There’s No Place Like Home

We’ve been in Kansas for two full days now and my heart is overflowing with gratitude for all the help we had getting here. This move required packing up everything we own and sending it to one of three places: a storage unit, a very generous friend’s basement, or squeezed into our car to bring with us for the summer.  This took a lot of time, brain power, and car loads and it never would have happened if Emily and I were the only ones at work.

Friday night (May 2) around 8 we decided that Saturday, not the following Wednesday, should be the day we move our furniture out of our apartment and into storage. Even with our super last minute, not even remotely convenient scheduled move, we had an army show up even knowing a piano was involved. Not only was our furniture moved out, but someone watched Emily, our dishes were washed, our oven cleaned, and an air mattress delivered so we wouldn’t have to sleep on the cement floor for our last week.  Emily really enjoyed the air mattress.

Andrew finished grading, submitted papers, and studied on Monday  and Tuesday so that Wednesday and Thursday he could stay home to help me pack. Two incredible women came both mornings to watch Emily and help us clean.  We would not have made much progress without their help.  We also planned a reward of frozen yogurt for completing our moving preparations ($5 to fill a 12oz cup with as much as you can at Red Mango during the month of May – highly recommend taking advantage of that deal!). Emily loved her banana slice in the sample cup and the spoon became the new favorite toy for the week.

Thursday night everything was out of our home except for what needed to fit into our car. We are so grateful to friends that had us over for dinner so we didn’t have to try and cook and clean up after ourselves yet again.  We also spent the last night without the air mattress because of our crazy schedule on Friday.  That made us appreciate the air mattress even more.

Friday morning Emily hung out on the tile floor a lot while we tried to get ourselves ready to head out.

She and Andrew also raced around the apartment on a rug. Yes, she has the coolest dad ever.  I am always amazed at the things he thinks up.

I found this picture on Andrew’s phone…Emily and what used to be our bedroom.

Andrew had to go to campus early in the morning to drop off paperwork and take his last final.  He got home around noon at the same time we had some serious last minute reinforcements show up.  Which was such a wonderful miracle because we had to be out at one and there was no way we were going to make it.  A friend came over to get some remaining items from our fridge and then stayed at watched Emily for us.  Another friend came by to pick something up and also stayed to help load our car.  We finished right at one and Andrew went to go get us some lunch at Subway while I fed Emily. He returned with a foot of sandwich AND a few bags of trail mix the bookstore near subway had been giving away for free.  Now this was manna from heaven – the plan was for me to go to the store to get food for our trip and I never had a moment to get away.  Heavenly Father just provided the perfect amount of food to get us through, and something much better than I would have paid for.

Also shout-out to Andrew for using every square inch of our car. Just enough space at the top to breath and see out the window.  During the process a few things had to stay behind (goodbye to the bumbo – we now are using her umbrella stroller as the high chair), and we stopped off at the storage unit on the way out of town to drop off the printer so it wasn’t on my lap for the nine hour drive.  Mental note for the trip home:

BUCKLE THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT BEFORE LOADING IT UP WITH HEAVY THINGS.  This will prevent the slightly annoying alarm from beeping every few minutes to alert the whole vehicle the passenger is not buckled.

Emily was a great traveler this trip. She slept for about an hour and a half and then was pretty content the remaining 3.5 hours.  It helps that we could feed her baby food while we drove and snack on puffs when she was hungry.

My view.

We made it to St. Louis around 6 CT for the best part of the trip, spending the night with the Snows.  I was born into the best family ever, and then I married into the best family ever! We enjoyed dinner, games, and chatting as well as a very comfortable bed to sleep in. The only sad part is we couldn’t stay very long.  After a quick breakfast we had to continue on our journey.

We are missing Evan and Tanner in these pictures, but it was great to see them too. Evan gave Emily one of his favorite new bears, which she loves.  Thanks for your wonderful gift Evan!

Emily meets Emily. Our Emily is still a little groggy.

As a side note, this family has been such an incredible example of faith and relying on each other and the Lord this past year.  Alison was diagnosed with Ewings Sarcoma a year ago and just a few weeks ago was deemed cancer free!  Their story can be read here. It was humbling to spend time in a home that has been filled with many angels, seen and unseen.

Back on the road, Emily continued to be a great road trip buddy. Honestly, we were amazed, but oh so glad!

We arrived at noon on Saturday at our new home in Kansas. Andrew quickly unloaded the car and around 1 was off for the day.  Emily and I found Walmart and did grocery shopping (apparently I was more tired than I realized because I planned five meals and forgot crucial ingredients for every one of them). This may just be the nicest town I’ve ever been to.  EVERYONE SMILED at us.  A man helped me price check a big box of baby wipes and then followed me back to my cart to place them in.  A lady helped me load all of my groceries onto the conveyor belt. The cashier helped me get all of my bags into the cart.  A man helped me put my cart away.  I was so grateful and all of the helping and smiles just brightened my day immensely.  I want to be more like the people here in Kansas.

Andrew didn’t get home until 12:30 am, which I guess it kind of normal.  So now we have some better expectations of how this summer going to be and can really jump in and enjoy.

Sunday we were able to skype with Elder Jackson and Elder Moose! Mother’s Day is the best when it means talking to our missionary brothers.

And as a final note, Emily has a little, sharp tooth peaking through her gums. The last three nights have gone like you think they would if something was cutting through your gums – who could sleep with that? Today it finally dawned on me to find the Tylenol, so fingers crossed that tonight will not involve crying stretches that last two hours.

And that is the end of our moving saga.