Slowly But Surely...

For anyone wondering, we made it home safe and sound. The kids were happy to see us, but I think I was happier to see them. We are back into the swing of work and school. I still feel like I am about 7 hours ahead and I'd love to be close to bedtime now. I have a really busy week at work because all of our new kiddos start this coming Monday.
We have made some house progress! The roughed in electrical inspection was yesterday and we PASSED. Insulation and dry wall should begin within the week. Slowly but surely, we ARE progressing. No idea yet when we might be able to move in. Here are some of the latest pics:





The exterior is pretty much finished except for the screens on the screened porch. It's been a long process, but when I drive into our driveway in the evenings, I am just overcome with how blessed we are to have such a beautiful home. If we never get walls, it'll be a nice place to camp! Hopefully, I'll have time to blog more later but I wanted to let everyone know we are doing well!

Travel Nightmare

So here are some things I have learned about Copenhagen:

1.Copenhageners like to bike. Everywhere. There are tons and tons of bikes. Everyone rides bikes: young people, old people, women, men, pregnant women, women in skirts, men in suits and on and on. You see rows and rows of bikes parked on the streets. The city is nicely arranged and has wonderful bikes paths. The women ride bikes in skirts and dresses. They have the cutest little baskets on the front of their bikes. They also have little rickshaw type things to put on the front of a bike to let children ride in. It {almost} makes me want to rent a bike and travel around town! My dad would be in heaven!
2.Copenhageners like to bundle and they evidently have cooler body temperatures that Brandon and I. It is so HOT everywhere! No place is air conditioned, including our hotel room. Now, there IS a supposed AC unit in here, but not matter how low we turn it, it does not cool down. Anyone who knows us knows that we pretty much keep our house frigid, especially at night. We are dying. The weather outside has been tolerable. Today I was out for a while and wore short sleeves and jeans. I wished I'd worn capris.
What I mean about "bundling" is that the folks here wear a lot of layers. It is probably upper 70's here today and lots of people have on jackets. ALL women wear scarves wrapped around their necks. And everyone has their babies bundled up so much I figure those poor babes are sweating! They will have a baby in a swaeter and hat with blankets piled around. And I am not talking newborns. I am talking nine month olds. In this weather, my kids would have on shorts!
3. Everyone has CUTE baby carriages. Like so cute I almost want to have another one just to get a cute carrige like that. {Ok, they are not that cute!} A lot of people have prams. They're really modern prams and if the baby is sitting, they can sit up and ride around and they have a little harness on. Other people just have Euro-chic baby strollers but they are still so cute! And of course they hang receiving blankets or cloth diapers over them so that a lot of times the baby is comepletely closed into the carriage. And bundled up I am sure!
4. Copenhagen does not strike me as particularly clean. It's no dirtier than any other city I've been to. And it's much more clean than NYC or Rome. But it doesn't knock my socks off with cleanliness. I talked to several people who had been to Denmark before and they said "Oh you'll love Denmark. It's so clean." Hmmm. Maybe if I got out of Copenhagen it would look like an Irish Springs commercial.
5. And finally the number one {or number five} thing I have learned about Copenhagen is that my stupid bank, Integra, cannot "communicate" with Denmark. Yes, after 9 international calls to our bank and Master.card, the final answer was that they cannot communicate with Denmark. Brandon said "the whole f*&%ing country???" OMW what a nightmare. We have not been able to get any cash from ATMs and when I have tried to use my card in a few places, if they did not have the capability to do credit rather than debit, the transaction was declined. Brandon travels internationally A LOT. {In the next few weeks alone he has 4 international trips.} He has never ever had trouble using our debit/ charge card ANYWHERE. I had zero trouble in Ireland and Rome. And suddenly, Integra Bank has something against business with Denmark? One lady's suggestion was "Well, maybe you could borrow some money from a friend." Let's just say it's a good thing there are a few thousand miles between that lady and Brandon. FINALLY today after visiting THREE banks here in Copenhagen, I was directed to the main branch of the biggest bank in the country and they were able to withdraw cash for me. HOWYA LOOYA!
There are a lot of other things I've learned. The Danish are pretty laid back. Copenhagen seems pretty safe. And that is a good thing because we haven't seen any police. At all. And no one we are with has seen any either. And the food here isn't all that great.
Brandon is done with the conference today so I have been working on a plan for our sightseeing tomorrow and Friday. I did a LOT of walking today because the main branch of the bank that I had to go to was pretty far from our hotel. But it did take me to a new part of town so that was fun. There will be lots of pics when I get home and can upload them!

