j's crew

This little crew of mine, we've got a good thing going on!

It has been a hectic month. We wrapped up the swim season. Our last at DMS and most likely the last ever for Tana and Kenne. They enjoy the swim season...well, sort of. They enjoy the time with their friends. But they're definitely not interested in pursuing swim in Utah.

I packed and packed and packed. I threw away more junk than I care to remember. I am constantly throwing things away. I have no idea how we managed to accumulate so much. I took countless trips to Goodwill. I boxed items to store at the office--things we won't need till Utah. I boxed items for the rental--things we need now. I tossed and bubble-wrapped and boxed and donated and wrapped and and and.....

Cooper, our chocolate lab, was picked up by Doug and Avery Pohl Friday evening. He was lovingly taken to his new home. He'll compete for alpha with two Jack Russells and a Papillion, as well as two cats. Avery (who's Tatum's age) and LiamAllen (who's Ashton's age) are thrilled with their new dog; they'll be perfect caretakers. Although I'm not a dog person it was sad to see Cooper go. He's been a great dog for our family. He has been the girls' ultimate protector and friend. He has guarded our home well. Tatum is taking his absence especially hard. She sobbed herself to sleep Sunday night, desperately missing her Cooper.

We moved out of our house Friday and Saturday. Wow, what a good feeling! We had a fabulous showing of men from our Elder's Quorum. What can I say...the members of our church know how to work! Early Saturday morning those men were ready to do the heavy lifting, loading, and unloading at both the old and new houses. They were fabulous! D'Ann came and, despite feeling terrible with a head cold, helped me for hours as we dusted, wiped, vacuumed and gave the old house its final Rogers scouring. Stacey mopped the entire main floor, bless her heart! The sister missionaries wiped down the kitchen cabinets and appliances, love them! Susanna kept Ashton for hours and brought us a batch of PB brownies which I single-handedly devoured in two days. Yep, two days. (Kennedy accurately pointed out, "Mom, you've eaten half this pan BY YOURSELF." There was a definite hint of judgment in her voice. haha)

By Saturday evening the old house was 99.9% clear of the Rogers. It was spotless and devoid of all our possessions. Dust and I pulled out for the last time remembering the excitement we felt moving into that home 11 years ago. I was newly pregnant with Tatum. Montana was barely three years old and Kennedy was one and a half. It was a great home which we filled with fabulous memories. It served us well. We brought two babies home to that house--Tatum and Ashton. We had several dogs in that house--Cooper, Remi, and Chubby. We even had a cat in that house (gag)--Bella Oreo. Although it treated us well, I was not sad to say goodbye. It was time.

I am now sitting in the office in our little beach cottage. I can see the Gulf's waves out my window and hear the surf crashing on the shore. It's a beautiful windy and partly sunny day. It is absolutely glorious after the days, and days, of pounding rain.

Ashton is on the mend. She had a horrible stomach bug this weekend. She threw up violently from 8pm Saturday till about 3am Sunday. Her tossing continued until last night. Thank heavens for Rayna (my best friend from childhood who just so happens to be an anesthesiologist in Boston). She called in a Rx for a suppository. It made all the difference. The tossing and heaving stopped. Ashton was finally able to rest well (as of about noon yesterday), thanks to the medicine, and today is sipping on Pedialyte and even eating a bit. I don't think we're out of the woods yet. She is incredibly weak and can barely manage a trip to the bathroom and back without feeling exhausted. I don't think she'll be heading to school for another couple days.
Saturday night I told Dust we should have moved to this house years ago. It's fabulous. It's small. Probably between 1,500-1,800 square feet but it's perfect. It's a hop, skip, and a jump away from the beach. The neighborhood is silent. All our back windows look out onto the beach. Sunday night while we watched The Oscars we also watched the constant lightning over the Gulf. It was amazing! The girls are loving it here; I am loving it here! We may not want to leave....

I am thankful for the fabulous 14 years we've had in Destin. This has been the perfect spot for our family. It is conservative, fiercely Christian--which I adore, the family values are wonderful, the schools are great, the beaches are gorgeous, our church family is awesome, we have created unbelievable friendships, the seafood is amazing. We have been truly blessed! We will enjoy every minute of our last few months here, thankful for the opportunities the Lord has granted us while in "the world's luckiest fishing village."

Awww Destin...

we love you!!