Garage Sale

We had a pretty successful garage sale today, trying to get rid of all the odds & ends that we've collected over the years. It is just amazing the amount of junk that finds its way into our lives! Of course, we couldn't get rid of everything (would have had to pay people to take some of the stuff off of our hands!), but what wasn't sold found a good home at a nearby goodwill.

What was more incredible than people actually buying some of the things they did was how much our friends chipped in to help. We could have never pulled this thing off without people like Andrea Tiballi, who coordinated the whole deal, and countless others who helped by dropping off their stuff to sell, pricing items, baking brownies, organizing tables, answering questions, hauling away the leftovers, cleaning up, etc.

We are unbelievably blessed to be a part of such a giving community. While our heads are spinning with all the details that need to be taken care of before we leave, our friends are faithfully walking beside us actually making sure those things get done.

So thanks to EVERYONE who helped out today. We are one step closer to Amsterdam because of you!

The Calm Before the Storm

20 days until we move across the Atlantic.

Our last 14 days will be insane.

But for now we get to hang out in sunny Florida with family. Throwing kids around in a warm pool. Playing wii (guitar hero, mario cart, etc.). Taking naps. Eating amazing meals. Staying up late with my sister & brother-in-law talking politics and messing with our facebook pages together.

I'm incredibly grateful not only that we get a week to relax and have fun, but also that I got a chance to see my sister & her fam before we leave. We usually only get to see each other twice a year, which isn't a lot, but I can't imagine being apart from them for at least the next two years.

So until Tuesday when we fly home to Columbus, I'm just going to pretend that we don't have to say our goodbyes...

We're going to soak this up, because we have a load to do when we get home.

The Final Weeks

We are starting to feel the crunch now. (As if we weren't before!) We have had several of you asking what you can do to help, so we wanted to post some of our needs for these last weeks. If you feel you can help, just email us at NashAmsterdam@gmail.com. Here are some of our needs:

• Someone to detail the inside of our car that we're selling to our dear friend Sara Carlisle! We want it in sweet condition for her.
• People to help with our garage sale, sorting, pricing, selling on the day and hauling the stuff we don't sell to Goodwill. (Sorting and pricing on Friday the 19th and the garage sale on Saturday the 20th.)
• Someone to pick up books to sell at Half-Price Books
• Someone to pick up nice clothes to sell at a resale shop
• People to help us clean the house on Friday the 26th and finish moving stuff to storage. Someone with a truck would rock!
• We need someone to help install baseboard heating in our two back rooms and update the electric box to handle it.
  

Our prayer sendoff is Sunday September 28th at 4pm. Come out to the church to pray for us. We need all your prayers now as we rush to our launch!

Everything Must Go!!!

It doesn't seem like too long ago that Brooke was selling her stuff on craigslist and getting organized to move across the Atlantic. Now she's already getting settled in Amsterdam, and we are the ones selling our stuff and getting organized to move. Time flies.

We've already sold a lot of our furniture (couches, tv stand, computer desk, etc.). I'm personally amazed at how easy craigslist works. This was my first time using the website, and I was a bit skeptical...but it works like a charm.

We have a lot of other things that we need to sell - we're going to have a big yard sale next month - but I thought it would be cool to give you, our faithful blog readers, first dibs on some of the items. Below is a list of what we're selling. If you're interested, email us; I'll even send you a picture if you'd like! First come, first serve.

Carpet from Pier One $80 (originally $300 - 3 years old in great shape!)
2 newer lamps $10 a piece
Bedroom Suite $150 for the set (2 dressers & 1 bedside table - from the 50s solid wood art deco style)
Kitchen Cabinet $25
Microwave $25
Toaster oven $10
Blender (w/ food processor) $50
Coffee Maker $50 (carafe holds 12 cups)
2 small book shelves $10 a piece
Crock pot $20
Bed head board $20
Shredder $10

Some of these items we need to keep for a little bit longer, so we'll hold them for you if you're interested.

Happy shopping!

The Pershing Camp Picnic

Well, we just got back from another amazing annual Pershing Camp Picnic. Every year, since I (Amanda) was a kid, I've gone to this little rustic cabin in northeast Pennsylvania with all my family. When I was a kid, I'd spend my time jumping in the creek, catching crayfish (with my bare hands) and eating a LOT of candy. Now I don't jump in the creek, and I think I've turned into a total wimp cause I can't seem to catch a crayfish anymore, but I still ate a LOT of candy!

My family is a total blast. It has been amazing to go from being one of the little kids waiting for Grandma Ruth to bring the water guns to being one of the "grown ups". Now a new generation has arrived and it was such a sweet thing to see them enjoying the fun of the Camp Picnic with the amazement that I once had. Every year is so packed with precious moments. This year did not disappoint...we had lots of stories, crazy loud songs till 4am, 12 year olds learning to chop wood, Nancy's homemade whoopie pies, one great walk, 3 new babies, totally illegal fireworks, and I think we burned an entire cord of wood with our blazing campfire!

Best of all, I got to say goodbye to some of my dear family who are all wishing us well on our way to Amsterdam. I know it is a rare thing to stay connected with such extended family. I thank God for it. I can't wait to come back in two years and hopefully bring a few good stories to tell round the fire! Here's a few pictures to paint the picture. Enjoy.