Ok.... so our trip to Virginia did not come without it's challenges. It is truly a long, exhausting, and hard-to-follow story that I do not want to relive through this blog but I will say this... God works for the good of those who love him and who have been called according to His purpose (Rom 8:28).
When I find myself going through an extremely difficult time, I try very hard to focus on the truth which gives me great comfort and joy even when circumstances seam unbearable. I have seen the light at the end of the tunnel which are glimpses of hope that God is working out the details.
Making this long story extremely condensed, we had an awful time getting communication from the moving company. They didn't return phone calls, couldn't tell us where our truck was, didn't show up, tried to charge us over $2000 in added fees, damaged some furniture, couldn't get the billing correct, charged our credit card before services were rendered, and created an extremely frustrating experience for all of us when the customer service team couldn't help us. It was a complete and utter mess of a move but it was all part of the adventure!!
My husband, who is very professional and diplomatic, documented everything and mailed the president and CEO of the company to share everything with him. After speaking to him on several occasions and for extended periods of time found out that this moving company is a start-up company that he is trying to grow and was completely unaware of what was happening behind the scenes. He had just installed a call recording system and listened to the calls to match up Jeff's facts. We found out that 2 of the employees were planning to pocket the overage fees they were charging us. They have both been fired. One employee had traveled to Las Vegas without notifying the company, thus, the reason for unreturned calls. In the end, Jeff was asked what he thought a fair price was for the move (he was quoted $4600 and it was quickly approaching $7000) and he said $3800 considering the time wasted, unfair overages, and the damage done to furniture. He agreed and the money is soon to be reimbursed as long as we do not report them to the Better Business Bureau.
As an added bonus, the CEO spoke to Jeff on both professional and personal levels about ideas that would make his company better based on our experience. He is already putting into practice changes based on Jeff's feedback. Lastly, the guy needed Accounts Receivable solutions so Jeff is calling him this week to share how Gallium (Jeff's company) can help.
Isn't that just how God works? He always works it out!! Through it all, I kept saying that we would look back on this and laugh... well we are not quite there yet, but will be soon I hope. :)
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
The Best of.... Arkansas
If someone would have told me 6 years ago that I would be living in Harrison, AR, home schooling our children and attending a Baptist church, I would have said they were Craaaaaaaazy! These last 4 years have been such an adventure to say the least. This "Best Of" list is a celebration of my time here.
Favorite memories of our first trip to AR to find a house:
Hudson's cow sign and selling frog legs, riding in Marty Burlesworth's MG because his wife was hurt and had to use the big car, driving 30 minutes to go to a restaurant (ate at the Candlestick Inn), finding out that some white-collar workers do also own farms.
Favorite Home school adventure:
Our visits to Bruce's chicken farm: I'll never forget the first time when he snapped the neck and sliced up several chickens on the back of his 4-wheeler while carrying on a conversation (my kids have finally healed). The second time Kerri and I went to pick up our new family members : several adorable baby chicks!! We raised chickens on the golf course (sorry... I didn't know the law) until they were beheaded by a ravenous predator. We had company that weekend when we found the dead bodies.
Favorite Restaurant in Harrison: Overall... Neighbors Mill then Jasmine as a close second.
Most Frequented Restaurant in Branson: Fuddruckers... favorite dining... Bleu Olive
Favorite Anniversary Celebration: Staying in a cabin at Mt. Nebo State Park near Russelville.
Least Favorite House Pest: Brown Recluse Spiders (in Florida, it was cockroaches)
Favorite Redneck Activity: Satellite dish sledding behind a Teryx.
Favorite Girltime Adventure: Christmas shopping trips with the ladies
Most Interesting Person I've Met: Bruce Medley - is there anything he can't do?
Favorite Saying First Heard in AR: "What have you" pronounced "wa hayee"
Favorite Church Memories: The dances and ASL: Captivated, I Surrender, the stomp, None But Jesus, Revelation Song. Shannon and his object lessons especially the one when he was preaching about filling up and being poured out and water came out of the pitcher so he proceeded to continue pouring out water on the stage - I don't know if that was planned but I got the lesson for sure!! Girltalk, Romance Uncensored (all of them), Zain Roland dressing up like the Easter Bunny.
Most Memorable Kidz Praise Memories: Berry Blast Theme Park with Jeff and Gerald in blue Dickies shorts and bowties, Jeff repelling from the high platform during a caving theme, Black and White night with Tammy and me in our fake eye lashes and afro wigs, Olympic synchronized swimming in kiddie pools with Tammy for BNK's Got Talent night, Kam and Bruce dressed as Wynona and Naomi Judd - a little disturbing but highly memorable nonetheless!!