Greetings from Denmark

We made it to Denmark. I've felt very disconnected the last few days. It's amazing how dependant we become on technology. Ok, maybe not you, but me! My cell phone wasn't working {got that resolved yesterday} and this is the first time I've been on the computer. I take for granted how easy it is to stay connected with cell phones, email, Facebook, and text messaging. But Brandon left his computer with me today while he went off to the conference so I am back in business!
Our trip has been fun so far. The flight was good and we lucked out by having an empty seat between us {the plane was a two three two seat configuration}. We had plenty of room to stretch out. I started feeling puny Friday. I willed myself to feel better and told myself it was allergies. By Friday afternoon, I decided to check just to be sure...I had major white patches on my throat. It was 5pm! I called Biz and my mom and they suggested I go to the Quick Care Clinic so off Ellie and I went. I got an antibiotic and I am feeling some better, but still not 100%. {BOO!}
The people watching on an international trip makes for never ending entertainment. On the flight, there was a large number of seniors who were headed over here to go on a Scandanavian Cruise. Most of them wore their nicest clothes for the NINE HOUR flight. I am talking older men in sport coats and TIES and women in panty hose. The couple in front of us wore SARS masks nearly the entire flight. Then there was our flight mate that Brandon and I still cannot get over: I saw this guy in the Atlanta airport bar. He looked homeless. Dirty clothes, dirty hands, unkempt hair, long icky beard. I noticed him sitting in the bar drinking a beer. I wondered how I homeless man got into the airport. We boarded our flight and everyone was pretty much settled and there was one last passenger to board. He needed help finding his seat. It was the homeless guy! And he sat across the aisle from Brandon. He drank a lot more beer and wore women's reading glasses. We never did figure out where he was going!
When we arrived Sunday, we got out a little and walked around, ate lunch and came back for a nice nap. In the evening, we went to the ICo.MST welcome reception. Last night, there was a get together at the Town Hall. Very pretty old building and it was evidently a really big thing that the group was granted permission to hold an event there. I spent some of the day yesterday walking around. Brandon and I will do the sight-seeing things together when he has some time off on Thursday and Friday.
I forgot my camera cord so I can't upload pics. But I will put some up of the kids that were taken a few weeks ago. I've been checking in with the kids every day. They are having a ball and don't have much time to talk to their Mama. I miss them terribly but I am doing my best to have fun!

I'm going to Denmark!

I think I kind of have writer's block! I can't think of anything witty to write about so for what? The third week this is just the facts.
The biggest thing that is going on with us is ELECTRIC. Brandon finally finished everything that he can for now. We made the decision to hire someone to complete it. He will be coming in on Thursday to finalize everything so that insulation and drywall can begin. BUT...we will be out of the country next week so we are delayed yet another week. In the big scheme, what's one more week? Right? The new timeline is: finish electric this week, we will be gone, schedule inspector for Tuesday August 25 and hopefully the insulation can start the following day. Doing the electric ourselves and having to depend on family to help has been a night.mare. Nuff said!
***
Brandon and I leave this coming Saturday for Denmark. I am very excited. We have not been away as a couple in many years. I think it will be wonderful to just be "us" for a few days. And I have heard great things about Denmark {except for the fact that they are socialist??? but I guess that's not really any different than the direction America is taking, right?}. Then there is this ting of anxiety over leaving my babies!!! I spend so. much. time. with those kids! I am going to miss them like crazy. I have been trying to prepare Ellie. We got the globe out yesterday and looked at Kentucky, then at Gallatin and how close that is, then at Indiana and how close that is. Then we looked at Florida and talked about how long it takes to get there. THEN I showed her Denmark and how far it is and I told her how I will fly on a plane all the way over there and then next week I will get on another plane and fly back to MY BABIES! Her response was to dance around the living room and sing ♫♫"I get to live at Na na's. I get to live at Na na's."♫♫ Obviously she is very broke up about us being gone. Last week, I told her I would miss her so much and she looked at me and said "Well, you can always call me!" Again, real broke up. I am so so so glad that my kids know they can love and depend on other people besides Brandon and I. It is very comforting to know that, though they will miss me, I doubt there will be many times they will be completely sick over missing me.
I decided to get web capabilities on my BB again so if you are my FB friend, look for updates about the trip. And maybe even a text or two! Things have come such a long way even in the three years we traveled to Ireland when I was completely without a cell or the ability to text because my phone at the time did not have the capability. Yeah for technology!
I am really trying to psych myself up and not make this be like the first {and only} time I went to summer camp. I got so homesick! I sent my grandmother a letter than caused a call to my mom from Nan asking if I was being mistreated! Then I left camp early. I regret having so much worry and stress over that fun summer experience. {OK, I am not sure I could have ever made myself like the fact that they made us clean the bathrooms ourselves!} I know the kids will be having a ball. I know Nana will get help from Biz if she needs it and I need to experience all that Denmark has to offer without worry! Prayers are welcome!
***
Colby is doing so much better! He may get to go home this weekend. His mom Amy sent an email saying how much she has appreciated all the well wishes and prayers. He is a fighter and so is his Mama! Keep the prayers coming but know that they ARE working. He has been in the hospital for three weeks and there have been some very grim days but things are finally looking up.
***
We had the kids pictures taken last week. A longtime friend of the Pem.bertons, Gab.rielle, took the pics. I am so excited about the pictures! We had them done outdoors and they all turned out so well. I am hoping that we can schedule another time this fall to have family pics taken and include Biz and Tim and my parents. I hope to get the cd of the pics this week so look for those to be posted. I got a great deal and I get the cd and then I can just get the pictures printed myself. I love that. And I need Biz to get her own camera so she can do this! She absolutely has the talent, she just needs the right equipment!

