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Powered by LifeTypeLast catchup ended on the weekend of the fire company banquet. That weekend was also the beginning of the new adventure. Two different people called up to ask about looking to buy our house. No, not the one we're fixing up to sell. The one we're living in. Well, ok, I guess you can come see it, but we're not really thinking of moving. That weekend, Jon is also showing the rental house to someone who might buy it before we finish fixing it up. Jon ramps up looking online at houses in Hillsboro.
3/12 - Noah and Faith are supposed to be doing chores. Faith says her hair is getting in the way. So Noah cuts it for her. They are both very happy with the results. I try to remain serious while explaining why this was not a good idea, but have a hard time not laughing. I think I succeeded. For a five year old, Noah really did a good job. We did go to a place to get the back straightened out a bit. And maybe next time I'll try it myself and save the money (not too much doubt on my part that there will be a next time for somebody.) It is very cute, anyway.
3/15 - Joy right bottom next tooth poked through.
Also in my notes, I've been keeping a record of rainbows on the floor. I'm fascinated by the effect the changes in the sun's seasonal position makes to the success of our prisms. Winter is the time for rainbows. I had wondered if they'd be completely gone with the first day of spring, but two days ago and this morning, we did see some small, faint ones.
3/17 - A nice young couple comes to look at our house. The husband reminds me of Jon. His parents live just down the road. He grew up playing with the boy across the street. He was happy to see our house up on zillow because he always wanted to move back and be near his parents. The parents came to look, too.
3/17 - Joy is now signing more and bye. Her more is the typical "baby talk" that looks more like clapping.
3/18 - Faith, speaking of ranch dressing, "But it's no good with salad on it..."
Jon finds a house in Hillsboro that looks good at a good price. We make an appointment for Wednesday (3/21) for Jon's parents and their contrector friend, Rusty, to see it. On Tuesday, we go ahead and buy a plane ticket for me to go to Hillsboro to look at the house. (Southwest is flexible with changing things.) Wednesday, they go and take lots of pictures and give it the go ahead. All of us in Pittsburgh like the pictures. Thursday, Joy and I fly out to New Hampshire. Friday morning, there's lots of time to pray and go over my notes. In the afternoon, I see the house and Rusty comes, too. I like what I see, and give the go ahead to put in the offer. This is happening pretty fast, lots of emotions running around. But I'm not panicky, because we've thought about it for years. So I'm ready to move if this is now the time. I have a good time in Hillsboro, peaceful and thinking more and more of the advantages of being there. Joy and I fly home Saturday morning.
Because the house is a foreclosure, we don't expect to hear back about our offer for five business days. Those days are filled with nostalgia about Pittsburgh and excitement about what God seems like he's doing in our lives. The Carroll St potential buyer makes an offer that is too low. We think we can get significantly more after finishing the renovations. The Denny Rd buyers make an offer that is too low; Jon works on negotiations.
3/26 - Faith has six cavities and gets four filled. She does a great job. Causes? Maybe nursing while sleeping, maybe no flouride for her first 2 1/2 years, maybe the shape of her teeth, probably a combination.
3/27 - I take the kids to the zoo. I realize that I shouldn't buy a membership as I had planned, not yet. I get all nostalgic about the zoo. We see the newborn gorilla. A peahen eats Joy's cookie. The kids make elongated cent souvenirs. Jonathan soaks himself in the sting ray tank.
3/27 - We show Denny Rd to another nice young couple.
3/29 - The news is in. The Hillsboro house has been sold to someone else. That is very hard news to hear. What was the point of going? What is God doing? Is it God we're followin after all? What is going on? These are the questions I struggled with. I sent an email out requesting prayer and got very encouraging replies. Jon and I had a good talk the next morning also. God is still in control and he still loves us. He has something better for us, He has a plan. Keep trusting. Now I no longer think my trip out was a waste. There are still good things that came out of it, even if we don't get that house.
3/30 - The first nice young couple makes an offer that we like, and they're flexible on move-in date. Ok, now we're selling our house and we don't have one to go to. This sure is an adventure!
3/31 - Joy gets her first molar. Upper right. Others are working their way in also.
So now we're eating up our freezer and pantry food. Starting to pack things up and get ready to pack things up. I can almost not really believe that we're leaving. It's really rather surreal at this point. Some of our friends have already cried. I've already cried. But it's not over yet! I look forward to seeing what crazy plan God has (still reserving the right to cry more, though, even in the looking forward.)
I'm with Faith. I know both of our daughters disagree, but I think long hair is a pain, and "gets in the way." Good thing she has brothers to rescue the damsel in distress. ;)
I love your stories! I also appreciate that "A Beatless Heart" is finally scrolling off the page. It was, indeed, very cool, but for some reason creeps me out.
Pictures are up now, so you can see the new haircut.
It's very cute!
Homeschooling is easier in CT you know. (We won't talk about the tax difference between NH & CT, though).
We'll be happy to have you closer!
Sarah
Well, almost anything is easier than PA (for homeschooling). I was looking forward to how much less work it would be in NH. This summer, we'd be starting officially having to do the paperwork with PA. So if we move before next school year, we don't have to do it!
What's easier in CT than NH? I haven't looked up CT for homeschooling, but I was thinking NH was pretty easy!
I don't know much about NH other than a quick look at HSLDA. Looks like there is some kind of portfolio review. If you look at their color-coded US map (look under "My State" and then "Laws"), they show NH as orange. However, if you go to the NH Home page, they indicate that due to the hostile legislative environment, they have changed it to red. CT is green - "no requirement for parents to initiate any contact."
Since the boys started in school and then we removed them, I did do a letter of intent. I continue to do one each year. Last year was the first year they called to see if I wanted to do a portfolio review. They were offering it if I wanted it, but I decided not to do it.
Some of my friends do not do letters of intent and that is their right.
Trade-offs for so little oversight might be that in CT (as far as I know), homeschooled kids can not participate in any public school activities like music and sports. But as you know, there are other places to get those things like private schools, through the rec department, or sometimes homeschoolers set up a group themselves.
Sarah
Wow. No requirement is certainly the easiest! I wonder why "Live Free or Die" is having hostile legislative environment. Last I looked, things were fine.
Just don't move to NH before the end of the school year. According to the HSLDA, you need to comply with the rules of the state you are in, regardless of your legal residence, and in NH the required school starting age is six.
That said, I doubt it would be a problem. More to the point is having would be having to keep records for Noah as well as Jonathan next year.
I don't think they'd be too hard on a family who had just moved. We'd send our letter of intent, and I keep a portfolio for my own use anyway. (I'd have a bit of trouble with the book list though, because I don't have a complete list - I wasn't making Jonathan record until next year when he had to...)
Pennsylvania is the nicest on compulsory school age.
But I'm looking forward to not having to count days!
"HSLDA will be adding New Hampshire to this list not because its law is inherently unfriendly, but because its legislative climate has been persistently hostile to homeschoolers for the last four years."
HSLDA NH