ch ch ch changes

So I'm smack dab in the middle of festival/musical season. The busiest time ever times two. I've take a sabbatical from my church gig which has made this manageable with a one year old. I'm gone Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday nights and then Wed and Friday afternoons. With my church job I was gone Wed nights and of course Sunday mornings. While I really love singing there, having a slight break has been amazing. I'm going back as soon as the musical is over but just knowing I have one night off during the week has made such a difference for all our sanity. Austin has began coming to work with me some and luckily my students are amazing with sharing the load of him. I thought they would get sick of having him around and having to wait on me to get started because Austin needed something, etc. but it's been exactly the opposite. They have been so sweet and they shower him with attention. I can't get over how lucky I am. 

Well, in the middle of all this crazy, we bought a house. I mean why not? It' not like we don't have enough going on. We were casually looking, just got on an email list. Truth be told, I wasn't really interested in moving. Philip thought it was a good time because house prices were going up, especially in our neighborhood but the whole idea really stressed me out. I thought we would see some things, get tired of it, and stay put. Well exactly the opposite happened. We looked at some houses, found "the one" and bought it within a week of it going on the market. Awesome. Now we have a list from our realtor a mile long to get done by the time our musical opens. In a totally unrelated question, who knows where ONE can acquire percocet? Never had it, but I know a friend who wants to try it. 

Anyway, we move next week. I can't tell you how lucky I feel, excited, etc. but I must admit I'm pretty blasted sad too. I realize this is such a first world problem so just stop reading here if you're looking for some come from nothing story because this isn't it. I love our house. I feel like we've really made it our home and I'm so sad to leave. It's totally not the stuff or anything but the experiences we've had here are literally priceless. 

I feel like we moved in yesterday. Sweet Kelly came to help move us in. Also some other Oxford friends were in town that weekend, too and they all came over and helped! Amazing. 

My sweet Mom washed at least 1,000 dishes that day. It's one of my least favorite things to do ever and she just kept washing and washing and washing and washing. 

Because we didn't have anything else going on we had people over the night after we moved in. I mean what else would you do?

I feel so lucky to have had so many amazing life events here! 

first snow (that I can remember... that first year we got over 10 snow days. I know I sound self absorbed but I'm pretty sure God did that for me. I was working at the hardest job ever. ever. ever. and right before I was about to be committed (which was very often) it would snow and my sanity would be briefly restored.)

Ben graduated from college! 

First anniversary!

Of course one of the best memories I'll ever have is of my parent's amazing vowel renewal at our house. 

Mom's birthday at our house in 2010. 

The next year when we threw here a surprise birthday party. She wanted something really low key but I'm so glad we went all out and had a big party! It was perfect :) 

Then of course finding out we were expecting and all of that greatness. 

Then bringing Austin home and realizing I had no idea what I was doing for the next 2 months. 

I cannot begin to count the millions of times I paced up and down these halls either trying to get him to sleep or trying to not step on certain parts of the floors that made loud sounds to prevent him from waking up. These old wood floors are beautiful but they are also like a minefield for a baby who is light sleeper. 

First night grin. 

First time he was stretching out. Sharon and I were in his room and went so paparazzi on him. For the first couple of weeks they attempt to stay in this fetal position and on this day be began stretching out and we were just so amazed. 

This was one of the best days ever. We still were on no routine what so ever but he was sweet and cute and he enjoyed being on the play mat and I can remember thinking that I could maybe just maybe do this. I'm pretty sure I also cried this day thinking I could not do this but it was the first time I had a shed of confidence. It was also one of the first times I took a picture of him awake because he was not screaming. Success. 

Honestly there are thousands more but I'm going to stop there. I love this house and as thankful as I am to move on, I'm extremely sad as well. This was our first house we bought, the house we brought Austin home to, the house my Mom helped me with so much, and the first place we made a real home. I'm so attached with the memories here and I know we can take those with us, it will be so had to leave. 

Unfortunately this week is crazy busy and I'll be at work until 10 most nights. We close on Thursday and were originally moving Friday but I finally broke down tonight at told Philip I needed one extra day. I need a night where we give Austin a regular bath all together, do our reading/family time, eat take out from our favorite Greek place, and watch some tv. I need some regularity just one more time. 

As my sweet Dad taught me with the help of Atlanta Rhythm Section "It ain't much but it's home". 

For Natalie's News this has been, Natalie-Corinne.