Heading into month two..

Can't believe we've been here a month now. Too often my blog has been serious.  It's either about our move, adjustments or memories.  It's the diary of 2013, but published for the world to share rather than tuck away in a drawer with a lock and key.  Putting words out there for the world to see is therapeutic and very enjoyable.  It will surely make it easy for archeaologists in 100 years.  Having not been especially inspired, this is merely an update - no breaking news..

Daniel is at work.  He's been working long hours, which we were expecting.  Funny thing is, he loves it.  He really enjoys what he has worked so hard to gain.  He likes what he is doing, he likes who he is working with, is making friends and he has a great respect for the company he is working for - as they have been so good to us, good to him and make working there a positive experience. 

Annabelle - well, she's so happy-go-lucky.  She's doing just fine.  She was "star student" yesterday at school, a thing she had been waiting on since day one there.  The star student is the class helper all day.  They do "Sweet Talk" for the student first thing and everyone in the class has to say something nice and they make a poster for the student.  She was sooo proud of her Sweet Talk.  Of course, they used words we all know and use to describe her too, but I guess like anyone, she enjoyed hearing people who really do not have say positive things say them.  And of course - violin lesson number one!

Maddie continues to resent Arkansas for being 700 miles from KY.  I know that it would be hard being anywhere but at "home", but for a town that is so similiar to Stanford it's a constant reminder that we aren't there.  Maddie was offered violin lessons and adamantly refused by the way..

So, tonight I'm thinking about some of the similiarities and differences in Berryville/Carroll County, Arkansas and Stanford/Lincoln Co., Kentucky.

1.  I don't exactly understand this whole town/county thing for sure but from what I can "see" on the surface, it seems each town operates independently of the county.  Maybe.  I'm sure not entirely, but it looks like there are offices in each town, libraries in each town and courts.  I haven't found a clear "county" seat like in Kentucky.  I can check out a book in Berryville and drop it off in Eureka Springs.  I can get my license in Berryville, but I saw a "court house" in Eureka Springs.  I don't know and it hasn't been pressing enough for me to inquire yet.

2.  There are 1/2 dozen Mexican restaurants in this town.  I have yet to try any of them, but definitely want to try Happy Taco, because, well it's fun to say that.  I guess when it comes to restaurants Berryville has Stanford beat.  There is the usual fun fast food places - Subway, KFC, Pizza Hut, McDonald's (the rudest, hatefulest McDonald's on this side of the Mississippi, I do declare.. makes it easy to avoid), Sonic.  I am guessing at least two Chinese places. Two Italian places, one Guatemalan place nearly across the street.  And as far as I can see - one nice little home town, folksy kinda place. It's the kind of place that I'm afraid to go in, because, well.. you know.. we aren't from around here.  People would stare and I might sit in the wrong place.

3.  The office where you go to get your driver's license is called the "Revenue Office".  The library is in the same building with the "County Assessor" and it stays busy - the county must "assess" a lot.

4.  The school uses finger prints instead of lunch codes, high tech if you didn't care.

5.  I have to drive 30 miles to Harrison, AR for things that I would have normally driven 25 miles to Danville or Somerset for.  Things like home improvement (Home Depot country here..) and Walgreens, a doctor, chain stores other than Wal-Mart.  This seems like an all day trip to me now that everything is sooo close to us.  Daniel left work at 2:18 am the other day.  He was in the bed, lights out by 2:30 am.  That is a short commute.  Getting used to being "in town" has certainly taken some getting used to.  We used to save up our trips.  I have only gotten gas 3 times since we have lived here - and that includes 2 trips - to Springdale and Rogers, both an hour away. 

