So Here We Are in Texas

We are in a house in Texas in a nice town North of Houston. It took us awhile to find a place to rent. Things just kept going wrong with each rental we tried to get into. (It was taken, it had a registered sex offender next door, the management office wouldn't return the call, the landlord defaulted on his loan, etc.) We were grateful to have Matt and Brittany to crash with while we looked so we weren't completely homeless. When we did FINALLY find a house, we moved our stuff in one night after Daniel got home from work, and I had gone over earlier to clean and while there realized how DISGUSTING the house was. I cleaned for 2 hours and barely got the bathtub done in the kids' bathroom. I felt so sick when I got back. I felt awful while we were trying to move in. I hadn't been sleeping well and I had been so stressed and overwhelmed and not happy with the situation. I felt sick for a few days and was so mad that it hit while we were trying to move.

We ended up sleeping on Brittany's floor that night and then the next morning she went into labor so Daniel came home early from work and helped me finish cleaning Brittany's house and putt it back together then we finished getting all of our stuff out of their house. It took hours and we were exhausted. We sat in our huge messy pile in our house feeling overwhelmed. We had no hot water or gas for the oven or stove. The gas company took days to turn it on. We took cold showers and ate Subway every night. We had set up beds and the couches but that was it. Daniel had to work the next couple days so I couldn't get much done. There were cockroaches, spiders, and ants. I tried cleaning the kitchen to put stuff away but found a giant dead cockroach in the cupboard and had a break down. The kids had also been waking up at 6:00 am for some reason and we were going to bed late. I was so tired and I hate bugs. I just called Daniel and bawled.

Luckily my mom was already coming to help me clean and unpack. I was SOOOOOO happy to pick her up from the airport that weekend. She helped me so very much and I was so grateful. I also hired Terminex right away. My mom worked so hard for a week and we were able to get a lot done. I was so sad to have her leave. I miss her company and it made being in this gross house so much better. Now I have to kill bugs by myself :(

Things are better. We have most everything cleaned and put away. The kids are finally on real schedules. I am still trying to get a million things done though. We also don't have a bank here! Our landlord wants nothing to do with us. He doesn't care that things are not working properly or that there is a hole in the fence in the backyard and I am afraid the neighbors pit bull will come through any day.

Daniel and the kids at Brittany's. My cute family!

I couldn't buy food for a few days because I had to sit at the house and wait for the gas man to turn on the gas to the house. We didn't want anymore cold showers or fast food. (The hours they gave me were anytime between 8am-8pm. He finally came one night at 11:00pm.) My poor kids were hungry.
Our lovely house.

The bathtub in the Master bathroom is absolutely disgusting. It will not clean. We have tried everything. The finish on the fiber glass is peeling off and the grime and grease and scum just smear around. The landloard lived here last so he won't do anything about it. He used to shower in it and obviously never cleaned it. It is hard to tell from the picture, but we won't even use it.

Instead we have to share with the kids in their tiny little bathroom.

Depsite all of the little hiccups along the way, I know we made the right decision when we decided to move our family down here. I feel like I have been complaining WAY too much. We have been so blessed to have a job during these times and Daniel had two, one in Utah and a great job offer in Texas. I know that things are fine here and that we have seen little miracles happen in the midst of it all. It is just hard sometimes to see those good things when I hate bugs so much, ha ha. So this will be my only negative post. I just needed to get it out there. So, sorry to all who think I need to suck it up! I do, so that is why I won't complain about all the other things.

While we have been here, Bensen has passed his 4 month mark (May 3rd) and his 5 month mark (June 3rd). He had his 4 month check up a little late, May 20th. I am all about doing it the day that they reach the age, I don't know why. On that day, he weighed in at 13 pounds 5 ounces (10%) and 25.5 inches tall (60%). So he is my long skinny baby like Staucie. I don't know how I feel about the pediatrician. I just really liked Dr. Adams in Provo and I really miss it!!!!

Bensen is a loud baby. He is always making noise and it is always loud. He is really easy to make smile and laugh. He loves to have his tummy and neck tickled. He laughs out loud when I kiss his neck and face and tickle his tummy. He has blue eyes and some hair on top which is very unlike the other two kids. But he has the same look Staucie did when she was his age, the long droopy face, I think her cheeks were bigger though. He is a cutie and I enjoy him. He is cuddly too and I LOVE that!

This is Daniel's birthday cake. My sorry attempt. He ate one small slice and then I threw it all away because I kept eating it. That must be why he is skinny.

Staucie really wanted birthday hats!

Daniel's cake is on the floor. We sung and blew out candles, then opened presents. Happy Birthday to Daddy!