We're in the new digs...

A couple of months ago I cried (yes, I'm that kind of person) when I read a friend's blog that spoke of the help of her community and family when they prepared for a big move across the country. Gosh, I thought to myself, I can't even imagine that. How wonderful to have so many people help out a family with small children and a big house to move.

And then we decided to move. And oh the gratitude for all the help. It started with friends who babysat Stella almost a month ago now for 12+ hours so that we could drive up here and find the house we are happily living in now.

Steve started his new job here in Santa Barbara on the 18th. We did not move our mountain of "stuff" and the rest of the family until the following Saturday. Thus, I was home alone with the "kids" all week by myself. Needless to say, I was a bit nervous in figuring out how to do it without Steve walking in the door at 5-5:30 and giving me the much needed break from being with two little beings all day that can't talk to you. ;) A friend stopped by and sat on my couch so I could go the grocery store without being attached. Another friend encouraged afternoon dog park outings so Scupper would be tired in the evening and not whine for me to play when I had to finish packing the house. Steve's friend and co-worker stopped by and dropped off a load of boxes and packing tape... and friends brought dinner, drinks, conversation while we packed. Nothing like having your friends see all your crap strew all over the house and still have the wonderful compliment as she packs your clothes - "oh, this is a cute dress - oh and this? Why have I never seen you in this?" :) Having friends help you pack is humbling... and gratifying.

Saturday was the big day. We hired two people off of craigslist to help pack the truck and I forgot to tell them that we had 3 motorcycles. Oops. After they loaded them on the 26' truck, they took a picture for their yelp page so they could say they packed a truck AND motorcycles in 3 hours. ;) Steve continued through most of the afternoon putting odds and ends and we FILLED THE 26' truck. Um, do we have too much stuff? Maybe. My favorite quote from the moving guy? "Wow. I mean, a two bedroom house. I thought it would be easy. And these little Craftsmans are small. Where did you guys have all this STUFF?"

Stella spent the day with her friend Anouk and throughout the day, I received phone calls from my friend Julie about her - she had a low-grade temperature when she woke up and it steadily became worse throughout the day. All Stella would do was sleep in Julie's arms. In some ways, it was very easy, Julie said, but of course, I felt like a horrible mother that I had to leave her there until the house was clean and the truck was packed. At 5pm, I picked up one hot daughter and proceeded to find out that her temperature was 103.8 and called the nurse hotline with our insurance (that luckily was continued through the end of the month before our new one started). After some heavy duty doses of Motrin, she was back and kicking, but it's still scary to think that almost 104 is still "ok" with children if they aren't doing anything else funky.

Here was the problem. My plan was to stay at the house on Sat night and then do the "Walk through" with our landlord on Sunday. Um, slightly dumb on my part. I mean, I had a pack/play for Stella and a camping mat for me and Scupper... but seriously? Another friend called on Saturday afternoon and after hearing my plan, offered for Stel, Scup and I to come over and stay in their extra bedroom, while Scupper got to romp around their house with their dog. It's a very gracious person who offers to take a harried mom, her feverish daughter, and a crazy dog at 8pm a night. Steve, the stalwart guy that he is, wanted to drive to Santa Barbara without L.A. traffic and spent the night curled up on the floor of the now empty house with aforementioned camping mat and left for SB at 4am.

What a travelogue so far- and we aren't even up to Sunday yet! I guess the whole point is everyone that we have met in San Diego was so wonderful to jump in and help us move since our family isn't close by. To me, it seems, in a way, that they are our family - and in many ways, made moving so much more difficult. We had always thought we were ready to leave San Diego - and yet at times like this, we realize how many friends and supportive networks we have. And I'm proud to say that many of these friends we met at the dog park. Viva la Morley Field!

Anyway - after finding out Sunday morning with a "after hours peds appt" that Stella most likely had roseola and that she would probably get a rash soon, (which she did), I did the walk through with the landlord (after yet ANOTHER friend stopped by and took Scup and Stel on a walk so I could clean out the fridge), and I dosed up Stella on some fever-reducing Motrin and started the drive to SB. The best part? Scupper had been with our dog walker all day Saturday, played with the friend's dog all Saturday night and Sunday morning - and was SO TIRED that a 50Lb dog sitting in the front seat of a 4-door Honda Accord did not once give me any trouble the whole 4 hour drive.

Steve amazingly unpacked the truck (with some more craigslist mover help) here in SB and even had time to unpack bathroom toiletries and kitchen supplies and had a pesto pasta dinner waiting for us when we pulled into the driveway.

This week has been a whirlwind. Steve has been riding his bike to work every day, which I think is making him really happy, and each morning Stella, Scupper and I head out on a new adventure.
Since Monday morning, we have been to dog beach twice, two hiking trails, and a dog park. We've hit two playgrounds and a pumpkin patch. We've made homemade biscuits and a persimmon spice cake together (Stella likes eating the dry flour off the stirring spoon. I have no idea why, but whatever). The persimmons were from a tree IN OUR YARD. We have been on the backyard swing COUNTLESS TIMES. We have taken walks around the new neighborhood and said hello to our neighbors - the livestock variety of neighbors - including a horse, a chicken coop and two goats. Stella has had quite a few tantrums, which usually involve wanting to be outside instead of taking a nap or wanting to swing or eat only cheese for three days. She has been threatened that she might be an only child because of this. I have unpacked 80% of the kitchen boxes and have ignored basically everything else. In fact, I've spent the last 30 minutes composing this blog post instead of unpacking boxes, but frankly, I can't move from this chair I'm so freaking tired.

I'm excited about our new journey, but also overwhelmed at the sudden push from being a student/part-time PR lady for the UCSD theatre department (with half-time childcare the past two months) to being full-time stay at home mom. Frankly, I'm a bit nervous. I"m not sure what to do all day, and I'm desperately worried that I'm not teaching what I should or stimulating her enough. I know how to teach 18 YEAR olds, not 18 month olds. However, watching her joy in discovering a rock on our hikes or listen to the roosters in the morning, seeing the neighbors trot down the street on their horses in the morning, that makes me smile. I'm excited for the little bit of country life we are treated to each day in the middle of one of the most expensive, yet beautiful, places in the US. We might be eating rice and beans, but we get to hear acorns drop on our deck and the goats bleat as we go to sleep.

And speaking of - I'm off to bed. I think the dishes are going to wait until tomorrow morning.