Camping out

It is Saturday morning. The second PODS container left early, and we are camping out in this empty house. It is kind of fun and relaxing. We found a few things we forgot to put in the container, one of which was my closet drawers. But then I realized that we can set them in the back of the van and put all the kids' clothes in them. When we get to the hotel each night, I will just pull out a set of clothes for each kid, and we won't have to take everything in.

We were up until well past midnight on Friday, packing and loading up the "last little bit of random stuff". Stu was right when he said that the last bit accounts for 10% of your move. I didn't know if he meant 10% in amount of stuff or 10% in time, but I decided since that it is both. Getting curtains off the rods, taking shelves down from high walls, and taking the crib down in the wee hours did take a lot more time than we allotted. Finding the coat closet half full at 1:00am was not funny.

It is Sunday evening now. We are staying at the Residence Inn in Oxnard, northwest of L.A. Scott drove his car with Jerome and Kai, while I followed in the van with Asha and Quinn. The drive was easy. We had a light supper of veggies and yogurt, and the kids are now in bed.

Saying bye to people at church was sad. My friend, Kiersten made a bingo game for each kid with road signs and things they might see as we make our drive through California. She also gave me a gift card to Borders towards my next book purchase. Sarah, our baby sitter, gave Asha a neckless that has a jeweled up letter "A". Sister Pierce, our dentist and Jerome's former primary teacher, gave us a big set of wooden blocks because she saw how much our kids liked them when we were at her house for Thanksgiving. Swan, my visiting teaching companion of two and a half years, sat with me in the mother's room during Sunday school and then held Quinn during Relief Society one last time. I had to say bye to Pam and Melissa, the two beautiful friends I visit taught many times. Sister Griffin, our primary president, followed us to the car to tell us how much she appreciated Scott in senior primary and how much Jerome and Asha will be missed. And then there are Julene and Kristen, my faithful visiting teachers, who had been there for me through three moves, Kai's accident, and Quinn's birth. I will never forget the many dinners, treats, and gifts they brought, and the laughs and tears we shared. Scott and I feel we are better people because of the example and love of these people.

We are driving up to Monteray tomorrow, and then take the kids to the aquarium there on Tuesday.