We are out and We are in

We are officially out of the ghetto. Our final inspection went great. It took 10 minutes and I actually got a compliment on what a good job we did cleaning. Thanks again D!! She is an angel in disguise.
Now the new place really feels like ours. This weekend was great. More unpacking and organizing. The girls have already made friends. Today they spent the entire day outside. They had a little picnic with girls from our cul de sac on our back porch, ran through the sprinkler, and played in the park just behind our house. It was great!! They were outside for the whole afternoon. Freedom and bliss!
I spent Friday night mowing our lawn. Not an easy undertaking. We are on the end unit, therefore we have a large yard. I believe it is considered an "Okinawan Acre"...huge. I mowed it with a happy heart. It was fairly cool and I didn't end up drenched in sweat. Check in with me halfway through the summer and see if I am as excited about having such a yard to mow.
Here is some fun news. We are dog sitting this summer! We have pledged not to get a dog on a permanent basis because we have the responsibility of our dog back in the states. I want to instill in our children that dogs are a lifetime commitment. So, even though we don't live with our dog, we are still responsible for him. If he needs major surgery or something else, we need to be able to provide for him. My parents are caring for him on a daily basis, but I make sure the girls know we have to plan for his long term care as responsible owners. They are are in major pet withdrawal. Emily's teacher had a friend who was going home to the states for about a month this summer and needed a dog sitter. I figured this was a good opportunity for the girls and I to get a dog fix and watch a dog owner take responsibility for her dog. They need to see that this dog owner had to find arrangements for her dog when she went on vacation. We met the dog this week. It is not like any dog we have ever owned. It will be an adventure. It is a small dog and we have always had big dogs. It is little, white Shih Tzu who is named Versace. He is two years old and already in love with Brian. Brian can turn in his man card right now. It should be a fun experience. I will keep you updated on the happenings.