The Drive

The title sounds like I mean "The Drive" in a bad way -- It was not bad! No kids and endless hours with nothing to worry about except our truck's gas mileage and what music we were going to listen to --Now that is awesome!

We headed out Monday morning and our goal was to make it to Nashville the first day.

My machine, I mean my husband, of course got us there easy peasy!

He was focused, yet relaxed and we covered a lot of ground every day.

We saw a lot of beautiful country that first day -- Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee.

It was so pretty and green and I enjoyed it so much. I kind of couldn't believe how much I really did enjoy it.

I have never been a fan of driving long distances, but it was so fun and the no kid factor definitely helped with that...I will let you know how I feel next summer when we're driving from Austin to Salt Lake with a 2 and 5 year old.

After arriving in Nashville and being treated so kindly by the southern folks and staying at a clean, decently priced motel, we were off again! 

This was me the ENTIRE drive. I didn't put a foot to the pedal the whole trip.

I love my machine, I mean my husband!

The second day our plan was to make it to Austin, but we couldn't pass up a chance to stay with the Handys in Dallas!

We got there in the early evening and ran around with Jamie as she took one kid here, one kid there -- it was chaos! But awesome, organized chaos. I love seeing moms do what they do best. She is an awesome mom and it was so fun to spend time with them and see where they live.

We spent a good portion of the evening watching Julianne's softball game and it was just a beautiful night! 

They invited us to stay over night and it was so wonderful to stay the the "Four Seasons!"

Jamie took these pictures of her home in Connecticut and I always loved them hung in her kitchen there, but I think I liked them better here! She is so creative.

After a late night of chatting and catching up, we got up bright and early to head to Austin for our exciting day of checking the city out and unpacking our stuff into a storage unit.

We got things all set up at the storage unit place and headed downtown to check out campus.

 I have to say -- We were impressed! Brian had been there to interview, but being back confirmed his excitement about his decision and it made me excited about the awesome school he will be attending.

It was hard to imagine life there, but we did and it's crazy that it will soon be a reality.

This plaque was on a statue of a family right outside the business building and I absolutely love it!

I hope this is a part of Brian's experience at UT.

After checking campus out, we headed downtown to use a gift card that Kathryn and Kyle Price got us before we left Connecticut.

Welcome to Hopdoddy's.

One of the best burger joints we have ever been to.

If you come visit us, we will take you there. We got a Nutella and chocolate pretzel shake and it was awesome.

After our delicious lunch, we were able to go to around with a Realtor and get a feel for the rental market and the types of properties that would be available for us. She is LDS and it was great to have her input on everything from communities to schools to wards.

And our final stop:

Unpacking! 

Thanks to this beautiful lady and her sister, we had three guys come that got the truck unloaded in an hour. Ashley (a wonderful friend from Connecticut) was so sweet to hook Hilary and I up, and it really made all the difference to have a contact down in Austin. She got us in touch with the realtor we went around with, let me dump my food in her fridge, got her husband and two others from their EQ to help us unpack, let us shower after our sweaty escapades unpacking, made us dinner and offered to let us stay the night. 

Seriously? How awesome is that? I met her once for about three minutes the Sunday before we came because she happened to be visiting CT, and here she is opening her home and offering her services to people she barely knows. I have a feeling Austin is going to be a good place.

We didn't end up staying the night with Hilary, but made some good progress towards home. Once the excitement of Austin wore off, we had a one track mind and it was to get to Utah! We were excited to the boys and our family and we were pros at sitting in the car, so we (by we, I mean Brian) pushed through and drove all day and made it near Farmington, NM.

Before we got out of Texas, we were able to have some AWESOME Texas BBQ.

We were filling up at a gas station that had this restaurant attached to it and I went in to use the bathroom and came out and asked if Brian wanted to stay and eat here instead of the Chik-fil-a we were looking for. He said no and headed in to use the bathroom, but the second he walked in the door he turned around and said, "Just kidding, we're staying. It smells delicious in there!" 

It was so fun to get cute pictures like these on our drive because it just reminded us what good care our kids were in and that we didn't need to rush.

As you can tell, Mr. Thad loved being with his cousins!

