Moving back to GA

In May of 2012 we concluded our Maryland adventure and headed back down south to our house in GA. Mike had already been in GA for two months working, so he came up for a long weekend to help load the truck and drive it home. We were supposed to have everything ready to go so when he arrived Friday we could load the van, empty the storage shed, clean the apartment, and drive away by Saturday night. We had thrown away all of our moving boxes form our move to MD so I was really starting from scratch, but managed through a few facebook pleas, to gather enough cast off boxes and packing supplies that I never had to dumpster dive behind Walmart or buy boxes.

Looking back I really have no idea how I managed to do all of that packing and getting ready to go by myself. Actually, I do know. I didn't do it by myself. I spent a lot of late nights sorting and throwing things away and filling boxes. The kids a long playdate with Aunt Jessie and Carson one day so I could clear out the storage shed, organize it all, and repack it to make room for lots of future loads. Lauri, Tammy, Mel, and Megan came and spent a long Saturday helping pack up the kids' room and most of the upstairs closets, then drove every packed box and tote to the storage shed before my kids could unpack it, where Matt unloaded the cars and filled up our little unit. A few days later the girls had a long playdate with Kim Farrow and her kids while I worked on finishing the upstairs. Our ward family, who could have just said goodbye on Sunday and then forgot about us, brought meals and babysat. We got to spend a fun evening with the Wilhelms to say goodbye and have one last day of fun. And the Tuesday before Mike came two friends, Sharon and Letty, came over and spent an entire day packing up the last of the kitchen and living room stuff while the girls spent the  day with Aunt Jessie and Carson. Just as my helpers were leaving Nana, Julie, Uncle Don, Aunt Jenni, and Zach and Syra came for one last visit and to say goodbye.

Mike arrived Thursday and got to work early Friday loading the truck, despite little helpers running around and having some other family problems to deal with right in the middle of it. Friday afternoon I picked up the kids from school (what a tear-filled hour that was! We really loved that school!) and we went to a hotel to play and stay out of the way while Mike worked with the missionaries to load everything from the apartment, then two friends from the ward came and they went and loaded everything from storage. Saturday Tammy and Wayne came and played with the kids at the hotel while Mike and I finished up at the apartment loading the last things and cleaning carpets. Then they helped us with the last clean up and emptying closets and getting things ready to go.

I am so grateful to everyone who managed to take time out of their busy schedules to help us pack and move. It was hard but we are happy to be together as a family again! We of course miss all of our family that we left behind. Thankfully, modern technology can keep us in touch and we are really only a day's drive away when it is time to go visiting!

And of course, I have sworn off moving ever again. At least until the next assignment, where I will insist that Mike's employers pay for movers to come do the packing and loading!