Our Last Week in Kansas, Part II

Drew arrived back in Kansas at lunchtime on Thursday, March 28 and we hit the ground running.

Immediately, we headed out the door to pick up the Penske truck.  From there, we went straight to our realtor's office for our portion of the paperwork and to hand over a check that made my stomach turn.  I never would have dreamt that selling our house would cost us money.  And a damn lot of it.  By the time we got back to the house Drew's parents were just pulling in and we got right to work.

Jack & I had everything packed, labeled and ready to go.

I was so grateful for Skip, Deb, Cortney, Austin and Kate who were an enormous help.  From hauling boxes and furniture, loading the truck, picking up Jack from school, watching over the kiddos and cleaning the house I'm pretty sure we'd still be moving if not for their help.

A few hours later the real muscle showed up in the form of a couple of guys from Go Loading. 

These dudes rocked.  Seriously.  There's no way all of our stuff would have fit on the track without them.  They were total pros and worth every penny they cost times ten.  By the time we were done, everything was on the truck and there wasn't an inch to spare.

We spent our last night at our home in Lawrence eating pizza with our hands on the kitchen floor and sleeping on an air mattress.

Friday morning we tossed the last of our things into Drew's truck and said goodbye.

As I think back on it now, it probably should have been a little more emotional than it was.  It was a great house.  We brought our baby home to that house.  We hosted countless family events in that house.  But honestly, it was just that.  A house.  Perhaps spending the last few months apart made it easier.  A house is just a house without the people you love.  Or maybe it was the fact that we are all so excited about the future that awaits us.  Mostly, it was probably just exhaustion.  It was time to go.

Drew and Jackson drive the Penske.  Ruby & I drove Drew's truck.  Our car remains in Lawrence until the end of the month when I go back for a work visit.

As planned, we made it as far as Colby, KS on Friday night.  We had to time our arrival in Castle Rock for mid-day due to restrictions on moving truck access to the village where Mom & Dad live.  But perhaps more importantly, the Jayhawks were playing in the Sweet Sixteen that evening and we wanted to catch the game.

Unfortunately, despite having complete control the entire game, we fell to Michigan in the final minutes.  Saturday morning we licked our wounds from the stinging defeat and hit the road again. 
Before long, Kansas was in our rear view mirror.

Fortunately, we had lots of help on the Colorado side of our move as well.  Mom, Dad, Nikki and 2 guys that work with Drew were ready and waiting for our arrival.  And once again, we hauled boxes and moved furniture until every last thing we own was off the truck.

I don't remember a time in my life when I've been so exhausted.  Physically exhausted, of course, but also emotionally exhausted.  This journey we started in November had finally come full circle.  Sure, we weren't done yet - Jack still needed a school, I needed to get set up to work from home, and we need to find a house of our own - but we are together. 

And that's enough for me.