Please Pardon the Interuption

August 1st, we hit the ground running, almost literally.  We spent about a week in Arizona tying up some loose ends and yet more goodbyes.  Gary and I loaded up our new-to-us car with everything we own, and we set off in the wee hours of August 8th to drive to Michigan.  The plan ("plan"... how cute we thought things might go as planned now that we were back in the States!) was to find a place to rent, then I would fly back to Arizona to pick up the kids while Gary got us settled, then fly back to Michigan with the Crazies two days later.  I did indeed fly back to retrieve the offspring, although we returned to live in our (dear, patient, loving, kind, thoughtful amazing) friends' basement for the next three weeks.

So.  In case my plea for a pity-party wasn't received loud and clear, let me reiterate:

August 1st:  Fly from Port-au-Prince to Miami, Miami to Phoenix
August 8th:  Drive from Phoenix to Denver
August 9th:  Drive from Denver to Iowa City
August 10th:  Drive from Iowa City to Grand Rapids
August 13th:  Fly solo from Grand Rapids to Denver, Denver to Phoenix
August 15th (also known as "My 35th birthday"):  Fly solo plus three kids from Phoenix to Denver, Denver to Grand Rapids
August 15th-September 6th:  Lived in our friends basement like big ole' moochers
September 6th-today:  Trying to wrap our heads around the events of the last year, find jobs, and rebuild our lives

Just kidding on the pity-party part, but if you'd like to pray for us, I would love you forever.  I really do want to sit down and write out a better update, but I'm just a teensy bit distracted by the real life begging for my attention beyond the computer screen, right in front of me.  I feel like for a handful of people who are wondering about how we're faring, I owe it to you too.

 Our cozy little love nest...

We're becoming real pros at living in chaos...

When the next big huge hurdle, finding a job, gets tackled, I will write the most glorious of all updates, worthy of the wait.  Pinky promise.  Until then, would you please join us in pray for a miraculous gift of a job?