If you've known our family long, you know that we have a history of moving about every two years (this started before the military!). Our two-year mark was approaching, and we were earnestly praying for clarity on the next step when Ryan got a call about his new job assignment. When the call came, Ryan was given a new job in the same building where he's been working the last two years! We both immediately agreed it was good to take that assignment and stay where we are. So we don't have to move, right?! It couldn't be that easy =) We did end up moving, but with a new exciting twist for the Paynes: we bought our first home!! A good friend is a realtor and helped us look for houses in the same neighborhood we were already living in, but ultimately God provided a way to buy the house of our friends who were moving to a nearby town - win/win!
We signed all the paperwork in late May, but didn't move in for another month.
The excitedly scared smiles of first-time homeowners - ha! =)
The Sunday leading up to our move-in day, I took Rooke to his first sleepover camp! He joined a good buddy at Camp Ligonier for an entire week, and had a great time! Thanks to loving family who sent letters and care packages, he barely missed home. He left living in one house, and returned to boxes in our new house!
The last night in our rental house, I hosted a piano recital for my students. It was fun to celebrate their hard work with one last event in the house we'd been so grateful for the past two years.
Moving week was full of late nights for Ryan and I. Our last night in the rental house was no different for the girls! Several friends helped us move with a "minivan brigade". Since we were only moving one mile away, we were able to shuttle almost everything in minivans!
These sweet sisters enjoyed the week of moving, painting, and also getting to play with friends so Ryan and I could move and paint without the extra "help"!
Several dear friends offered to help knock out some painting one night. The house would not have been ready for all our stuff without their help. So grateful.
Our first dinner in our new home, delivered hot and fresh from a kind friend!
Boxes and morning coffee.
Another yummy meal in our house, delivered by and shared with great friends.
In the midst of all the boxes, our church's new electric piano was delivered to our house! The girls helped me put it together for Sunday.
And then our boy came home! Ryan went to pick him up and we were glad to all be together again in our new house!
Rooke will tell you that he prefers the rental house to our new house (his room is smaller, and he's not big on change in general), but the porch is helping the house grow on him =)
