Massachusetts, here we come!

It has been such a loooong road, and we are ALMOST at the finish line.

August... Craig accepted a job in Boston.

August... We took the kids to visit Massachusetts, their first time, and saw many houses with our realtor during our weekend there.

September... the kids began school, knowing there would be another "first day of school" once we moved.

November... Craig began working in Boston, living at a corporate apartment.  He often could not come home to visit on weekends, because he and our realtor were out looking at houses.

The kids missed their Daddy terribly.

I missed my husband terribly.

He missed all 3 of us terribly.

It has been a looooong 3 months.

But here we are.  February 2012.  The movers loaded up that gynormous moving van.  They drove away with all our worldly possessions.  And of course for me, Sentimental Suzy, it is not the material possessions that would matter if somehow lost on that truck, it is instead all the precious irreplaceable memory items.  I am taking with me in my hands the family home movies.  Craig had to convince me to allow the moving van to carry every other precious items of baby and wedding and family importance.

Saying my own goodbyes at their school was even more emotional than I had expected. Hugs and well wishes from teachers, principal and children... so hard.  This self-portrait of myself from that day sums it up: I look tired but relieved that we all have survived this long wait, and that we are final able to march forward into this new adventure, all 4 of us, together. 

The house is empty.  It is the morning we are going to drive away.  My girlfriend had told me weeks ago that she could not imagine the moment of us having to drive away from our home.  We moved here when Aidan was 2 1/2 years old, when Ashley was 8 months old.  This is the only house they remember.  They've seen photos of our previous house, the house which welcomed them home from the hospital after birth.

It was awful for my heart as their mother to witness their reaction when we told them in August, as gently as possible, that we were going to move.  To another home.  To another state.  To a state they had never been to before.  Away from all they have ever known. Goodbye to school, teachers, friends, church, activities.

Although it has seemed way too long of a wait from August until now to get this move and change over with, in the last few days I have realized it may have had a benefit.  It has given the children, and the adults, a long time to get used to the idea, to say goodbye, to begin letting go.

Ouch, letting go.  One of my least favorite phrases on planet Earth.  And yes, I know it is also one of the most important actions we must learn as humans beings.  But still... ouch.

Here we go.  2 cars, 2 adults, 2 kids and 2 dogs.

I'll see you in Massachusetts.