Most Cherished Family Getaways: Camping with the Harrison family from Florida and staying at the "cabin" with the Satterwhites, Thanksgiving at the cabin.
Arkansas Firsts as a Family: canoeing, hiking, satellite dish sledding and regular sledding, deer hunting, caving, chicken farms, blueberry and raspberry picking, apple orchard, frozen custard, horseback riding, shooting guns, buiding a snowman, the Dirty Water 5K, Crawdad Days
Cherished Visitors to AR: Jeff's parents, The Harrison Family, Sarah Nance, Kayla Braddock Coats, Mikey Wallace, Sharon Wallace, Kristen Branson Langley, Debbie Phelan and sons, Lisa and Tony Garcia, Antoinette Garcia.
Everyone knows how much we have enjoyed living in Harrison and how sad we are to leave but God has something for us in VA and I am excited to find out what that is!! Please pray for us during this journey because it will be extremely difficult to part with our beloved friends and family!! Thank you to all those in Lakeland who helped us through our transition to AR - it gives me great comfort knowing that the relationships we had there have since been strengthened - isn't that just how God works?
Until next time....:)
Favorite memories of our first trip to AR to find a house:
Hudson's cow sign and selling frog legs, riding in Marty Burlesworth's MG because his wife was hurt and had to use the big car, driving 30 minutes to go to a restaurant (ate at the Candlestick Inn), finding out that some white-collar workers do also own farms.
Favorite Home school adventure:
Our visits to Bruce's chicken farm: I'll never forget the first time when he snapped the neck and sliced up several chickens on the back of his 4-wheeler while carrying on a conversation (my kids have finally healed). The second time Kerri and I went to pick up our new family members : several adorable baby chicks!! We raised chickens on the golf course (sorry... I didn't know the law) until they were beheaded by a ravenous predator. We had company that weekend when we found the dead bodies.
Favorite Restaurant in Harrison: Overall... Neighbors Mill then Jasmine as a close second.
Most Frequented Restaurant in Branson: Fuddruckers... favorite dining... Bleu Olive
Favorite Anniversary Celebration: Staying in a cabin at Mt. Nebo State Park near Russelville.
Least Favorite House Pest: Brown Recluse Spiders (in Florida, it was cockroaches)
Favorite Redneck Activity: Satellite dish sledding behind a Teryx.
Favorite Girltime Adventure: Christmas shopping trips with the ladies
Most Interesting Person I've Met: Bruce Medley - is there anything he can't do?
Favorite Saying First Heard in AR: "What have you" pronounced "wa hayee"
Favorite Church Memories: The dances and ASL: Captivated, I Surrender, the stomp, None But Jesus, Revelation Song. Shannon and his object lessons especially the one when he was preaching about filling up and being poured out and water came out of the pitcher so he proceeded to continue pouring out water on the stage - I don't know if that was planned but I got the lesson for sure!! Girltalk, Romance Uncensored (all of them), Zain Roland dressing up like the Easter Bunny.
Most Memorable Kidz Praise Memories: Berry Blast Theme Park with Jeff and Gerald in blue Dickies shorts and bowties, Jeff repelling from the high platform during a caving theme, Black and White night with Tammy and me in our fake eye lashes and afro wigs, Olympic synchronized swimming in kiddie pools with Tammy for BNK's Got Talent night, Kam and Bruce dressed as Wynona and Naomi Judd - a little disturbing but highly memorable nonetheless!!
Most Cherished Family Getaways: Camping with the Harrison family from Florida and staying at the "cabin" with the Satterwhites, Thanksgiving at the cabin.
Arkansas Firsts as a Family: canoeing, hiking, satellite dish sledding and regular sledding, deer hunting, caving, chicken farms, blueberry and raspberry picking, apple orchard, frozen custard, horseback riding, shooting guns, buiding a snowman, the Dirty Water 5K, Crawdad Days
Cherished Visitors to AR: Jeff's parents, The Harrison Family, Sarah Nance, Kayla Braddock Coats, Mikey Wallace, Sharon Wallace, Kristen Branson Langley, Debbie Phelan and sons, Lisa and Tony Garcia, Antoinette Garcia.
Everyone knows how much we have enjoyed living in Harrison and how sad we are to leave but God has something for us in VA and I am excited to find out what that is!! Please pray for us during this journey because it will be extremely difficult to part with our beloved friends and family!! Thank you to all those in Lakeland who helped us through our transition to AR - it gives me great comfort knowing that the relationships we had there have since been strengthened - isn't that just how God works?
Until next time....:)
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