I arrived home Friday afternoon, exhausted. Here’s why.
I flew out to Columbus Ohio last Thursday at 0600. That meant I had to drive to Kendra’s Wednesday afternoon, after a hard day trying to get the yard in shape for a week of inattention. Weeds don’t take a holiday, do they? So I arrived at Kendra’s to visit for a short time because she would be having a baby while I was gone. She said she would drive me to the SLC airport at 0400 because she couldn’t sleep anyway. (I am really glad I don’t have to deliver babies.) So I stayed at her house and I drove the Prius to the airport, she let me off, and Kendra drove back to her house.
The day of flying was not particularly stressful, but flying is always stressful. Emily picked me up at the Columbus airport and I went to their place to help get things ready to move to Lehi Utah. Keep in mind that Gaye and I were just out there in May to help the kids move from Athens Ohio to Columbus. They were not planning on another move so soon, but so much for plans. I took the trampoline apart, Grant helped me take the bunk beds apart (the boys thought it was a treat that they would be sleeping on the floor), and I was ready to crash into bed. Friday was more of the same. The truck would be ready to load on Saturday morning.
Spencer and I picked up the truck on Saturday morning. I thought it looked a little smaller than the one that I drove from Athens, but we drove it back to the house. Emily took the boys to a friend’s house to play while we loaded the truck. She was gone from their house about 2 minutes when we got a phone call that Grant had broken his arm. He was trying to imitate the Olympic gymnasts on the bar and fell off. So Spence spent the whole day Saturday getting Grant’s arm set and cast. It was really a nasty break, but did not not require surgery, at least for the present. Meanwhile, Emily noticed that this was not the truck she had ordered, so she worked all day on getting the proper truck. People who were going to help showed up and we had to turn them away. Finally Penske said the truck would be ready on Sunday afternoon.
Everything was already packed up except the big beds, so we slept on those beds one more night. Sunday Spence and Henry and I went to church and then drove over to pick up the truck and go home and get started loading. We were just getting started when the whole priesthood body of the ward showed up in their white shirts and loaded the truck. It was done in just over an hour. What a blessing! We would probably still be out there loading if they had not come along. Loading a moving van on Sunday is not a usual activity, but this needed to be done and everybody pitched in. We were able to get on our way and drove to the Indiana border to stop for the night.
We live in a vast country. Every time I fly over it I marvel at how big it is. But driving brings it into greater focus. Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, MIssouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, and Utah were the states we drove through. Going at 60 mph allows the vastness to really sink in. I was usually driving the van with Emily and Sam and Penny, the dog, in the morning while Spencer took the boys in the truck. Then we would switch and I would take Penny in the truck. We would drive until Sam couldn’t take any more and stop for the night. All of us fit quite cozily into one motel room with two beds. Grant and Henry enjoyed the adventure of camping on the floor, Sam would sleep in his portable unit, and the adults would take up the beds. Then we would be up, eat breakfast, and be on our way. We arrived in Lehi on Thursday afternoon, found the house they will be living in, and started to unload. A couple of neighbors stopped by to assist and Emily’s brother Mason, Jeremy, and Tom came by. It was all off the truck, the beds were put together, and we settled in for the night. I don’t think I have ever felt that tired. Friday I arrived home in Twin Falls.
So what did I learn? This is a huge country with vast natural resources. Driving takes time. There is not much advantage in driving faster than the legal limit. You might get there a few minutes earlier but then you just have to wait for everybody else. Riding with a small dog is not so bad. She just stretched out on the truck bench seat and slept. Rest stops are good ideas. Kids make the trip more challenging. People are thankful when we help each other. The portobello mushroom melt sandwich I had at the vegetarian cafe in Laramie was actually quite tasty. My own bed is the most comfortable.
Meanwhile, Gaye has been busy with new granddaughters. Kendra and Ryan now have a lovely little daughter named Alyssa, born Monday, and Ashlee and Trevor have a lovely little daughter named Aniston, born Thursday. Girls are a minority among our grand children, but we are happy for either kind. That they are whole and healthy is a great blessing. Is there any greater wonder than the miracle of children? I can’t think of any.
This has turned out to be too long. Sorry. I need to write more often and shorter. No photos, either. I will work on that next time.
That’s all for now.
