Let the packing begin!

Here is what our life currently looks like (and probably will look like for the next 6 months except reversed).

Carrie thought Ryan's description of this box's contents was picture worthy.

Carrie and Ryan came down Monday night and have been helping us pack and giving us a break for some fun times in between. We've really enjoyed having them around this week for playing tennis, watching movies, playing Settlers, and much more. MJ has fed us a few times too which has been most helpful.

Hollie's parents offered us 4 free tickets to see the Enchanted Lights at Rock City! It was great to spend time with Hollie and get a chance to see Rock City - I wanted to see it before we moved away since everything says "SEE ROCK CITY!"

Pictures will not do it justice but it was neat to walk through the natural rock formations and gardens decorated with lights. Some places were very narrow - Carrie might put some pictures up on her blog of those!

The view of Chattanooga from the overlook - how beautiful - we might not see this many lights together for a long time!

Hopefully, it won't be too long between the times there are at least 3 of us girls together!

Carrie is looking at the waterfall under the big lit up star on the mountainside

Listening to some beautiful dulcimer music on the log swing

On Friday in the midst of our vehicle buying and maintenance spree we all paused for a meal at Los Potros - Hollie and I always seem to end up here when we get together so we thought we'd take the rest of them with us.

Right before Ryan's last drive with Lucille... his face says it all. Lucille has been his dependable ride since 2002. It was sad but he is very excited about his new acquisition which you will have to wait to see until a future post. We're thankful for Randy's expertise in helping us with this new purchase!

One week to go! May our stacks of packed boxes increase!

Christmas X 2

Well, I know this is belated but with all of the changes going on - we're in the fast lane. However, I felt I must still share a few pictures from our Christmas at home. We've decided there are some great benefits to having 2 families - 2 stockings, 2 times to open presents, 2 Christmas dinners - in general, Christmas lasts longer!

Knights

Jake joined us for the presents, until he got a bone, then I think he didn't pay us much attention.

Pa & Ma Claus

I took this picture using the gorilla pod Ryan got me for Christmas - I used it to put my camera vertically hanging onto a tall skinny lamp. Carrie and I are always setting our cameras on things to take pictures and trying to make them level. Now I have a new tool!

Fords

Ryan got Dad a remote control helicopter which made for a lot of excitement while they were testing it out.

I can't wait to put these up - maybe over a piano??? ;-)
There was definitely a music theme to my gifts which was fine with me! Valeri got me pj pants with music symbols on them, mom and dad gave me a piece of organ music I've been wanting, and Ryan got me a book I wanted called Musicphilia (written by a doctor about how music affects the brain). Ryan's Christmas was a sports theme - Perfect Pushups, weights, athletic/coaching clothes, sports books and Coach Carter movie, a golfing moose Christmas tree ornament, NY Giants golf club head covers... need I say more... I think these themes may be recurring for the rest of our lives - what do you think?

I don't have the energy to put up more pictures of Christmas so you'll have to imagine the rest of it!

Our new home

Here's our first look at our new home on the faculty drive!

Take these as a before - and I'll post an after in a month or so.

We have a deck, a dog door, and a nice birdhouse and birdbath (on the right of this picture)

Our backyard looks out onto a cow pasture and is complete with a built in tree platform

Living room

Dining room and kitchen
(laundry room and garage are back through the kitchen, living room to the right)

Main bathroom

Master bedroom

Our house has three bedrooms! We're looking forward to having all that space!

Here's our first home purchase - a new larger table. It will seat up to 8 people when all four sides are up so that the table is round. We think its pretty neat!

Sides down - they fold under and stay - no leaves to store!

All opened up

We are headin' for AR

The evening of graduation our plans changed drastically - we jumped in the car Thursday morning and headed home to Charlotte in time to fly out to Northwest Arkansas for an interview at Ozark Academy in Gentry, AR. We loved the school, the people, the church, and to make a long story short - we're moving to Arkansas in mid-January. So here's a look at our new surroundings!

We were greeted with a beautiful sunset behind the church

Inside the church on Sabbath morning

Boys dorm lobby
We were very impressed with this dorm - the Christmas tree is on top of the monitors desk and all of the floors branch off of the center like wheel spokes. This makes it easy to monitor the halls because they can all be seen from one spot!

Guest room in the boys dorm where we stayed

RE Callicott Administration Building

The campus is decorated beautifully for Christmas - Girls dorm with cafe to the right

Center campus in the day time - girls dorm on the left, cafe on the right
The boys dorm is to the right of this picture, Ad building behind me, gym to the right.

Inside of the cafe - its beautiful!

Ozark is the home of the Skyhawks - Ryan will be the Coach of the girls varsity basketball team and the athletic director.



Gym

Ryan's office on the gym stage

The field

Pomp and Graduation

The speaker was the president of one of the African SDA unions

Unfortunately, this was as close a graduation picture as I could get

Ryan with his adviser and teacher Dr. Bob Benge

The whole clan

We bow to Professor Knight

Little bigger Christmas tree

Our tree is a little bigger this year! And I'm especially proud of the Christmas blocks I found at Kirklands. Aren't they neat! I can't wait to have a mantle or something to put them on. And you know there always have to be penguins at my house - see them singing?