The arrival.

Sunday was a travel day. Lucas did amazingly well on both legs of the flight. He was incredibly interested and excited about the airplanes, and was happy the entire flights. It really was amazing how easy he was! It helped having my mom there to chase him around the Houston airport during our layover- he was running in circles at full speed and she was right there with him.

When we landed in NW Arkansas Sunday night, we brought along thunder, rain and lightning. We like to make a dramatic entrance. Jim and Chris were happy about the rain since it cooled the temperatures down to a chilly 89 degrees. They had arrived the day before after making their way across the mountains and desert with Tank. Unfortunately, the movers had some mechanical problems with the truck so they weren't able to come until Monday, as opposed to Saturday which was the initial plan. Sunday night we camped out, slept on air mattresses and ate Dominos. Yay for a Dominos being so close!! Yay for an excuse to eat Dominos with no shame!!

Ok, my blog writing just got interrupted by our doorbell ringing- a neighbor dropping by cookies and welcoming us to the neighborhood and offering up babysitting services (she has 12 and 14 year old daughters). She is the 3rd neighbor to stop by. It is really like living on Wisteria Lane, without all the murders and such.

Monday the movers came first thing, and we spent the day directing the flow of boxes and furniture. I took a break and let Jim take over in the morning to go tour Walnut Farm Montessori. They are starting a toddler program next month and I instantly fell in love with the school! Lucas nabbed the last spot and is all enrolled. The rest of the moving day went well, all of the movers were so polite and nice. Nothing major was broken in transit, just a few wrinkled clothes and smushed shoes, and 1 broken wineglass. Chris worked a halfday on Monday and was able to come home at lunchtime to help with the unloading and unpacking. On monday night, our neighbors from across the street came over to introduce themselves and bring us dinner. Here is what she brought: velveeta mac n cheese with breadcrumbs, string beans, mashed potatoes and meatballs. And for dessert, chocolate cake dripping with icing. A true Arkansas dinner! Lucas LOVED it!!! We also met our neighbor from next door, a widower with 6 kids (including a daughter who is a lesbian- woo hoo!!). He asked us the question we had been waiting for..."what church are y'all affiliated with?"...we mumbled something vague and changed the subject.

Tuesday Chris worked a full day. Jim and Lucas went out on adventures together in the morning and my mom and I went to look at some furniture for our new master bedroom/palace. We ended up at Pottery Barn where the nicest lady ever, Misty, with platinum blond hair teased to high heaven and a full face of makeup, helped us figure out the cheapest way to get the furniture I wanted. The friendliness and helpfulness of people here is so different from back home- people just don't seem nearly as rushed, stressed or annoyed. I didn't buy anything but got some good ideas. When we came home from errands, our new TV had been delivered, and was just sitting on the front porch. I don't think that would have worked out too well in Richmond. Tuesday night I had a bit of a breakdown. My stomach was hurting so I decided to take a bath in my swanky jacuzzi tub. All was fine until I turned on the jets and black bits of something nasty starting spewing out at me. Not the most relaxing nor cleansing bathing experience I have ever had. This is one of many "quirks" we are discovering about this house- the dishwasher is funky, there is a random hole in the wall, Chris met a family of wasps this morning etc...but our landlady seems responsive so things should get fixed fairly easily.

Yesterday, Wednesday, we had our new mattress delivered. A California King! It is huge!! In fact, Lucas hasn't been sleeping so well at night and so last night he joined us in our bed around 1am and we couldn't even find him on the bed at one point, it is so big! Yesterday we also went to Lucas's school to drop of some paperwork (and a large check), and Lucas got to play in the classroom and meet his teacher, Miss Whitney. She seems really nice, enthusiastic and looks really young. She commented that Lucas was very quiet- I wonder how long that will last once school starts! Her mother is a pediatrician so I am hoping to meet her and find out some info about the job prospects for me here. Yesterday was also momentous in that I made my first trip to Wal-Mart. It wasn't a regular Wal-Mart, it was Neighborhood Market, the grocery store owned by Wal-Mart. It was actually pretty decent, except for a lot less of a selection of organic meat and produce. Last night I cooked dinner and baked brownies (for the neighbors to thank them for the food) and I must say, cooking in a gourmet kitchen with a huge island was pretty cool. Chris and I took a drive around Bentonville last night in our new car, a light green Prius courtesy of Clorox. We found some great walking trails and gardens and scoped out some intriguing restaurants.

Tank is adjusting well for the most part. He has been very helpful in making us meet all the neighbors: so far he has escaped the yard and been found by 4 different neighbors. After Jim's hard work nailing up every perceivable hole, we were sure that the yard was secure last night. Then, this morning, Tank escaped yet again. Finally, we discovered his escape route and think we have solved that problem. He seems to do alright in the heat and humidity, so maybe he is recalling his former life in the South.

All in all, I think things here will be ok. It is weird being somewhere with absolutely no friends or connections (for example, I have no-one to put down as emergency contacts for Lucas's school paperwork. The woman gave me a pitied look and said I could fill it in in a month or so when I have made some friends). I think the reality of it all will hit me next Monday, the day after my mom leaves. Then it is just me and Lucas, until our first visitors arrive! Sara and Dad are coming later this month, so they win the first visitor prize. However, visitors are welcome and encouraged- we will provide your own room, walk in closet, bathroom and I will even make you traditional AR cuisine such as Velveeta Mac n Cheese or BBQ Bologna if you so desire! It is beautiful here, with tons of trees, cicadas, butterflies, walking paths and trails and even fireflies. I hear the Fall is wonderful, and I can't wait to see the trees behind our house turn color. Am I making it sound appealing enough?