Moved.

Moving is so much more than a physical and logistical mess. It's done quite a number on my nerves and emotions, too; feeling disorganized, unsettled, cluttered, confused, everything out of place, too much crap, throw things away - no wait! let's buy new things, back to my hometown, missing the city, happy to be in the new house, yet sad to be away from the old house, too...

Yesterday was the big day - MOVING DAY. And it was a storming, raining, muddy, crappy day on top of that. The rain just kept pouring down, causing soggy boxes, soggy hair and clothes, and leaving a trail of muddy water all over my 1940's hardwood floors. But despite the terrible weather conditions, we were overwhelmed by generosity. In addition to our movers, we had numerous friends and family members who helped us throughout the day. We were so thankful to have all the extra hands and vehicles. Without our mothers, Bonnie and Karen, I would've sat in the kitchen floor, completely overwhelmed, staring at the disaster and doing absolutely nothing. When I didn't have a clue where to start, Bonnie jumped right in, rolled up her sleeves and took charge of the kitchen. When our new Craigslist refrigerator arrived full of mold, my mom and her OCD kicked into full gear and cleaned every last crack and crevass with bleach.

Sherri and Keith, Monika, Trevor and Mom loaded up their cars and drove all over Middle Tennesse in the rain. Ed fixed our leaking garbage disposal, Susan organized our pantry, Tommy broke down moving boxes…

People were pitching in wherever they could, and they were happy to do it. Ok, maybe they weren’t “happy” to do it, but they were there for us and they didn’t complain. That’s the kind of thing that fills my heart with happiness and makes me say, “Wow…life is good.”

Sean’s notes: Moving day was ridiculous. It was cold, wet and muddy, and if I were our friends I wouldn’t have helped us. The movers (Two Men & a Truck) were extremely helpful, and I won’t move without professional movers ever again. Today the house is still inside out, but at least I got the pilot light lit on the gas water heater, so that’s a small win. I love being right around the corner from Downtown [Franklin], and the neighborhood is a huge upgrade. Can’t wait to deck out the garage. By the way, does anybody know where our utensils are?

Things that make me happy today

Things that make me happy today:

1. We found renters! And not just any renters, but people that we trust and who we know will take care of the little yellow house. (does that mean I have to transfer this blog to them?) If you haven't heard, we move in to our new house in Franklin on March 14. Sean and I were beginning to worry that we'd have to pay for two houses. Then at the last minute, we found 3 eager tennants who were all ready to move in. Sean did a fantastic job of managing the online ads, and for 2 months he was dedicated to updating Craig's List on a DAILY (sometimes twice-daily) basis. For a while we thoguht that no one would ever be interested in moving into this place, and then all of a sudden it just came together. We had to turn 2 people away, and let me tell you...It's a bizarre feeling to be in charge of someone's future. I didn't much like it. It was kind of like firing someone (which, by the way, I've never had to do). Since Sean is the expert in that arena, I let him make the calls.

2. I have the best husband ever.

3. In just 2 weeks, I'll be free from having to hear those damn dogs barking outside my house.

4. My orchid is blooming again! I was able to keep it alive long enough to see new blooms. They are smaller than the original blooms, but hey -- I'll take them. This orchid was a gift from Tom & Ann (my New Jersey in-laws) from when I had my surgery almost a year ago. HA! Remember that? Those were some crazy times. I can't believe that giant 2 liter cyst was living inside me. Ewwwww....

5. I just had 3 cinnamon rolls for breakfast.

6. The sun is out in full force today and it's melting the snow.