A trip to Cheekwood Botanical Gardens...
This week finds us exploring Nashville!  I have never been to downtown Nashville and don't know much about it.  We decided to take a trip to a place called "Belle Meade" just south of downtown to see a botanical garden there.  It is a really neat area with historical homes and beautiful parks.  It reminds me of the Meridian area of Indianapolis with a southern twist.  Here we are...

"Why do we have to go to this boring garden Mom?"-Taylor

 

Hmmm...they have treehouses?  This might not be so bad.

 

 

And pirate ships?

 

Jackson spoofing Titanic...

 

Lot's of fun things to play on.  A random fish made entirly out of CD's...

 

A giant ball of yarn in the middle of a pond...Don't see that everyday, now do ya? :)

 

Headed out on the nature trails...a bamboo forest.  So cool!

 

Lot's of artwork to see on the trail.  This particular one had James heading for the hills! :)

 

We saw this buck and many other deer on the trail. 

 

Tall chairs for some tired out walkers...this place is huge!

 

Now on to exploring the Cheekwood mansion from the 1700's.  The owners eventually started Maxwell House coffee and IBM computers.  It was amazing to see and the grounds were a maze of boxwood bushes, flowers, and fountains. 

 

Gorgeous views of the hills from the mansion porch. 

 

James studying the "strange lady" at the edge of the fountain...

 

Posing for a picture with the boys in the drizzle.  It is so humid down here!

 

Beautiful grounds everywhere you look!

 

It was a great trip and it's been fun exploring our new home.  More pictures to come soon! 

Love,

Jennifer

 

 

Hello friends!
James started his first day of preschool today!  He was really nervous about it all day yesterday and kept telling me on the drive there this morning that he thought he needed "to go back home and rest" for awhile.  :(  Once he got there and we saw his teacher and the other kids, he got a little more excited, but still very serious.  He is such a funny little guy...so loud and ornery here, but in a social setting like that he becomes very quiet and shy.  I could read his eyes as I said goodbye and I know that if no one else was watching he might have cried, but he didn't.  He was so brave! 
We had gone to visit the school last week.  It's at Presbyterian church about five minutes from our house.   I got to stay the whole morning with him and I was so impressed with him and loved seeing his personality come through in that setting.  He takes everything to heart and is just so sweet.  He wants to do everything right and I could see this sheer determination when he was working that I've never seen before...he is really changing big time and growing up right before my eyes!
As I sit here by myself for the first time in many months, I feel...well, if I can be honest, relief! Spell it with me, R-E-L-I-E-F!  :) Sorry, our summer was a little longer this year because of the move and any parent knows how kids get at the end of the summer...lots of whining, bickering, "he looked at me the wrong way", even , "he looked at me" was thrown out there a few times...it was crazy!  I think with the move it was crazy times two! 
Even though I am loving this quiet time I have to enjoy for a few hours, it's strange being here in a new place alone.  We've been so busy I haven't had time to stop and process all that has taken place and really just how much we have to be thankful for. 
When I look back, I can see how God has been working in our lives in the last year to prepare us for this change.  He placed a desire and openness in our hearts to move last year, but we didn't understand it or even think it was a possibility.  Then came this spring when I randomly started cleaning and organizing everything in our attic closets, which was a lifesaver knowing that was done when we found out about Matt's new job.  It was a HUGE job and Matt had even commented to me when I was doing it that, "it looks like we're getting ready to move".  I really don't know why I started that project.  I'm kind of lazy when it comes to cleaning, especially closets. :) It was like something inside me just ignited and I didn't stop for three days until it was done.  Then, the sale of our home was another open door.  It was amazing that our home sold in two days and to tell you the truth, I can't imagine what it would have been like for us if we had not sold it that fast now.  That was such a blessing and made the transition so much easier. 
In all of these things, I can see the signs that God has been leading us here.  It has not been easy being away from family, friends, and all the familarity of home, especially for an anti-change kind of girl like me.  My worries can at times overwhelm me when I stop and consider how big of a decision this was and how it will affect each of our lives.  On the other hand, it's been freeing for such a scaredy cat like me to get out of my comfort zone and take a risk.  I can't wait to see what His plans are for our family in Tennessee!
-"Trust in the Lord  with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him and He will make your paths straight."  Proverbs 3:5

In the car line with James at his new preschool:

Hi everyone-
We are finally getting settled into our apartment!  It doesn't feel like "home" yet, but we are getting there.  The boys and I arrived last Friday to a pretty organzied new place, thanks to Matt.  He had already been unpacking for a week and had all the beds set up and almost all of the boys things unpacked.  It was really nice to come in and not see a ton of boxes.  The boys were thrilled to see their beds and all of their toys and furniture again. 

Here are a few snapshots of us from the past week:

Matt setting up the washer and dryer....sorry I couldn't resist! :)

 

The boys entertaining themselves with boxes.  They were desperate for some time to let loose after all the stress of the move and this kept them occupied for a few hours. 

A picture of my mom and her buddies Chewy and James.  She drove down with the boys and I and then stayed with us for the first week.  I can't imagine what I would have done without her being here.  She helped unpack the kitchen, did countless loads of laundry, cooked us dinner and some fabulous desserts, and helped watch the boys while I got them registered for school.  It was such a blessing to have her with us! 

