Keeping Up with The Arringtons: November 2012

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

It's Beginning to Look a lot like Christmas!!

It's been a few weeks since my last blog, so I have a lot to share in this one post!!

Since my last post, our Elf on the Shelf, Boombah, has returned from the North Pole. Grace had been talking about him for a while and wondering when he would return. Last year when he showed up he first appeared on the fire alarm pull station in our apartment. Grace kept saying he would come back to that same spot first this year and she was right! He has moved all around our apartment and even made the trip to NC with us for Thanksgiving. Silly Elf!

The week before Thanksgiving we got to go to Grace's school and enjoy a Thanksgiving program and meal with all the kids. Here are a few cute videos and pictures for you to enjoy!

Showing us her really cool turkey cupcake

With her friend Taylor

Interesting response from Grace!

And again! The other kids were thankful for their parents and their toys!?

I don't often share much about work on our blog, but in this post I need to! This is Brandie, our graduate assistant. She has worked with our office since her last semester as an undergraduate and she will be graduating with her Masters in just a few weeks. It has been an honor for me to get the opportunity to work with her and watch her grow over her time with us. In her photo the thumbs up are because she passed her comprehensive exams! Way to go Brandie!

Also work related is the photo below. In our jobs we encounter students of ALL types. Over the last few years we have seen a huge increase in the number of students at MTSU who are hungry or homeless. Our office has several programs to support these students. To supplement those, we started a student food pantry this semester and it is already having a huge impact on our hungry students. Below is a photo of a large donation from several groups around campus including the library and Project Help (where Grace used to go to school). What a blessing to have so many generous people who are willing to help our students in need and at a very meaningful time of the year! We got these donations just before Thanksgiving.

Before we left for NC for the Thanksgiving week, we decided to go ahead and put up our Christmas tree. Grace loved this!!

Holding a ornament with a picture of her from her first Christmas

The finished product

We enjoyed a nice long trip to NC for Thanksgiving this year!! Lots to share from the visit....

On Tuesday we visited a few schools for Grace and were fortunate to find one that we are pleased with. In between visiting schools we spent time with Huntley. He is just too cute!

Cute Cousins!

Thanksgiving Day was as fun as usual. We ate a lot and had a great time visiting with our family!

On Black Friday we did a little shopping and took the kids to see Santa.

Huntley was not too interested in shopping

We kept Grace entertained with the iPad!

Talking to Santa and giving him her "list"

The list

One of the "illegal" photos I took of both kids with Santa.

The official Santa photo

Riding the train at the mall

We had such a great time in NC. As we were heading to the airport on Saturday afternoon, Grace fell asleep in the car. She was exhausted from all our fun!

Two thumbs up...we are back in TN safely!

Well, the next few weeks will be super busy as I finish work and begin packing! I will do my best to post as time allows!

Sunday, November 4, 2012

A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words...

No statement has EVER been more true when I look at this picture below.

For those who may not understand the photo, this is a screenshot of the MTSU jobs website showing that the University is currently seeking to replace ME!! For many of you this is not a shock because you already know, but for some who have not heard...now you know! :) There are certainly more than a thousand things to say about what this means right? Well, here is what we shared just a few weeks ago with our extended family and close friends.

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As 2012 comes to a close it will bring some changes for us that we wanted to share with the family and ahead of anything that might make it to the internet circles.

Several months ago, Matt asked that I consider joining him in the family business at Allenton, once we got back to the area. Dad says he is not getting any younger and needs to start slowing down. The three of us agreed that the skills I could bring to the table would only strengthen the business. I would eventually handle the office operations and with Dad around to help me get adjusted, an eventual hand-off to Matt and I would be much easier when the time comes.

Fast-forward a few months, as a couple of things changed. First, Matt and Dad are swamped and really need my help now and getting here to help grow Allenton with them was simply too good of an opportunity to pass on. Second, with Grace starting school next summer, Troy and I realized the timing would be better to make the move and get her settled ahead of time. To that end, I submitted my resignation and will be leaving my job officially January 2, 2013 and will join Allenton early next year.

