I know, I know... I've heard it many times already... it's been quite some time (okay...too long!) since I've added new updates to the Elrod Update. There is so much more that I could add, but since we only have dial-up internet at the new place (oh, how I miss my high-speed!) I will stick to the most recent update of the last month or so. Later, a bit at a time, I will add more retro-updates with new pictures. For the very short version, here goes....
Many of you know that Chris lost his job in March. After searching and searching for a job... preferably one that would keep us in the Memphis area... we were led back to my hometown in Arkansas. God's plans are not always the ones we have in mind or would like, are they? ;) So, we moved to Judsonia in August. Chris started work at Land O'Frost in Searcy as a Marketing Anaylst on August 13th. He's enjoying his job so far.... at least he likes the people that work with him. That's a positive. :) For the last month, he's been sharing an office with a co-worker but, as of yesterday, those in Management moved into their new offices and office building. Now, he's got his own office all to himself! :)
The boys started school the following Monday (the 21st). They are going to a small public school (White County Central) just 5 minutes or so down the road from my brother's house. It is where I began kindergarten and attended there through part of 3rd grade. In fact, my kindergarten teacher is now Matthew's 4th grade math teacher. There's more cool stuff, though... his homeroom teacher was a classmate of mine and we were big buddies when we were little. She knew exactly who I was when I walked through his classroom door. It was so good to reconnect with her. Also, Grant's teacher attends church with my dad and I've known her for a few years now. Their principal used to attend my old church and I dated her son some after high school. There are only 600 kids K-12 there and I know several of the faculty. The boys are adjusting well, making new friends, and really like their new school. Parent/Teacher conferences are tomorrow, so we'll have a chance to hear from their teachers as to how they're
really doing. :)
I've put my name on the substitute teacher list at Central and also at the other elementary school in town (Judsonia). This is the school that I transferred to and graduated from when I left Central. I've already subbed at Judsonia several days (I've been asked to be there every day for this week!) over the past couple of weeks. I really enjoy doing that. I've been a SAHM for 10 years now and it's nice to get out into the "real" world a little bit. It works perfectly for me because I don't want to work summers or hours after school.
We're still working on finding a church to attend full-time but do have some prospects. We've been attending a church for a month now where a lot of friends of mine and some relatives attend. It's the first one that we've gone too, though, and don't want to just settle. We want to make sure we experience what other churches have to offer. We were able to go back to visit our Memphis church home last weekend and, BOY! do we miss our friends and church family there very much!
What else? Oh, you may remember that we are living with my brother. It's close quarters for us, but we're making it. Five of us in a 2 BR/1.5 BA house, but it's do-able. Phillip is not home often, so we're not always on top of each other. He's very gracious to allow us to live with him and take over his home. All he's asking from us is for Chris to mow the grass and to split utilities with him. No rent or help with the mortgage. That sure helps us! Please continue to pray that we sell our house soon. We really need a buyer. We went back last weekend and discovered that sometime in the 6 weeks that we've been gone, our refrigerator decided to die. Mind you, we HAD left food in both the fridge and freezer sides. Yep... you guessed it. Rotting, molding food all over the shelves. Disgusting, I tell ya! Took us a day and a half to clean up and try to make it smell better in there. Whew! That was a chore! But, it was nice to be back in our own place, despite the mess, even if it was only for a little while. Now, we're back to our little routine over here in the tiny little town we're living in . :)
That's the update for now. Be on the lookout for more posts soon...
Our house in Mississippi was located at the end of the main road in our old neighborhood. We were quite content to have neighbors on only one side of us with a large lot of woods on the other side. Then, the construction started. Builders started clearing the woods to make way for new houses. Although we adults were disappointed, our boys and the kids in the neighborhood were then able to enjoy playing on the trees that were uprooted, in the pits that were made to burn debris, and around the tractors that were always left overnight. Here's Grant just hanging out on a pile of limbs and small trees that were cut down.
Grant and Davis
Riding the Alligator
Tackling Shamu
I made this cake for the party
It looked this way on every side of us... it was packed! 
Matthew and Jamie playing video games 