What a difference a week makes...

Let's see...last Friday night Mark was finished with Camp session #4 and we were getting ready to have family in for Father's Day weekend. We thought we were heading into a pretty relaxing weekend...

The House
On Saturday we got a call about 10am that they wanted to show our house at 1pm. We made our quick run to Wal Mart and then came home and started quickly cleaning and straightening before the prospective buyers arrived. Rebekah arrived Saturday night and my parents arrived Sunday morning (we showed the house again at 11am Sunday). About 2pm Sunday the phone rang - the Saturday viewers made an offer on our house. After a series of counter offers, Mark called me Monday morning at 10 am (mind you I am standing at the top of a ladder at school setting up a major event/program that was Monday afternoon) to tell me they accepted the deal and that we were set to close on our house on July 21. Let me confess something to you...I always resented those people whose houses sold in a couple of days and they found something right away. We had this house on the market last fall for 4 months and barely had anyone look at it...that whole time I prayed that God would sell it if we were to move before Turner's birth. Obviously, we weren't. So we put it back on the market about two weeks ago, again praying that God would sell this house if we were to move now. It was on the market approximately two weeks when it sold. And the closing date couldn't be more perfect with Mark's CWE schedule and my school schedule...talk about God working on our behalf? (And teaching me a lesson about his timing vs. mine??)

The Swaddler
We have been using a "swaddler" (looks more like a baby straight jacket) to help Turner sleep more peacefully since she was born. Turner's startle reflex was strong and I don't know what it would have been like for her to sleep with arms free the first 7 months of her life. However, we are in the largest swaddler available and it's obvious to us that unless we craft our own version of the swaddler (I am already picturing spandex and velcro wrapped around a teenager) that she's getting too old for this sleep aid. So, last Friday night we started trying to teach her to sleep without it. We were prepared for the worst as we worked on breaking this habit, but it was much better than we expected. I think we got up 5 times the first night, 3 the next, 2 the next, and now it's pretty much once per night if at all. Turner is amazing - what other baby would break a 7 month comfort-habit in just a few days and with very little fussing??!! The only issue now is that she manages to end up on her stomach - which she HATES - so if she wakes up in that position she lets us know about it. We are proud of her!

The School
Turner went to our church's preschool/Mother's Day Out program this week, which marks the first time she's stayed in a "formal" day care setting. She only goes from 9-12 but that provides some much needed (see next paragraph) free time for me/play time for her in the mornings three days a week. She did wonderfully (I had a little more trouble than I expected leaving her with all those children running around) and both days the workers commented on what a good eater she was! I guess that's a good thing? :) Anyhow, I still prefer her at Mrs. Rhonda's house but for the summer this is a wonderful blessing!

The Search
So, the search is on for a new home for the Armstrong family and it's a fast and furious search. I spent 4 hours on Wednesday and 5 hours on Thursday scouring Auburn and Opelika for homes that might meet our (perhaps too?) high standards. We saw 6 homes this afternoon and will view another tomorrow...then we are going to have to discuss whether existing homes are going to work or if we are going to have to rent while we build. Pray for us, if you know either of us or both of us you know we can both be pretty opinionated. :)

Now it is another Friday night and we are looking to have a pretty relaxing weekend. I wonder what this one has in store?