5.   Waynesburg often feels like the red-headed step child of Lincoln Co.  Most will agree.  Well, if they are the step child of Lincoln - I wouldn't know what to call Eureka Springs in Carroll County.  It's a beautiful place, we like it.  The initial reaction when we tell people in Berryville (10 miles away) that we had to stay in Eureka for 3 weeks before we got here, is "I'm sorry" or "We aren't like 'them'".  Literally in the same breath, someone Daniel works with was inviting him to her church and telling her what a great place it was and when she found out where were were staying, her words were "Oh, we don't like those people, we don't want our kids around them."  I am guessing that Eureka is a free-spirited, artsy community where almost anything goes. If you read the Lovely County Citizen, the newspaper there, you'll find that they don't like noise and the police spend a good part of their day chasing down noise barrier villians and stray dogs.  People literally call the police when they see a dog on the street.  Anyway...

6.  When I look for similiarities, I have decided that all people are the same.  I see families in the stores, at the church... it would be hard to decide in what state I am.  At AWANA, parents helping their kids and the kids in the community grow and learn in Christ, in the Bible Study - the prayer concerns are eerily the same.  A house fire, a cancer patient, a death, an illness.  The more I am away, the more I am convinced it doesn't matter where I am, because it's all the same.  A lady crying at work because she has too much pressure on her at her job.  A McDonald's with hateful employees that never get an order right.  A school where the kids are indifferent to the teachers.  It's all the same.  I'm guessing that you'd have to go pretty far away and beyond the realm of Arkansas and Kentucky to find much difference.  For this, I am comforted. 

I will admit for the first time this week, I wished I was at home for just a minute.  I read an obituary in the newspaper for someone that I felt like I needed to be there for.  I'm sure that wasn't the case, but my gut instinct is to help.  There is nothing I can do and nothing I can say at this point.  I had other friends who were hurting this week as well, another loss in a family.  I probably wouldn't have seen my friend and talking to her on facebook was what I would have done if I had been 7 miles from her, but 7 X 100 makes my heart a little more for her and for the people she cares about.  I also have read on the wonderful facebook about someone else grieving their heart out, and knowing what that's like - I can't give the hug I want to give.  I have been following surgeries and illnesses as well - and I can't take a pot of chicken soup to share.  This is what's making the distance real.. when I want to help people and when I want to be there for someone. 

*sigh*

We are getting ready for our first visitors next week and are so excited.  Daniel's parents are coming for a long weekend and a little getaway.  Can't wait to share what we have found here and hopefully find some new things to do with them.  So, until the next little blurb, that's what's going on in Razorback country.... tell me what's going on in the Bluegrass and where ever your front porch is.

Settling In

When I set out to blog about the experience of picking up at 38 years old and trekking off to Arkansas, after having had firmly planted roots in soil rich with Padgett, Emerson, Tillett, Phillippe, Crawford and Peek legacies, it was to primarily catch those family members and friends up with one nice, quick blurb, like a Christmas form letter we all love to get.   I don’t want to put words in Daniel’s mouth for sure, but after many thought provoking conversations in the hot tub at Eureka Springs, I feel fairly confident we are on the same page and many of the sentiments expressed in my letters are thoughts he also sends home.  He and I have looked at our move from every angle; and wonder how long we will continue to scrutinize until it just becomes our reality.  The new is wearing off with each box unpacked, each school drop off and each meter that is read to change services to our name.  Things that we are learning are not just in this new community, but in this very house... new light switches that don’t turn on anything, where the knobs need to be for warm water, not scalding; the quickest path to Maddie’s room which is on the opposite end of the house, how to open that stubborn bathroom door that needs almost a complete 360 degree turn to get out.  I think we have all thought we were trapped in the bathroom at least once since we’ve been here. Things we are pondering are where to put the endless array of plastic containers, which way to arrange the living room and how does that thermostat work because I am always freezing.  Learning to use natural gas, having garbage and recycle pick up and seeing a grocery store out the kitchen window (I may never be out of that vital ingredient again) are taking some getting used to.  After years of mudune, routine and merely scrapping by to exist, these little things are breathing new life back into old souls.

