All four Greenbeans arrived safely in Central Texas in late July.  It took a long time to get all of the utilities up and running.  The last thing to get was the internet.  This was not about order of importance, mind you, but in order to get unlimited internet access and high speed connections we had to mount what looks like a large telescope from the movie Contact on top of our home.  I keep thinking Jodie Foster (or Stephen Hawking?) is going to show up and request time on the dial.

Alas, though, things are operational.  Before I launch into full blown blogging again (like telling you about the dreadful sermons I’ve sat through the past three weeks, oh dear) I thought I might share some adventures from the move itself.

We used professional movers for our move.  The crew in in Port Orchard was wonderful, kind and courteous.  Mrs. Greenbean met them on this end and reported the opposite.  The Central Texas crew was awful.  They broke a bookshelf, dropped several boxes and even kicked them around.  They also scuffed the wall and dropped the love seat from two floors up.  In case you are wondering, the company was Allied.  I highly recommend against ever using them.

However, everything made it.  All of our things arrived even if a few of the picture frames were shattered and one of our owl statues was destroyed.  It’s here.  We thought for a while that wasn’t the case because we couldn’t find the box with my diplomas, ordination certificate, and personal pictures.  We did indeed find them two days ago.  What relief.  Those types of things are really irreplaceable.  We hung them on the wall in the study.  Which, by the way, we had to buy four book shelves once we got here for all our books.  It was a real pain in the neck integrating my theological/ministry library with our home library.

I traveled with my two daughters and the idiot dog from Port Orchard to Central Texas.  We did it in three days spending the night in Twin Falls, Idaho and Colorado Springs, Colorado.  Thank you, Best Western, for your pet friendly hotels.  I am certain I would have roasted the dog on an open fire somewhere in the middle of Utah had we not gotten a decent night’s sleep.

Here is the playlist for my road trip.  I built it in advance to avoid the onslaught of One Direction coming from the backseat.  It is loaded with favorite bands and with road trip songs (like the first one), but all of the songs were chosen with care to reflect my mood or thoughts about leaving FBC Port Orchard and my new adventures.

• Take It Easy–The Eagles
• The Reflex–Duran Duran
• Suspicious Minds–Elvis Presley
• Rooftops–Erin Ivey
• Sweet Child O’ Mine–Guns-N-Roses
• Welcome to the Jungle-Guns-N-Roses
• Peaches–The Presidents of the United States of America
• Ramble On–Led Zeppelin
• Black Dog–Led Zeppelin
• Immigrant Song–Led Zeppelin
• The Cave (Live)–Mumford and Sons
• Taya Tan–Pink Martini
• She Blinded Me With Science–Thomas Dolby
• The Hairbrush Song–VeggieTales
• Space Oddity–David Bowie
• Rocket Man (I Think Its’ Going to be a Long Long Time)
• On the Road Again–Willie Nelson
• Shiny Happy People–R.E.M.
• Belong–R.E.M.
• Texarkana–R.E.M.
• Gimme Shelter–The Rolling Stones
• Gloria (Live, Remastered)–U2
• “40” (Live, Remastered)–U2
• 11 O’Clock Tick Tock–U2
• La Grange–ZZ Top
• Cheap Sunglasses–ZZ Top
• Sultans of Swing–Dire Straits
• Walk of Life–Dire Straits
• Everybody Have Fun Tonight–Wang Chung
• Werewolves of London–Warren Zevon
• Sharp Dressed Man–ZZ Top
• Another Way to Die (Quantum of Solace)–Jack White and Alicia Keys
• Bad (Live)–U2

I have not yet had time to begin writing, which is the essential reason we moved.  I have, however, had a couple of really interesting ideas which I hope to flesh out soon.  I appreciate everyone’s prayers and thoughts, and am looking forward to what lies ahead.  The Lord has been very good to us, and for that I praise his Holy Name.