That's all for now! OH! One more thing: They did the columns and shutters this week and my new house is beautiful if I do say so! I am so excited. I will try to post a pic tomorrow!

A New Day

I {often} wish I were a little less roller-coaster-ish. My personality is such that my life really goes in cycles. Ups and dowsn. I have times when I feel like things are crumbling around me. In those times, I feel like every morning is a rush and I forget things. We eat grilled cheese every night for dinner because I just can't seem to put anything else together. At work, I feel like I am just never productive. And on and on.... Then I kind of hit bottom. I just decide I AM getting it together. I clean everything. I organize. I PLAN. Life starts to be a little less hectic, a little more organized and just a smidge easier. And I am kind of getting back to that this week.
Saturday, the kids went to my parents. That is probably the biggest help in my getting my crap together. I feel like I cannot accomplish anything when they are home. The second I get really involved in a project {think cleaning the bathroom, unloading the dishwasher, doing a load of whites...not big stuff}, someone is screaming my name: "Mason hit me". "I want to help!" "HOLD ME!!!" So I either get distracted and never complete a task OR I just never start one because I just can't handle anything more than entertaining the kids and playing referee. PLEASE someone tell me I am not a slug and there are other moms out there feeling this way! Ok, so back to getting it together...Saturday night I cleaned the bathroom, swept the kitchen, straightened the house, did laundry. Sunday I cleaned out my truck. {I am ASHAMED at condition of my truck. Horrible.} Whenever I start to get things back in reign, I feel like it's really a fresh start!
Getting out the door this morning was easy peasy. No whining, no forgetting, and no fits. We got into our clean truck and made our merry way to school. I even feel like I have been more productive at work today! Soooo here's hoping I can keep this going for a while! How DOES it all fall apart? I am not sure. Perhaps I should try to be a little more cognizant of the fall apart and try to recognize the signs. Maybe I can stop the fall in its tracks! Ya'll let me know when you see it coming, ok?
***
The house report is that it is moving at a SNAIL'S PACE. Whew! This do-it-yourself electric thing is A. LOT. We do continue to make progress. They are still working on the siding, HVAC is finally complete {for now}, and we have made a lot of progress with electric...but there is still a long way to go. Brandon worked ALL DAY Saturday and Sunday. We had a lot of help. Tim and some neighbors helped Saturday. Then Sunday Tim came back for more and we also had my dad and Brandon's step-dad. The idea for this weekend had been to get it DONE, however that plan didn't quite pan out. We're not completely sure the direction things are taking at this point but we have some plans in the works. Most important is that the electric gets completed so that drywall can start.
I found some BEAUTIFUL flooring. I have decided on a wide {5 inch or so} handscraped hardwood floor. We are going to get a pre-finished, engineered floor because all of my research is saying that it will have the best finish and wear well with little feet {and little toys}.
***
Brandon is traveling a lot over the next few weeks. Out of the country for 5-6 weeks straight? I think that's what he told me. Good times. One of those weeks, I will be with him, but still.
We are leaving for Copenhagen, DK August 15. I am excited. I have tried to find some "things to see and do" but there doesn't seem to be anything extremely remarkable. It will be a nice relaxing vacation. The kids will be with mom and dad with Biz and Tim as backup. Biz asked if she could just have the kids to "practice" on. Hmmm...how much could she mess them up in eight days??? I had thought we'd be in the house by now {HA HA HA HA!} and mom could stay there and have the option of bringing the kids to school to give herself a break. It's not that I worry at all about her abilities, just her sanity. BUT, Nana is WAY more capable than I am. {Seriously. She comes to my house for one afternoon, has both kids and can get more accomplished than I can in an entire weekend.} I know everyone will be fine.