The Big Move

After closing on June 25 and spending three-four weeks painting, waiting for carpet, more painting, furniture delivery, and replacement of the breaker box. After sleeping in Megan's old Jenny Lind double bed and having stacks of clothes on the floor of the spare bedroom.  After eating lots of fast food lunches and going out to eat often in the evenings.  Finally....The Big Stuff Move Day came.

Last Saturday, July 28, was the day.  It just kind of happened, too.  It wasn't planned as the target date when we closed on the house.  It was just that finally the list of everything that needed to be done before we moved the big stuff was getting smaller and the truck, trailer, and people were available, so we did it.

The weather was perfect.  We started around 9.  By noon we were on our way.

Gary in Blaine's truck with the trailer loaded.

Clay with his truck loaded pulling the enclosed trailer loaded. One of the CP baseball players, Cody I think, rode with him.

Amanda driving the Ford Ranger, loaded.

Caleb driving the Winning Edge van, loaded.

Matt driving his SUV, loaded, along with one of the CP baseball players, Landon, I think.

Me in the white Escape, loaded.

The gray Escape was loaded and in the drive at the new house, waiting to be unloaded of the drawers that it held.

Megan, Cooper, and Lynnlee were at the new house with supplies and food.

Karen arrived at the new house with lunch and dinner for everyone.

Hilary and the kids were at the new house, waiting for us to arrive.

Blaine was at work.

Finally everything was in the house.

Karen and Megan arranged the living room furniture.

Karen and I moved the sunroom chairs to the front porch.

Amanda and I arranged the master bedroom and made the bed so we could sleep in it.

Later Clay mowed the yard and Karen grilled brats for Gary's birthday dinner.

After everyone left, our new house had our furniture in it and it began to look more like our home.

The garage still has boxes but it isn't FULL of boxes and it seems manageable to unpack.

The sewing room needs to be organized and there may be some movement of a desk from there to one of the bedrooms.

Slowly everything will be in its right place and all of the boxes and tubs will disappear.

Did I cry when we left the house on Saturday?  Yes.  I was sobbing between our drive and past Ezra's house.  But after that I was fine.  I like our new house. I like the new colors.  I like the new carpet and the new furniture.

I like having a bathroom next to the bedroom.

I like having a garage that we will be able to use as a garage.

I like having storage in the garage and in the basement for things that seemed to crowd into the laundry room and the sunroom.

I like having a dishwasher.

I like the island in the kitchen and sitting there on stools to enjoy breakfast with Gary.

I like the dining room table sitting in a spot where all six chairs can be placed around the table and used when the kids are there.

I like having more cabinet space in the kitchen.

I like having two bathrooms.

I like being closer to Hilary and Blaine and the kids.

I like being closer to Megan and Matt and the kids.

I like being closer to Lafayette - we went to Bob Evans for Gary's birthday breakfast and did some shopping and went back later to Culvers for dinner and ice cream and stopped at Meijer.  It didn't take an hour's drive each way to do it either!

I have stopped a couple of times and have asked Gary if we did the right thing.  And he always says yes.  I know we did.  I know it was time for a change.  I know we will be happy in the new house.  Even though we had to leave behind lots of memories, those memories will always stay with us.

A new house!  So exciting!!

What Happened to July?

Working on the new house is what happened!

After we closed on June 25, the work began.

In the last three weeks this has happened:

--the living room was painted

--the master bedroom was painted

--the master bathroom was painted - twice!

--the hallways and stair cases were painted

--the family room was painted

--wallpaper was removed in the kitchen and dining room

--the walls in the dining room were painted - two colors

--the shadowbox and the backsplash area were painted

--carpet was laid in the master bedroom

--carpets were cleaned in the other two bedrooms and the master bathroom

--carpet was laid in the living room, family room, sewing room, hallway, and on the staircases

--a chair rail to match the wood in the dining room was added to separate the two colors on the walls

--wood laminate was installed at the front door entrance and on the strip between the garage door and the dining room/kitchen, and transitions were added to smooth the area between the laminate and the carpeting

--a new dryer was delivered and installed

--a new range was delivered and installed (but is ready to move to its permanent location after the pantry is delivered)

--the bed from Megan's room was moved into one of the spare bedrooms

--all of the kitchen things were moved and put into the cabinets and drawers (with new shelf paper!)

--bathroom supplies were moved into the two bathrooms (with new shelf paper!)

--sheets were moved, washed, and stored in the linen closet (with new shelf paper!)

--big pieces of furniture have been emptied and contents boxed and moved to await th arrival of the big stuff on Saturday

--the shadowbox items were moved to their new homes

--the orange chair and the rocker have new homes in the living room and family room

--the wicker chairs from the sunroom are in the family room so we can sit on them and watch tv

--the table and chairs from the sunroom have been in the dining room so that we can sit and eat

--the big island and the small island are perfect for the kitchen!

--curtains are hanging at the front window and at the sliding doors in the living room

---valances are hanging at the dining room and kitchen windows

The new house is beginning to feel more like home!