Tuesday, Day of Travel, Destination - Memphis

Waking up this morning to a house full of boxes and empty rolls of packing tape really put things in perspective. The movers showed up at 8:30am and began to load the moving truck. This was no ordinary moving truck, oh no, this was a tractor trailer too large to really fit into the neighborhood, but they managed.
We did little things throughout the day, cleaned up, packed up little things, walked the dogs, and just …waited. We couldn't’t leave until they were done loading the truck. As I would go from room to room, I’d think of random memories and laugh, or tear up. I absolutely love this house. This house is our first home for both of us. The first home we purchased, put love into, painted, entertained in and created so many memories, even in just a year. Soooo much happens in a year. As I walked around the house with the dogs I remember just five months ago, we had our rehearsal dinner held here in our own backyard. And due to the craziness of Pennsylvania weather – Jenn, Hope and Amanda managed to make the rehearsal happen in the small confinements of my garage. I kept thinking how great to felt to have everyone here in PA for the wedding, here in our home, in our backyard – I cried thinking of how blessed we truly are and how thankful I am for our friends who have done so much for us, and how our lives have been transformed because we had moved to Pittsburgh. I will always be so grateful for the move to Pittsburgh and for the relationships made.
I missed work today, I mean; I got up early, got dressed and did my make up, but I didn’t get to see my people. It’s Tuesday ~ the day I’d see Nancy. This made me sad. I know Trisha is there taking care of everyone so I feel that all is in good hands. I’m going to miss seeing their faces – the welcoming smile of Denise, the heartwarming smile of Trisha, the comforting smile of Nancy, and the curious smile from LG.
Right before dark, the movers were about done and packing up the last few things and cleaning up their mess and the Clark Family and Hope show up! Jenn, Ryan, Hope and the kids have been huge blessings to our family. You don’t meet friends like that every day and I find myself coming to tears again thinking of how much I’m going to miss them.
After the Clark’s left, the movers left, I went to each room… slid my hand across each wall, thought of all the memories made in each room, and in the entire house and cried until my cheeks hurt. Ally says to me, “Mommy, why are you sad? Don’t you want to live with Daddy and me in Memphis? You don’t want to live here alone do you?” I had to chuckle at the cuteness of the question. The room that brought me to a sob was the guest room. We found my mom’s deodorant, from when she stayed here for the wedding, during the move, which reminded me…. We got to have my grandma, my mom, my sister, my nephew and all my bridesmaids (my bestest girlfriends) & Adam stay with Ally & I the week/weekend of the wedding. Ally had her mom, grandma and great grandma all in one house for at least a week together. How awesome is that?!  I remember when Daleena came and drew all the letters in Ally’s playroom and helped paint them on her wall. I remember staying up till 1am talking to Nancy on the phone hand painting green circles on Ally’s bedroom’s ceiling. I remember one random Saturday afternoon; I was bored so I decided to paint to living room wall – with a color I had found in the garage… plum purple. I’ve been so in love with that wall ever since.
After wiping my tears away and collecting myself, I rolled the trash to the sidewalk for the very last time, took a look around the neighborhood one last time and loaded everyone up in the jeep. Just so you understand what kind of travel this is… I have a 07 Jeep Cherokee, I LOVE it. It’s roomy, great ride, good on gas for an SUV, great storage area etc. We are taking… a huge box of the items the movers would not pack – cleaning products ie: soaps, cleaners, sprays aerosols, lighters, batteries, propane tank, champagne, guns, ammo, hair spray, nail polish remover, drano, Insect killer, WD40, etc etc….. a laundry basket full of towels, washcloths, a shower curtain, wipes, makeup caboodle, laptop, dog bowls, dishes, cat dishes, animal food containers, blankets, sleeping bags, air mattresses, a Gerber daisy plant, a large suitcase for all of our clothes, a smaller suitcase for all our toiletries, lotions and bath items. A large bag of showering/bathing items, etc. Pillows, the cat and the cat carrier, and movies, and a few random items and that’s just in the back. In the backseat we have Ally in her car seat and the dogs…. Nadia and our newest member Toshi. He is a German shepherd and not small. So, needless to say – it’s a tight ride. The trip for a single person with no stops straight through would be 14 hours. Considering we have 2 dogs, a 4 year old and 2 adult bladders, we factor in several ‘leg stretching, pee’ breaks as well as ‘get the hell out of the vehicle’ breaks.
After 40 minutes of driving Patrick is almost asleep at the wheel, so after one of our ‘pee’ breaks, we switch drivers. All the animals were asleep and the kid was knocked out cold. After 5 miles it was like driving alone. My driving mood is totally controlled by what I am listening to, or what I’m around. My environment completely controls my mood. There, I said it. Ok, so Patrick awakens for a moment to help set up the ipod and we put it on my ROAD TRIP playlist. For those of you, who know me; understand that the list will never make sense, no matter how it’s categorized. I am a nervous night driver. 1. I can’t see a damn thing once the lights go out. 2. I hate driving near, behind, in front of our around big trucks. 3. I hate two lane highways that don’t warn you that you are about to turn at 65 MPH. 4. I hate that I can’t see an exit sign, road sign, or COLUMBUS 41 Miles sign until I get to it. So, I use music as my tools to overcome these things. Well, just number 2 anyway. If I listen to Sublime while driving or anything with a guitar, I am fearless when driving around big trucks. Ok, now mind you, I still grip the wheel so hard my knuckles turn white and ,my hands sweat like a pig, but I don’t notice it till later. ;) I’ve become awesome at passing big trucks. Tonight I’d just sing at the top of my lungs and I’d fly right by them, however, then a #3 would happen and my heart would flip over upside down and I’m thankful everyone was asleep so they can’t hear the dirty word that may or may not have fallen out of my mouth.
We are now in Columbus, Ohio. I brutally dislike Ohio. We are staying the night in an Econo Lodge. It was by choice, however this choice was made based on three reasons… we have 3 animals, Starbucks is across the street, and they have access from the parking lot (not of that stair climbing crap). Well, for starters… I won’t let any of us take our socks off. We are using our own pillows, Not sure if I’m going to shower and if I do, I will definitely be taking one in my flip flops. The tv remote doesn’t work and the tv shuts off when it feels like it. Apparently it just has about enough of being on. The lamp doesn’t work… in any of the outlets. The animals don’t seem to mind it – they get to sleep on pillows tonight. ;) Ally can’t wait to get to the new house that is all she can talk about, so we’re off to bed… LONG day of driving tomorrow. I believe tomorrow we’ll be stopping in Nashville to say hello. :)