 

This is a picture of Jackson before the school dance he attended Friday. He was so nervous about going to a new school and I was prettied worried, but look at him now!  I am so proud of him for going and being so brave.

 

 

What else??? Oh, I do have a quick Tour de Le Apartment for you:

 

 

Driving into our apartment complex...It's only two minutes from Matt's office!

 

The front of our building.

Living room...

 

Small area for our table... 

 

 Kitchen...

 

Taylor and Jame's room.  This living situation started out well, but has gone downhill fast.  Taylor is very patient, but he misses his privacy and being woken every morning at 6:30 by his baby brother doesn't help.  This morning it was James singing "Party Rockers" that threw him over the edge. :)

 

 

The view from our balcony...it's very private and quiet, which is nice.  We've also seen deer right down below. 

 

That's all for now.  More to come soon!
Love,
Jennifer

 

Hello ya'll! Yes, it's official...we are residents of Tennesee! Yay! (I think!?!) :)  No, seriously, I am excited for this new home of ours, but still trying to process all that has happened in the past few weeks...it's been crazy! After two weeks of packing and loading, we are finally here.  I'm still pinching myself that I am not getting back on 65 south tomorrow and driving back to Indiana.  Such a strange feeling! I don't have time to write much tonight, but I do have a lot of pictures to share of our final weeks in Indiana.  I will post again later this week.

The moving truck arrives! Matt drove this 26 foot truck with a car trailer on the back  all the way to Tennessee. 

 

 

Matt and Brian clearing out the garage.  We never knew how much stuff we had until we started clearing out the garage and attics.  I felt like I was on an episode of hoarders!

 

 

 

Saying goodbye to Jackson's friend Evan.  We will miss him so much!

 

 

 

Our moving "crew" eating pizza on the backporch after the furniture was gone...Could not have done it without them!!

 

 

 

A special surprise from my parents afterwards.  Love it!!

 

 

 

We spent a week with my parents at their house after Matt left with our things.  Here is Taylor and my mom baking a pumpkin pie.  Such wonderful memories!

My dad teaching Jackson how to play a card game.

 

Taylor's 10th birthday spent with cousins Mya and Lauren.  Happy Birthday Taylor! Don't you love that Blondies cookie cake? 

 

That's all for now.  More to come soon!

 

Hello friends!
The house search begins!  Matt and I have been driving down to Tennessee on the weekends trying to find our way around and get a better idea of where things are and what area we would like to live in.  We spent last weekend in the Franklin/Brentwood area with our realtor looking at TONS of homes.  It was an exhausting four days, but it really helped us to figure out where we want to be and what we are looking for in a home.  We were able to narrow our search down to two homes by Sunday and on Monday we made our decision and put in an offer!  We are still waiting on our financing to process, but we should know by next week if the house is ours.  The home has not been built yet and won't be done until February, so in the meantime we found an apartment that is in a nice area and is zoned for the same schools as our future home. 
It's been a very exciting time for us as a family lately.  I'm not used to all this action and it's wearing me out! :) We had our routine going and it's all but gone! Frankly, I just like to be in control, or at least think I am and there are so many things about this move that are not in my control.  I can hear God whispering, "Trust me"...BUT letting go of the reigns is not so easy, especially for someone like me who resists change at all costs.  Even though it's been stressful, I keep reminding myself that we are SO blessed to have sold our home so fast and for Matt to have such a great opportunity.  I know God is using this time to stretch my faith and He is helping me to trust in Him and His plan for our lives instead of my own thoughts about what might happen.  I have to admit that surrendering this whole situation to Him, which I have to do and re-do several times a day by the way :), has been such a release.  When I turn it over to Him, I just feel that burden lift.
"Cast your cares upon Him, for He cares about you watchfully."  1 Peter 5:7


I have just a few pictures to share of our trip....

 Gorgeous views from the road while driving around....

There are beautiful Crape Myrtle trees everywhere! They bloom all summer long. 

Almost every neighborhood has hills...I can see the boys now on their bikes, skateboards, etc. and it makes me a little nervous!

More pictures to come soon!
Jennifer

Hi everyone!!
I'm so glad you are checking out our new blog! I got the idea for this blog from my sister Kristi. When she moved to Florida last year she started a family blog and it has been a great way for us to be able to stay in touch with her, Jason, and the kids and to keep up with what is happening in their everyday lives. It was really hard at first knowing they would be all the way down in Florida, so it's been so nice to be able to see pictures of them on a weekly basis and to have a glimpse into how they are adjusting to living in a new place. So...I'm going to try this whole blog thing out too! I think writing about what's happening will be a fun way for us to stay in touch and it will also help me to process all the changes we are going through as we leave Indiana and get settled in Tennessee. More than anything, I really want to share this journey with all of you because you mean so much to me and to our family. Even though we are moving to a new state, I can't imagine not being able to share my life with all of you and I just want to stay connected in any way I can. So thank you for being here for us during this time and for sharing this new adventure with our family!
Love,
Jennifer