Yes, I must be part Gypsy

I've often been accused of being a Gypsy. In the past 13 years I've lived in 2 apartments, 10 houses and 4 hotels-- the Homestead Suites and 3 hotels in Vietnam. Hey, I think its fair to say you lived somewhere if you're there for 7 weeks so I claim the 3 hotels in Vietnam! Of course, my father who has extensively researched our family tree has never mentioned that we are related to Gypsies. William the Conquerer, yes. Gypsies, no. But my latest news might make me the Gypsy on the family tree.

We're moving again.

Yeah, I know we JUST moved. And believe me the thought of packing up this house makes me tired even thinking about it. But we are moving and this time it won't involve living in suites or moving down the street. We're moving back to my childhood hometown area, the Kansas City, Missouri suburbs.

We are completely alone here. I became very aware of this fact when Emma was in the hospital. My two boys, ages 17 and 20 were solely taking care of their 2 younger sisters, ages 4 and 10. This meant taking Jenna, the 4 year old, to preschool, Julia, the 10 year old to after school activies, getting them ready for bed, making sure homework got done, etc. That's alot to ask from two teenage boys. My parents eventually came when we realized that Emma was going to be in the hospital for awhile, but it was after Emma has been hospitalized for a week and then my parents had to rearrange their schedules and drive 8 hours to get here.

So I went home to visit after the New Year while we were still on Christmas break and on a whim I went looking at houses to check out the housing market. At that time I knew we would move there, it just just a matter of when. And of course I found a house I loved. After I and my entourage (my brother, sister in law, other brother, and mother) left the house I sat in the car next to my SIL and said "Crap, I really liked that house. Now what do I do?" I went home and several family meetings, and another trip later, it was decided that we would move. Ross will be spending his senior year at a very small Catholic high school that he absolutely loved. Julia will be starting middle school and Jenna will be starting kindergarten at the same elementary school that her cousins attend. In fact, we are living in the same neighborhood as my brother and his family and about 3 miles from my parents. We will be moving the last week of May/ first week or June.

So how wonderful is this house? Check it out for yourself:

This is it, although I cut the right side off including the 3rd car garage.

This my beautiful new, very large kitchen.

My wonderful great room!

The hearth room and great room view from the kitchen sink.

And the pièce de résistance, the fire pit on the back patio. BYOM- bring your own marshmellows.