The Big Move

On Friday I drove the kids down to Austin (6 hours round trip). The kids were spending the weekend with Sam's brother and sister-in-law.  When I got back in town, I helped Alycia finish cleaning her house while Sam and Nick finished packing up the moving trucks.  We didn't get to bed until after 1am. 
We were out the door at 7am to drive to Stillwater.  Nick drove a moving truck, Sam drove a moving truck, Danny (a friend) drove Nick's car, Alycia drove their van, and I drove our car so Danny, Sam and I could get back home.  (3.5 hours there).  Alycia and I arrived first because the moving trucks aren't as fast.  Several people from their new ward met us there and got their trucks unloaded in no time at all.  Alycia and I worked on the kitchen.   We ate and early dinner at Eskimo Joe's.  Michelle told me that it is famous, so I figured that we had to try it out.  We left around 5pm expecting to be home a little before 9pm.  I did really good at not crying in front of Alycia.  It is still hard to believe that she isn't a mile away anymore. 
Sam realized he had the moving truck keys in his pocket about 15 minutes into the trip, so we had to turn around.  Then we made it to Edmond, OK which was about 30 minutes away before being stuck in the worst traffic jam I have ever been in.  There was a grass fire that was crossed over I-35.  They had to close down a mile of the highway.  We spent three hours on about 1 mile of road.  We made in home at midnight.  (7 hours to get home).
I didn't wake up until 10am this morning.  Sam and I finished emptying out the Nelson's garage and then headed to Austin to pick up the kids.  We spend a few hours visiting before heading home.  A big thank you to Christian and Tera for watching our kids all weekend.  It made us helping Alycia and Nick a lot easier.  A big thank you to our nephew, Bennett, for helping with cousins who adore him to the point of being annoying.  (6 hours round trip).
Total time in the car this weekend = 22.5 hours

I have held in my tears all weekend but now they are running freely.  I feel so blessed to have had Alycia so close for the five years we have lived here.  I am sure the Nelsons are the reason why we love it here so much.  (Why else would we put up with this heat.)  Texas will not be same without them.  Alycia has been my best friend for as long as I can remember.  We slept in the same bed for 16 years and she has been there through every one of my joys and trials.  When I left for college she cried hysterically, now I am doing the same.  I keep telling myself that 3.5 hours isn't that far but I already miss her so much.   

Alycia when we first arrived at her new house.

All sweaty after unloading two moving trucks.

Eskimo Joe's

Sitting at the bar because we didn't want to weight an hour to be seated.

Smoke from the grass fire.

Gavin and Renée with their cousin Bennett, who they idolize.