Packing Up and Saying Goodbye

We were literally surrounded by boxes for three days. The packers that came were amazingly efficient and professional, and they stress a whole lot less about what goes in each box. They just fit in stuff from each room without any emotional debate about whether it should go there or be thrown out. We told them what went to storage and what was for the apartment, and they went to town! Unpacking was actually simple, too, because they'd done such a good job. And 2/3 of it went to storage....




This is the time you ask yourself, over and over, how much STUFF does one family need? John kept saying, "Throw it out, unless you're going to make me buy it again."


When this rig pulled up, I couldn't believe it was all for us! Well, it wasn't, we filled about 2/3 of it. Our ENTIRE house fit in 2/3 of this truck. How crazy is that?
Then another company came to pick up our car. It went on a car carrier. They delivered it one week after we got to Texas. I was so glad to see it! A car truly represents freedom, even if it looks crappy, like mine does.

After all the stuff had been packed, I had cleaned the house (with Beth's help, of course) and the new owners had come by, John picked up the kids to go to the hotel while I went out one last time with my fabulous girlfriends. Luckily, they weren't all mopey and stuff! I love each of you, and am so grateful to have had you influence my life for good. I will miss you terribly.

The next morning before we pulled out for good, we went home and picked up the last of our stuff. We found three little cameras on the porch and assumed they were for the kids for our trip. I don't know who left them, but THANK YOU! They had a great time deciding what to shoot, and it kept them busy for a while. Then we drove around the neighborhood to say goodbye one last time. SO SAD!