reaction. The verdict? Cats....she only showed a strong allergy to cats. Which is odd because we have never had a cat....my guess was surely mold, grass, weeds, trees...it was interesting. Then I'm thinking....what IS she allergic to then?? So, no cats for us - which isn't a problem because J and I are allergic as well. Of course, we are praying the allergies go away completely and the move to TX will hopefully help!

Speaking of the move....it's here now and we will be packing out the next two weeks! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! I've been compiling a mental list of all the things I will/won't miss about Europe and Germany. For example:

Number 1 thing I won't miss: the toilets....they flush by a panel on the wall and there is always very little water AND what my friend likes to refer to as the "poop shelf"