The Big Move

I hate moving. That is the nicest way I could think of to say that.

This was definitely our most difficult move...not as in a move I didn't want to make, but just as in the logistics of it. Our moves have definitely been progressively more difficult.

Our first move, from Dunbar, WI, to West Des Moines, IA, was about as simple as can be. I put all our belongings into boxes; we rented a great big Penske; Jordan and a couple other guys loaded it all up; we drove 6 hours to Cedar Rapids (blew a tire out on the trailer - that was exciting!); spent a night with Jordan's family; drove 2 hours to WDM; unloaded (with help from JaJu, Jordan's cousin Tyson, and Jordan's fam); and that was all there was to it.

The second move was pretty simple too. We moved from our apartment in WDM to our house in Clive, about 5 minutes away. The worst thing about that move was the time I spent cleaning the apartment only to have them haggle with us over the deposit anyway. Never again will I bust my whatcha-ma-call-it cleaning a rental! :P

Move number three (from Clive, IA, to Aubrey, TX) was where we started to try to make it difficult for ourselves. Maybe we thought by this time moving was just too easy and we should try to make it more challenging. Add a still-nursing 1-yr-old into the mix, a 3-week space of time for packing up, a small-ish trailer for holding all of our belongings, a 15-PLUS hour drive, and no home lined up (yet) to move into on the other end (we did have options, though, and were moved into a place within a couple days). This move was definitely not for the faint-of-heart! But at least Jordan wasn't working and we had my Mom & his Mom over at different times to help with packing and taking care of Serena. We sold and got rid of as much of our belongings as we possibly could in order to fit everything into our truck and trailer. It was a very tight squeeze! I swear Jordan became some sort of packing-wizard! ;)

But THIS move. This one topped them all! Again, we had 3 weeks to pack up. Now there were TWO babies and no grandparents. Plus, Jordan worked full days up until the day before we left. And we were showing the house to prospective tenants. And we had to pare down our belongings once again so that we could fit into a trailer about the size of a shoebox. Okay, that's a hyperbole. Sort of. ;) But it was definitely smaller than the one we moved down in, anyway. Somehow, it all worked out. All of our furniture once again sold on Craigslist. We got at least what we had paid for it, and in one case twice what we paid! :) The house got rented out. And Luke & Anna flew down to help out on Wednesday, June 22nd. Luke & Jordan worked their magic getting all of our stuff to fit and Anna braved an airplane ride with me & the babies!

By the last week before our move, things were looking pretty sparse. Up to that point, I was doing all the packing during Serena's naps or at night after she was in bed. But at the end, I was using every spare moment to fill boxes. Serena, ever my copy-cat, got a hold of one of my boxes and started throwing her books in it!

After packing up all her books, she climbed in and started to read!

Thankfully, Serena did not seem very affected by all of the packing up. She still took her naps and slept through the nights. When Luke & Anna showed up, she quickly attached herself to Anna and loved playing with her!

Serena thought the trailer was awesome! I love this picture!

We ate our last meal in Texas at a Mexican restaurant down the road. Oh, it was SO good!!!!

Serena couldn't get enough of the salsa! I had to stop her after she scraped her 4th bowl clean!!

On moving day (June 23rd), Jordan took Anna & the kids & I to the DFW airport so we could fly home. Then, he & Luke drove the vehicles up to IA, making one overnight stop. Anna & I somehow made it through the airport rigamarole with 2 babies, 2 carseats, 2 carry-ons, 2 purses, and a 'diaper bag.' Whew! Time for coffee! Then, time to nurse Bret before the plane ride! And finally, time to snap some pix!

The first picture is not that great, but it's got a story, so I'm posting it! See the lady in the background with her hand covering her face? Well, after I took this picture, she came over and insisted that I delete it because she was in it. (Obviously, I didn't; but there's no way anyone could possibly recognize her, anyway! Right?) Then, she went back to the same seat, covered her head with her arms as if protecting herself from shrapnel and yelled, "Take another picture, take another picture!" I was so bewildered by her posture and confused by her accent, that I didn't figure out what she was saying until she came back up to me insisting to see the picture I had taken. I admitted that I hadn't taken one and told her that I was done taking pictures. It was all SO bizarre! ???

Serena and the weird lady

Trying to stay busy at the airport

Bret stretching out in preparation for the 2-hour flight

Aboard our teeny-tiny airplane! Serena was excited about sitting with Anna!

Bret fussed a bit at the beginning, and then slept for the entire flight! Yay!

We were met at our destination by Grandma & Anna. Serena ran toward Grandma and gave her a BIG hug, which was absolutely precious. I think we were all crying, haha!

The kids were exhausted and took naps. Later, Grandma & Pa came over for a little visit.

Bret & Pa hit it off really well!

Serena loves playing with Grandpa!

In the evening, we went to Anna's dress rehearsal for the play she is in. Serena loved watching the kids sing and dance!

Grandma & Serena

Anna's choreography

On Friday the 24th, Anna drove us down to join up with Luke & Jordan. Before we left, Serena got her head hit by the car door and I think she got a mild concussion. She fell asleep just a few minutes later. Then, we stopped at Old Navy in Marion and she threw up in the front of the store (poor Anna was holding her at the time!). When we got back in the car, she fell asleep right away again. She didn't show any other symptoms, though, and seemed fine when she woke up later. She was extra clingy and sad for the rest of the afternoon/evening, though. :(