These were our views for the rest of the way home:

These were definitely the prettiest of them, but we loved seeing a part of the country that neither of us had driven through before. It also kept us on the road because there wasn't much to see or do along the way, which was fine with both of us as we were itchin' to see those boys of ours!

This was a fantastic drive we were able to take together and I am so glad we were able to do it because of the awesome family we have. We couldn't have done it without them!

Goodbye Connecticut

Saying goodbye to Connecticut was one of the hardest things for me to date. Things got really busy really quick after Grandma Cindy and Grandpa Kent left, so I couldn't think about the leaving part too much, but every now and then I would imagine saying goodbye to some of my closest friends and I couldn't hold back the tears.

A week before we left our friends threw us a farewell party at Weed Beach in Darien. 

It was a little chilly, but everyone was really good sports, and we had a very enjoyable evening.

Wes just checking out the Arbuckle twins (the second set).

Brian.Nate.Jacob.Dave

Megan.Hanna.Shelley

Brian.Bishop.Nate.Tracy

Megan.Lindsey.Kathy.Lizzy.Nicki.Shelley.Kristin.Amy.Dayna

I'm kind of disappointed with my lack of pictures, but at least I got some.

I love all of these people so much! It was such a blessing to see how much love and support we were sent away with.

As our last week passed, we had a lot of last times:

Last play dates with the Farr girls-

And this is how we both felt when I told him he wouldn't see Sophie anymore:

It was a sad day.

Last night of Book and Cook Club:

Nicki was missing, which was a huge bummer, but this night was SO FUN!

I'm pretty sure I shed some tears afterwards knowing that I would no longer meet with these girls monthly to discuss a book, recipes and mostly just chat.

It can take a long time to establish relationships and feel comfortable enough to be yourself around friends. In the last year, I really started to feel established and comfortable and loved being with these girls and others in the ward. I know we're so lucky to have social media and easy phone access, but my heart truly cherishes these girls and I will always treasure the true friendships I've made in Connecticut.

Last outing to New York City-

Brian's co-workers were sweet enough to throw him a goodbye party and invited me to attend!

Luckily, Teresa arrived on a red-eye the morning of, so we didn't have to figure out babysitting or worry about being gone all night.

I met him and his co-workers at a lounge and besides the insanely LOUD music, it was very enjoyable to eat, chat and spend some time with the people he had spent the most time with over the last two years.

Sadly, no pictures were taken. It was way too dark and everyone left at different times. Brian loved his job and the people he worked with and we are both grateful for the wonderful experience he had at E&Y. He learned so much and it will definitely contribute to his new path in academia. 

Scott met up with us in the city, so we were able to spend the rest of the evening with him and Tracy getting Potbelly's and Pinkberry. YUM! 

Scott.Tracy.Brian

iPhone pictures stink, but you get the gist.

These are two of Brian's best friends and we were sad to leave them.

Scott and Camille ditched out on the east coast about 2 weeks before us, but Scott was back in town to gather up the rest of their stuff, so we were pumped to spend extra time with him!

What a great group of people we have been blessed to become friends with.

We sure are going to miss our random trips into the city. We love that place so much and will definitely be back to visit {frequently} if we never end up back on the east coast.

We heart NYC forever!

Last day of Joyschool-

Jared.Will.James.Thad.Alex

Seriously? How did we get so lucky to have the five cutest boys do Joyschool together?

These boys playing together is pretty close to the top of my list of things that I will miss most.

I cried the hardest on our last day of church when I took Thad out of his Sunbeam class, because I knew he wouldn't grow up side by side with them.

Amazing boys. Amazing moms. Amazing families.

We of course had to head to Shake Shack to have our last hoo-rah!  The boys made themselves right at home:

Thad just being Thad. Awesome.

Colleen.Shelley.Sara.Lizzy.Amy

I love this picture because I am the only one NOT pregnant!

How funny is that? Rebecca was there, but left before the picture was taken, so it was me and four pregnant ladies. Four pregnant ladies I miss dearly.

Like I said, that was our last hoo-rah -- Moving day was the next day, so we had to get down to business. Grandma Teresa definitely helped that business happen because #1 She is a work horse and can complete any project in half the time I can, and #2 she played with the kids to get them out of the way so I could do things she couldn't.

"Running Opposites" was introduced and has been played several times in the backyard this summer.