It was not an easy decision, but we are confident this will be in the best interest for our family long term. Unfortunately, Troy has not yet found a job in NC, but continues to pursue every opportunity out there. As Troy continues to look for a job, he will remain in TN. Grace and I will be moving to NC and staying with Mom and Dad until Troy can join us. We know this presents challenges, but we are strong and prepared for the road ahead.

Joining the family business has always been in the back of my mind and I am happy that it is happening now. We look forward to 2013 and what it will bring us.

We are excited to begin our journey “home” and begin making our place back in NC with those we love and miss so much. Please keep us in your daily thoughts and prayers.

Love, Troy & Heather

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So a few words/phrases come to mind right away...

Excited/Happy/Thrilled - We have wanted to be back in NC for some time now and the thought of beginning this next phase for our family is truly exciting!
Anxious - We are anxious to find Troy a job in NC and trust that prayer, hard work and a little luck will help make that happen sooner rather than later.
Challenging - New things in life always bring their challenges, so we are ready to hit them head on. Challenges makes you stronger, right? :)
Moving/Boxes/Packing - Though we have not started this yet, I can see it coming and dread trying to get it all together. I have been hoarding boxes at my office for 6 months now hoping this day would come, now I just need a professional packer/mover to do it for us!
Leaving - As we prepare to move away from TN we leave behind 6 1/2 years of memories & friends. We took a chance moving here not knowing anyone and have made this place our home away from home. We have been truly blessed with some of the most loving, giving, and fun friends a family could ask for. Murfreesboro will always be the place Grace was born and where she had a lot of firsts in her life. I could write a whole blog about this place. Maybe that's a future things for me to blog about as we get closer to our move!
New Beginnings - Joining Allenton has been something I always knew was in my future and I am thrilled that Matt and dad see a place for me there with them. Nothing makes me happier than to work alongside two men I love and respect more than I could ever truly express to them. Another part of this new beginning for our family will be Grace starting Kindergarden later in 2013. With so many options, we are glad we can get back to NC and have her start school where we want to be until she graduates from high school. Durham has so many fond memories for me as a child and young adult, I look forward to sharing some of those memories with Grace and Troy as we live and grow our family there.
Prayer - Things are really out of our hands and we have to trust that a little common sense and a lot of prayer will guide us in the right direction during these next few months. Please add us to your daily prayers in whatever capacity you see fit. We greatly appreciate it!!
Thankful - We are thankful first of all for our family and most specifically for my mom & dad who are supporting us and encouraging us as we make this move. Their guidance and love are more than we deserve. We know we always have them to lean on, no matter what. We have also been amazed at the outpouring of excitement and support that we have received from our family and friends as we have announced this move.

So that is only about 12 words, but those are the words that stand out to me now. So, I know this leaves many of you wanting to know details. As of the moment there is not a ton to share expect to say that when we head to Durham for the holidays, Grace and I will be taking some essentials in phase one of what will be a multiple trip move over a few months as we wait for Troy to find a job. We all will spend the holidays in Durham with our family and spend time getting Grace and I settled. Troy and I will return to TN for me to work my last official day on January 2nd and then I will return to Durham to begin working at Allenton. So needless to say we have a lot going on in the next two months! :) More to come as our journey moves forward. Thank you for your support and love!!

Friday, November 2, 2012

Halloween Week Fun

Halloween is so much fun and Grace was really in to it this year! We had a fun week of Halloween fun.

Sunday we went to a local fall festival put on by a church in town.

Grace and Kyleigh enjoyed all the inflatable bounce houses

Sweet face...she was jealous of the big kids having all the fun

"Aunt" Becca, Kyleigh, Grace and Troy

Ready to race on the obstacle course

Ready for the little ferriswheel

Starting Monday she asked each morning if it was trick or treat day. Fortunately they had a party at school Monday and Tuesday so that helped with her excitement!