update on packing

This afternoon has been one of organizing papers. Like 2 hours of it. Who has that much paper to look through? Apparently we do. It doesn't help that one of my strengths, according to Strengthsfinder 2.0, is Input. Input people LOVE to collect things- anything really- that they think will be useful for someone else sometime in the future. You can imagine what that looks like, lol. I want to learn how to do that electronically instead of with paper. I'd save a ton of trees.

Only 3 days until my parents come to take as much stuff as they have room for home. We have a lot of boxes; I hope we can find room for it all. It's amazing how much stuff we still have despite giving away and selling so much.

Our Schedule

I thought I would share with everyone our schedule for the rest of our time here in Missouri.

July 20th-August 2nd: In Columbia, living in our duplex.
August 3rd- 6th: In Columbia, living with the Parsons and maybe Christa and Tyler.
August 7th: Columbia in the morning to get Asante's shots and last doctor appointment, and then we'll head to Palmyra for Emily Foreman's wedding rehearsal.
August 8th: Emily Foreman's Wedding in Palmyra
August 9th: Journeying from Palmyra to Potosi, with a possible lunch stop in Columbia.
August 10th- 16th: Vacation with the Malloys to Oklahoma
August 17th-20th: In Waterloo with the Knoebels
August 20th: In the late afternoon we're going to be travelling to St. Louis to get a hotel room near the airport so that we can be close, and also hopefully hang out with friends and family.
August 21st: Bright and early we'll be heading to the airport! We have to be there by 7:30am-ish.

Louisville

I'm sitting in my friend Jessica's room here in Louisville, KY, getting ready with a few of my favorite girls for a night on the town. We're going to do a little window shopping and then a dinner on the Ohio River. I'm so loving being here with these girls-- I haven't hung out with any of them very much (besides Ashley), so it's such a great blessing. I think this will probably be my last girls weekend for awhile :).

This is just a polaroid of what is to come-- lasts. I am so thankful for the friends God has put in my life, and I'm trying to savor the time before we leave. As with anything, I know that this is not the final goodbyes for most, but simply a pause. And I know that I'll make some great new friends in Kenya.

Yay for Louisville and great ladies - Ashley, Charity, Laura Mac, Jekkisa, Shannon and Kayla! Maybe I'll add some pics later...

First Word Imitated

Asante just said "dog." Adriene, Bryce and I were in the living room and we were saying it to him to repeat it, and he did! He was really concentrating and then said something that was similar to it. And then we did the same with "doggie." Amazing boy!

Whew!

Wow, I don't remember getting ready for a yard sale to be so exhausting. My mom and I used to do it all the time, and it was way more fun than this, lol. It makes it harder with a small child around- only one of us can be working on something at a time because Asante moves so fast and just gets into everything! Today, I was going through our bedroom to look for things to sell, and Jake and Asante were hanging out there with me. Asante started to climb over and on all these things. I'd turn around and he was trying to eat the Skin So Soft Bath Oil or Outlet Covers or his diaper rash ointment (yik!). He's crazy, but hilarious.

It's 11:00p and I'll be headed to bed shortly. Jake and I are rising early tomorrow (6a) to start on some things before Asante wakes up. Pray for us! I feel exhausted and the sale has yet to begin! :) And tell your friends. About the sale that is. I mean, maybe there will be nothing good there. That's a possibility. But maybe tell them to buy just one thing. Maybe the cheapest thing there. Just something. :0 hehe. Goodnight ya'll!

Packing

So far, so good. I've been officially unemployed (weird!) for 3 days, and it's been a productive week. Jake and I have spent the afternoons going through the upstairs office/storage room while Asante is napping. We've been very successful in our progress. I think our goal is to have everything in the house looked at by Tuesday evening, and then I'll spend Wednesday and Thursday pricing things-- because my yard sale is on Friday and Saturday! We're hoping to get rid of a lot of our stuff-- if you're in the Columbia area, be sure to come take a look. We're selling some good stuff, I think. And all the money goes to our 2-year trip to Africa! :)

We're going to Potosi for the weekend to visit Jake's parents and brother's family. I'm excited to see them! This may be the last time for awhile.... so sad. We've officially begun the good-byes-- Emily Sutterfield left for St. Louis (and soon Alabama) for good. :(