We have arrived.

This is the part where I feel settled enough in our new home to write a little bit about the last two weeks.  "Write" of course, not being the key word.  Pictures will do.  I am really, genuinely excited to be here...but we'll get to that.

We spent our last week in Connecticut doing as many of our favorite things as possible.  Playing by the water...

family bike rides (riding with Mia didn't last long...you remember all the "I-can't-do-it's", right? I finally pulled over and let her play in the water while Clark and the older girls finished their ride. I've never known a child who learned how to ride a two-wheeler and hated it so much.)

We drank mulled apple cider with caramel at our favorite "fall place"...OK, only I drank hot apple cider because it was like 85 degrees already that morning...and I enjoyed every last drop (and only one daughter was in a bad mood that day...it's pretty normal...can you tell which one it was that day?)

We played with friends for the last time.  Oh, how we have loved these people....every, last, silly, face.  You guys had better come visit us.

We took pictures...don't worry Haley, I won't tell Ethan's Mom or Ethan that you play Oregon Trail and name the Ma and Pa "Haley" and "Ethan".  Cute boy, even when I get a picture of him with food in his mouth.

And cute Elise, even when she is making a silly face herself.

Adorable Maddie, my girls will miss you.

And these ladies...true friends that I have loved getting to know and become better from knowing them.  Seriously, you are both coming to visit at some point, right?

During the actual "moving events" I may have delighted in distractions such as taking pictures of what it would look like if my ice cream could reproduce...it's a beautiful thought, don't you think?

Coming home from stepping out that day...this sight always produces a bit of lump in my throat.  It's sad to leave somewhere that we have enjoyed so much.  Good bye Pheasant Run.  Though your yard was horrendous, it was spacious...and though you were a tad cramped you kept us close.  I will miss our quiet neighborhood, bus stop, blue skies and family walks up and down our streets.

Such good posture.  I just couldn't pass it up.  While Clark and I cleaned, Mia sat absolutely still, watching Beauty and the Beast on Clark's laptop precariously perched atop the snack buckets.

Hazel took advantage of the special equipment.  And then we were gone.

Three of the girls and I drove down a day before Clark to receive our household goods.  Clark had to check out of work officially on the day that we were supposed to get our keys.  It was a very. busy. day.  The girls favorite part of this house is the swing hung from a tree in the front.  It has an amazing backyard with a swing set and everything, but this is what they race for every time we come home.

And then this is what much of the house looked like...but I simply have to get unpacked as quickly as possible or I feel Krazy with a capital K.  It has been wonderful and amazing to have Clark home for so much of the prep and arrival...work has gone much quicker and goes so much more smoothly.  I have been spoiled having him around 24/7.  I am going to be a big baby when he eventually has to work again.  We have never had this much time together, not ever.  And I am proud and happy to say that after almost 6 weeks off, we still like each other.

Clark power washed the front walk today.  It was funny...and a lot dirtier than I thought it was.

But we finally have somewhere comfy to crash at the end of our busy days unpacking and getting settled...we'll talk about the rug later...a story for another time.  But I'll give you a hint: it has to do with an enthusiastic husband who found himself at a "rug and flop" in Bahrain earlier this year..and one somewhat unsupportive wife.  Picture hanging is on the docket for tomorrow.

And a place to eat...that is very important.  Not super roomy in the kitchen (and the tile countertops make me want to weep just a little) but the rest of the house is roomy and I love it.  There is room to stretch and play and not feel irate by the end of the day because kids are on top of me.   Some day we won't rent.  That will be a nice day.  Some day there also won't be so much stuff on the counters.  That day is sooner than the other nice day I was talking about.

We went to that place that I mentioned.  The DMV wasn't nearly as bad as I was expecting.  We got there early and only had to run home three times for things that different people kept telling us we needed.  But the upside was that the DMV is in an awesome mall so I got chocolate covered gummy bears at the end. 

And then my license came in the mail and I was puzzled because I can't tell if I look more startled or ticked off.  In any case, I feel happy because my hair looks all shiny and healthy...plus, I went ahead and gave myself that last 1/4 inch I needed to claim 5'7.  I just did it.  Don't tell the authorities.  But look, you can also have my organs if I don't need them anymore.

One of my favorite things about this house is the beautiful two tiered deck.  I finally have a good place to hang my party lanterns...and eat leisurely meals outside with people that I love.  Did I mention that we are only 25 minutes from Spencer and Sho? If you come visit us, you can stay in the "Spo Suite"...happily named for it's most frequent overnight guests...we may even let you use their toothbrushes but probably not Sho's pj's, she is pretty petite.

Living near Spencer and Sho also means even MORE beautiful pictures of my kids...aren't you excited?! I know I am!

Everywhere we went for the first week I would get really excited and then really wary, as though disaster looms around the corner...so much seems too good to be true.  I think it feels overwhelmingly convenient because we have lived somewhere rather inconvenient for the last two and a half years.  We really loved Connecticut.  I mean, really.  But we became very accustomed to the fact that our nearest grocery store was at least 15 minutes away.  Everything was far away.  Gorgeous but less "available".  Less than ten minutes from our house here we have school, church and the most amazing grocery store you have ever set foot in (seriously, I have never felt so elated after a grocery trip.) And less then fifteen minutes away we have every store and restaurant that you could want.  And less than 30 minutes away we have downtown Washington DC, one of my favorite places.  History, nature, entertainment, culture (and most of it free!) I love that it is all so accessible.  We are near family again (though we will miss Uncle Nolan in CT, dearly.)  The schools are wonderful and the girls are happy.  Clark has been in to work for the run down and it excited about his job...excited I tell you....he hasn't felt that way about his job for too long. I mean, how can working in the Pentagon not be cool?  He deserves it and I am excited for him.
I feel content and really, truly excited to be here.  So here's to the Navy for another chance to live somewhere amazing.
So what are you waiting for?...the Spo Suite is ready for you.