We continue to think most often about the absurdity of leaving everything we know and love, his farm, our home and our family.  I have always had an itch to go somewhere and see more than the beloved Lincoln Co., Kentucky, fearing though that I would never have the courage to up and do it.  Daily life becomes habit and in my case, life seemed to get in the way of adventure and throwing caution to the wind.  Prayer and lots of faith have given me this chance and I am eager to see how this path unfolds. We think of this every day, but with a joyful heart and no regrets.  We are thankful for supportive family who realize that this decision wasn’t made lightly or without consequence to them.



The sign that welcomes you to Dan's parents farm, a place he never thought he'd be 700 miles away from for a long time.  This is and will always be "home" to Daniel.



In the past, Daniel has never really had a burning desire to leave Kings Mountain, KY, content with his 40 acres and mule.  He loves his farm more than the air he breathes and that will never change.  The only thing that changed was opportunity and geography.  This opportunity to grow and learn, to be part of something bigger than his own self was something that appealed to him.  I haven’t really gotten a clue exactly what he will be doing, but as a production supervisor, he will have the chance to oversee the folks on his line and make decisions for the good of the line.  He will be responsible his line’s production, that people are doing what the customer has wished and following guidelines by both the company and the USDA.  I could just imagine that things will likely become very stressful at times.  He always prides himself on being able to remove emotion from decisions that need to be made.  I am anxious to see how he handles the stress that will come in this new position.  His training and orientation in the plant ends on Friday and he jumps into the fire on Monday. Soon he will have to go to a “boot camp” for new supervisors, to learn even more about the company, the regulations, and the products I guess.  It’s rumored to be an intense process that is intended to weed out folks that aren’t up to the bar.  Bless this job, bless the folks he will work with and bless Daniel. 

We also continue to brood over coming to a town that by its own people’s admission is considered “clannish”.  Being the outsider has certainly made me consider how I would treat others at home.  Having worked in a nearby place at home that I would consider clannish, that nearly outlaws anyone who doesn’t have a long legacy within those county walls, I feel like I can recognize the uncomfortable feeling strangers get when they don’t recognize us.  For instance, the library.  I was there daily for nearly two weeks and I am confident that I didn’t wear a cloak of invisibility from the Harry Potter books.  Not only did they not make eye contact, they absolutely refused to look in my direction.  Please bare in mind that this isn’t the architectural wonder that is the Lincoln Co. Public Library.  This entire library is one small room – with four, maybe five long stacks, a small children’s section and a few computers.  I am guessing this library would fit in the room that Lincoln Co. has it’s book sale.  Now, after three weeks and Daniel stopping the director in a gas station to beg for a library card (because we had nothing with an address on it), one lady did manage to say “OK” the other day when I said “Have a nice day.” 

I am imploring folks back at home (or anywhere) to smile at a stranger, someone new in town or maybe someone you just don’t know – don’t give off the attitude that we are clannish, it’s tacky and rude-I’m sure not what anyone wants.  And it doesn’t cost you a dime or very much of your time to just acknowledge someone.

Don’t get me wrong – the town isn’t 100% like this.  We have met folks that have been great, kind and warm.  Most of the time when they realize we have moved from Kentucky, their response is “with Tyson’s”.  (And they seem to add an ‘s on there… like Kroger’s)  I took Annabelle to Harrison, about 30 miles away and a little like Danville – maybe?, to an urgent care because she had upper respiratory crud going on – the dr. there asked if we had moved to AR for Fed Ex.  Apparently big Fed Ex in Harrison – so, there’s another reason to move here.  Of the home towners we have crossed paths with-salt of the earth people.  A friend of Daniel’s from work showed up Saturday afternoon with a big ol’ delicious pan of brownies, said “just thought you all might be needing a snack”, after a long day of moving in.  We have also had the pleasure of meeting the pastor and youth pastor of the church we will be going to on Wednesday night, Freeman Heights Baptist, just about 2 blocks from our house.  Daniel has several friends at work who go there and just seems like a very nice place to be.  I made sure I asked Bro. Alan where we should sit – fearing taking the seat of someone who has homesteaded a certain pew.  I have not “met” her yet, but another friend of Daniel’s also goes to church there, too and we have befriended one another on fb.  God has a plan for us – we just feel it.

