But last night as we sat at Jamie's moms house to watch the fireworks, I was thinking of last year at this time and the big changes that were about to happen to our family. See, last 4th of July we were about to embark on a journey of moving our family out of state to Tennessee. This was a BIG DEAL for us as my husband had lived in the same town his whole life! We moved on the 15th of July of last year. Arrived in the wee hours of the morning and were so exhausted, as you can imagine!
Our family was so excited to experience a whole new world, it seemed! The beautiful mountains, the millions of trees and the southern twang of everyones accents! It was so refreshing than boring Ohio!! So we thought!
My husband is a tattoo artist and went down there to work for his friend, it was exciting for him as he has owned his own shop for about 20 years now. But we soon discovered that the hours were not what we were used to. Jamie always had the freedom to come and go as he pleased from his own shop, now he worked 6 days a week 10-12 hr days. Not Cool!!! But that was the hours so thats what he had to do. So I had to manage all 4 of the kids at that time and establish schools, bills, the house, and everything else you can imagine.
The kids soon started school and life was getting routine. But as soon as the kids stated school and we seemed to have a "normal" going, we got an email! It was an email from our adoption agency about a baby already born. Yep! Miss Arlyn came into our family. As you can imagine, we were not prepared, not in the "baby item sense" or in the "paperwork sense". So it was a mad scramble! But we managed.
Arlyn came home in about a month of age and then we started all over again with a new "normal". Things were a little scary at times with her reflux and the state of Tennessee was taking its sweet time getting her health insurance established. So many specialists would not see her only her pediatrician.
As we came back to Ohio in September for our first visit back and Arlyns first meeting with both of our families, it just felt wierd to be back and in the "familiar". We had a great visit and hated to go home but it was time. I admit that after that visit I became homesick for Ohio! sniff sniff
Life went on but I realized how miserable I had become in TN. I had no support, no one to talk to, our finances were miserable and the last straw was the Arlyn still had NO INSURANCE!!!! So no dr. would touch her! I cried almost every night and just knew where I needed to be, back in OH!!!
I told my dear husband what I was feeling and he was not a happy guy at first. But he came to realize the need at least for Arlyns sake! So we made the hard decision to pack back up and move back to OH. We moved on November 15th and haven't looked back!
Since we have been back, life is good! I look at Ohio differently now. I always thought I hated it here but for now, at least it's home! I love the support that I have, and the new friends I am making. I love my church and am getting to know some members. I love the farmland even the plain old fields.
So a year ago today, our lives changed tremendouly. We moved out of state, and back again, we have a new precious addition to our family, and we realized even though our move was brief, it made a huge impact on us all. I took a few pictures last night before the fireworks, I didn't get all of my kids as they were scattered and playing but I did manage to get a few pics.
My Oldest, Kierstyn(14) and I
Miss Arlyn in her red, white, and blue
And of course Alex trying to stand still for a pic
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