First Leg

Well, what a week!  The largest Uhaul didn't hold all of our belongings even after we made numerous trips to Goodwill and a few garage sales! Soooo, we had to rent a trailer to pull behind the Uhaul and ask our friend Heide to drive the new car.  I knew this would be a challenging task (packing, loading, cleaning, driving, etc.) but wow ... what a 24/7 job.  What I didn't consider was the emotional toll this would have at the same time we packed. For the past several weeks, we've been blessed with friends and loved ones visiting and saying goodbye.  Yesterday and this morning were especially difficult as we said goodbye to our good friends the Hamiltons and our neighbors, the Roccofortes and the Yorks.  I suppose we hadn't allowed ourselves to "go there" emotionally and it suddenly rushed us as we packed and rolled out these past two days.  We will miss so many people we've come to know and love these past 16 years.  Since we left Lake Charles and were "all alone" as we moved to Conroe 16 years ago, we felt prepared for the "break" from Conroe, but wow ... we really weren't.    Al and Holly York (neighbors) had us over for lunch yesterday (a welcomed break from loading) and gave us the sweetest gift ... a photo album with comments on the side that included events from our cul-de-sac for the past 10 years we've lived there.  What a treasure.  That started the emotional ride ... and I'm so glad it did. Tears are therapeutic and necessary sometimes!
Today's trip was successful. Traveling with three vehicles in a caravan with me in the lead with the GPS and pulling the camper, Jeff and his co-pilot, Thomas in the largest Uhaul pulling the largest trailer the offer, and Heide driving the Rav pulling up the rear turned out to be successful. We purchased walkie talkies at Walmart yesterday ... 4 so everyone could have one ... and our copilot kept us up-to-date (and entertained) the entire trip.  I think Heide was happy to have a "volume" button on it to tune it out occasionally. We were assigned "code names" by copilot, Thomas ... Daddy Bird (Jeff), Mama Bird (Sarah), Little Chick (Thomas), and Rubber Ducky (Heide).  Comical.
Well, time to order dinner at the local diner. We have to do takeout because we don't have a vehicle that holds more than 1 person ... except the Uhaul holds two, but who wants to drive up in that!!

Onward!

Sarah
Well, I will sign off and go swim in the fancy "Super 8" motel pool now. An interesting, aged, yet clean, stay for the evening.