quite the TO DO list

One month later and we are still unsettled.
But, we are home.
Home is good.

SO good.

Since moving out of our Mackenbach house it's been quite a trip.

Three nights with our wonderful Germany friends.
Twelve nights in a temporary apartment on base in Ramstein.
One night in a Holiday Inn Express in Baltimore.
Two nights in Evansville, Indiana with Jim's brother and family.
Five nights in Marissa, Illinois at Granny's.

Two nights in Mulvane, Kansas with wonderful friends- the second with Justin.

May 1st, our renters were out and after three and a half years, we have our house back.
It could have been in worse shape. More than anything, it feels as if it was abandoned.

We have had a lot of cleaning to get it whipped back into shape.
We knew we would be painting to freshen it up.

While waiting for our household shipment, we decided to go ahead and rip out carpets, replace fixtures, stain/refinish our hardwood kitchen floor and put in new hardwood floors (living room).

As if this was not enough, the yard is a wreck with more weeds than grass.

Birds have taken over with what sounds to be a million new babies in nests in the eves of our shop and in the guttering. We also heard birds in the chimney.

Yes, it's a mess.

Above is four years ago, what we showed up to three weeks ago and today.
It is going to be a long process just getting it back to where we had it when we left.

Our deck which was in bad shape to begin with it about to fall apart.
That will be another project in the very near future.

Lucky for us, my little brother planned a big surprise and walked through the door the day after we arrived home.

It's been pretty incredible being able to catch up- I've loved having him around. Jim has enjoyed finally getting to know him. Having the extra help on the endless list of projects and to do's has been a bonus.

The before-and-after pictures will eventually be posted.
The change already has been quite dramatic.

I can't wait to be settled.