We moved last week.  Out of our spacious home and into a little condo down the hill.  We're enjoying our simplified existence with fewer things to put away, more cuddle time and laughter on the couch, and jaunts to the community pool for a family plunge.   

We didn't have much to bring, actually.  We sold a lot of our furniture to the newlyweds moving into our family house.  Even our big bed and bedroom set, which leaves Matt and me sleeping restlessly in the full bed that used to grace our guest room.  Let me take this opportunity to apologize to the couples who have endured nights on this little mattress.  Yicks.  

We also left both our kitchen and dinning room tables and are now breaking bread around Matt's desk.  The computer is set up on a bedside table, and our TV is dressing up a file cabinet.  Fancy digs!  

Of the tangible things we left behind, I will miss the old kitchen table and the even older chairs my mom and I painted for my first apartment most of all.  So glad I get to carry my memories with me easily.  No matter how many I keep, they never strain my back or take up too much attic space. 

But, like I said, we are all very happy.  Life is sweet and simple, and the boys are loving it.  We are too, minus the sleepless nights.  

Many other things were left behind at our old home or given to good will.  The most profound, however, were things invisible and intangible.  Unkind words, selfish hands, "scawy foughts" (that's scary thoughts at bedtime), disrespectful and dishonoring behavior toward their father and me, laughing and hitting during dinner prayers, and not coming when they are called.  

Life had gotten pretty difficult in our family. I'm not blaming them.  Matt and I obviously let them get away with poor behavior far too much. So when we moved here to our little pad, we told them their bad habits had been left at the old house.  Then Matt and I commited to one another that our inconsistency had also been left behind.  

And somehow... MIRACULOUSLY... and with the help of LEGO mini-figures and a reward chart... it has worked!  Seriously worked!  Brody's walking into his classroom without grabbing me or showcasing dramatic tearful goodbyes; he's gone to bed without "Scawy foughts" almost every night since moving into our condo; Asher gets up, gets dressed, comes to the breakfast table and even asks to serve his Brother's first; and Matt and I have also left some of our less attractive behaviors behind.

How in the world, you ask, did we manage to avoid bringing them along?  We simply told the boys that we had not packed them.  "But did you bring all of my toys?"  Brody was quick to ask.  "Yes, of course!"  We assured him.   

That darling boy has been as amazed at his good behavior as we are.  I've found him litterally dazed and confused,  mumbling, "I'm being such a good boy... I'm just being such a good boy" over and over to himself. 

Check out this (very) short video clip of Caleb at the dinner table tonight, showing me how he used to react to a new dish at mealtime.  All the boys laughed and so did I.  People always say, "one day you'll look back and laugh at the most awful stuff.  This was one of those days, I'm happy to say.