A friend recently asked me why he wanted to work some place like this, when he went to school for agriculture.  Daniel has always appreciated a philosophy of a more narrow, sustainable idea of agriculture, but he has the foresight to understand the importance of global food production.   Daniel is learning so much, more than he could have imagined and has a real pride in the finished product.  He looks pretty snazzy in his khaki too by the way.

So, I couldn’t wait to write something this morning when I finally got my old favorite computer ever unpacked and plugged in.  I’m sitting here by this giant window looking out over the Berryville Community Center near by back yard and see the mountains in the distance – not sure how many miles they are from here, maybe 10.  Still cannot believe that it’s a sight I am seeing on a daily basis. 

Blessed.

P.S.  Still trying to hear what others have to say - share in the comment section below about a time that you were kind to a stanger or better yet when a stranger did a random act of kindness for you.  Make it an inspiration to us all - and if you don't have one to share - then tomorrow... make that your goal... Go out of your way for someone and then come back and tell us about it tomorrow!  Good night friends, good night family ...

Week 2 update

Things are going well here in the Ozarks.  We've lived through another week here very little to write home about.  I have still been going into town with Daniel through the week, dropping him off at work, dropping Maddie off at the Middle School and going down the street to take Anna to school.  All three buildings are on the same street - not 1/2 a mile between Tyson and Anna's school.  Maddie is in the middle.  It's quite handy but the morning routine takes all of about 8 minutes of my 8 hour day to wait in Berryville.  I have frequented the library, learned all the streets and ventured into a few of the stores.  Since I don't need anything right now and it's not a lot of fun just looking.  

Our morning commute into Berryville

Daniel continues to love his new job, which I am most thankful for.  Maddie is adjusted to school-don't confuse that with loving it but merely adjusting.  Baby steps.  She will get really offended if you perhaps say "Looks like you had a good day."*eye roll*. 

Anna got a compliment this week from her teacher that made me proud.  Us proud I should say.  Her lead teacher said she had to talk to me, which immediately made me think something was wrong.  She went onto say that she had never had a more polite, kind, intelligent child in her class since she has been at Berryville.  Naturally, if you know Anna, then you know that's true right.

Annabelle and my grandmother - her great-grandmother just before we left KY.  Their last visit before the move.  That sweet, gentle smile is always on her face - (most of the time) and she is such a blessing to everyone she meets.

It surely surprised me though seeing as we had just had that morning, the worst temper tantrum, struggle to get to school since we've been here.  She misses her stuff and her patience is growing thin.  Longing for her baby dolls.. missing each on of them that provide her with hours of enjoyment.  Too often I think adults don't realize that kids are people too - and they need their stuff just like anyone else.  I can't wait until she can just be in her room and begin yet another adjustment.  She loves a camera just as much as me and it brings me great please.  Check out some of the work I found on my camera when I went to upload some pictures I had taken this weekend.  Gotta be careful when she is armed and ready.

We have had the wonderful opportunity this weekend to participate in Mardi Gras here in Eureka Springs.  It was fun and I'm not sure not at all like the real thing.  It was fun to see the spirit of the community.  The streets were lined with folks and maybe we were the only outsiders, I don't know.. but it was fun to be part of something.  Maddie tried to catch the beads that were thrown out and she was able to get a couple.  Anna got hit in the face with one string - ahh.. memories.  She also got one butterscotch disc and a golden coin (fake).  Good times.  We drove over to Rogers, AR - about 35 miles or so from Eureka.  A beautiful stressful drive, but I'll spare the whining.  Some pics though for good measure.

Anticipating thestart of the parade

downtown Eureka Springs, AR just for Mardi Gras