Ten things I LOVE about living in TEXAS

10. The wide roads
9. The nice lady that works in the College Station walmart sewing dept (I'm gonna have to buy something from that section, even if it's cheesy kitty cats and heart fabric. That lady could sell anything. She might just redeem walmart in my mind's eye but that might be going too far, i don't know.)
8. the wide selection of grocery stores (HEB, Kroger, Albertson's)
7. the BodyFlow class at Gold's gym (ok, maybe they have that nationwide but you get my point)
6. having a MAILBOX at the end of our driveway! (we had to go to the post office daily for our Raymond mail)
5. Our house! -the ceiling fans in everyroom, the baby blue paint throughout is growing on me, at least its clean, the swing on our back porch, our kitchen floor which does not show dirt(whoohoo!), and the massive attic above our garage, my new washer,dryer, frig
4. the parks close to our house
3. the recycling truck that comes to our house! to pick up sorted bags of recyclable things
2. our church-the worship service, the sunday school class for hannah
1. The People!-the friendly and welcoming church family, the RUF students!, the sweet lady next door, the yard man that's gonna take out the water feature on my back patio this afternoon-trust me, you'd love him too if you had one of those hidious things on your back porch

I miss Raymond, don't misunderstand me. :) We had many blessings to count in MS and people who love us but I am ever so grateful for the new blessings God has given us here.

As soon as I learn how to connect my camera to this computer( I am now using ben's old laptop), I'll try to post pics of Hannah's refinished bed and before and after of the dreaded water feature, oh yeah and Hannah's repaired haircut that she started herself...the night before we went to church for the first time. :)

The Hailey's have MOVED TO TEXAS!

Last night was our first night in College Station, Texas! We've been unpacking all day and are taking a break to catch our breath! The movers unloaded an entire 18 wheeler in to our house, yard, garage, etc. We've still got alot to unpack so pray for us. We miss y'all in MS!

Last playdate with some MS friends

Megan Hill and new baby Caleb Hill
Logan Cheezum
Ansley Holbert
Hannah Hailey and Stephen Holbert
Allegra Wright and Matthew and Abigail
Hannah H., Stephen, Fletcher Cheezum and Nate Smith
Hannah Wright

Nathan Hailey and Ansley

Passing the time till Daddy gets home from RUF Summer Conference

"hey mom! Watch me give you a heart attack." I was sitting on the pavement trying to get some shots of the kids smiling together so when he stood up on the bike, all I could do was capture the memory. Thankfully, no broken bones or busted teeth! :)
Both children have loved to dance since they were little. Now they're a HOOT to watch together! Ben will be home Sat. afternoon!!

"the girl and the boy"

Our friends, the Martins, came for a visit Friday night. They are in Jackson for the weekend. Last summer when we went to the beach with Josh and SaraParks, Hannah called their children, "the girl and the boy". Ben and Meg are great playmates and it was sad telling Hannah that they'll not be two hours away, but six! :(

My friend Jan passed on two tricycles to the Haileys this week and Hannah sat down on one of them and RODE it with no help for the first time ever!!! Actually, she can ride them both. Her mommy was super excited! We haven't had any interest in the green tricycle (and still don't) and I was beginning to be concerned that there was some kind of delay. I knew after talking with her doctor that a 3 year old should be pedaling but that she was climbing stairs with alternating steps with no problem. She'll be four in August and now I think it was purely a delay of the Will. Hmm...kinda like the potty training...yes, there's definitely a pattern! Or maybe she just doesn't dig green tricycles with cute sports pictures on the wheels. Who knows what was going through her mind, but now she's begging us to take her outside to ride...before breakfast!

We have a HOUSE in Texas!!

We closed yesterday- officially- on our "new" house and couldn't be more excited!

While in Kroger today...

Hannah asked for a snack. So I was passing the chip isle and thought i'd try to be a little more creative then, well, chips. I opened a bag of apple crisp chips-you know the thin dried apple slices that still have the peeling. One bite later, I heard Hannah's complaint...

"I don't like these chips."

"why not? Why don't you like those chips?"

" 'cause they have eyebrows on them."

There ya have it. Eyebrows. So if I were Hannah, I wouldn't be recommending those chips to you.

Starting the goodbyes...

We've had some fun days in the last week. We've had to hug alot of necks for the last time (until Christmas) and it just doesn't feel real yet. Alot of out of town family came in Friday night. We saw lots of former Hinds students, current students too, at the Kammer's Saturday night. We got to spend a fun day with my friend Jan and her family Saturday at the Raymond Country Fair. I had my friend Megan and her sweet boys over tonight while Ben was gone to presbytery. I think i'm a bit relieved that Mom and Dad are coming with us the day we travel to TX because that's one less goodbye we have to say...until they leave for home.