As you can see on Thad's face, he couldn't get enough!

Sunday morning after the truck was packed, Teresa took these terrors on a walk because there was NOTHING to do at our house and they were going stir crazy. Church wasn't until 1:00 and there was still lots to be done. She is the best.

And unfortunately these were the only pictures we got of her, but they are proof she was here and made this move go SO MUCH SMOOTHER than it would have without her.

After the big moving day and a delicious last supper from Valencia's, we got the boys and Teresa all packed up before church so we could head to JFK right after for their 7:00pm flight.

Last family photo at 23 Cottage Street.

I held myself together pretty darn good for most of church. We had to leave about a half hour before it was over, so when the goodbyes started happening, so did the tears. Nicole started it when I said goodbye to the Primary presidency. When the valve opened, there was no turning it off.

I was sad that I wouldn't walk those halls with those amazing ward members every week and that we would no longer be members of the Darien Ward. I've said it before and I'll say it again -- living far away without family would be near to impossible for me without the gospel. These people are what made living a couple thousand miles apart from those we love most not only possible, but most of the time EASY. So yes, the tears were flowing and they turned on full blast when I pulled Thad out of Sunbeams. He was a little nervous when he saw me because my eyes were red and I was acting funny. He was a good sport and gave everyone an awesome high five! We stopped and said goodbye to Emily, Lizzy and Natalie in the nursery on our way out which didn't help one bit with the water works.

When that part was finally said and done, it was hard but definitely worth it. I can't be grateful enough for the three years I got to spend with such amazing people and I just kept thinking that it was so hard because it was so, so good.

After dropping Teresa and the boys off at the airport (and not getting a picture of Super Grandma with a backpack, stroller, car seat and two children) we headed to Greenwich to have dinner and visit with the Farrs. 

Now the Farrs are friends we will have forever no matter how far apart we live. I think that is very apparent if you have read our blog at all in the last three years. They were there at the beginning and there at the end. They definitely fit into the "best friends" category and will always stay there. 

They made us a DELICIOUS dinner and we were able to visit for quite some time. Something that I have always loved about them is their ability to share and convey their emotions. They told us how grateful they were for our friendship and how much we meant to them. It really tugs at your heart strings when someone is able to share that with you and it really meant a lot to Brian and I as we sat at the dinner table with them -- especially because the feeling is mutual. 

What a cruddy iPhone picture, but I don't even care. I love this beautiful lady!

Brian sure misses working with Tracy every day.

Can you see why?

 Haha! Get it? Accountants counting!

There were definitely tears as we drove away from their darling family waving to us from the porch. I just kept thinking how things would never be the same. When we do see them again, it most likely won't be at their house on west Division Street and it won't be us just heading home after a play date or a late night hangout after Brian and Tracy get home from work. Things will be so different, but I know so good.

We got home and did our final walk through with Emmy and Ernie (they were very pleased with everything because Teresa and four wonderful ladies from ward cleaned like nobody's business) packed up the final odds and ends and listened to the eventful flight Teresa was able to partake in.

On the way to the airport I told Teresa, "If you have Thad use the bathroom right before you board and buckle him into the car seat, I bet he will be fine the whole flight." Probably the worst thing I could have said. Shortly after take off, Thad was playing the iPad and squirming a bit. Teresa thought he was moving with the games (and knew he would of course tell her if he had to go potty because he's four years old and I can't remember the last time he peed his pants) and didn't think much of it until Thad said, "Grandma, I need to go potty!" as he was peeing his pants. Now what? She quickly gets him out and they all head towards the bathroom: Teresa holding Wes and the backpack, just in case I packed some extra clothes, and Thad waddling down the isle with the wettest pants saying/crying something like, "It's a lot, Grandma!" A lady offered to hold Wes, but Teresa didn't dare turn him over to someone else, so they all three squoze in and the circus began -- No extra clothes to be found (why would I? My four year old doesn't pee his pants), soaking pee up from the shorts with paper towels and Wes just unrolling the roll of toilet paper. Teresa, being the Super Grandma that she is, just laughed (so she wouldn't cry), got things cleaned up and got the boys back to their seats. She FINALLY got Wes to sleep about an hour later and thought she was in the clear when Thad's squirming started AGAIN! What? She just took him?? -- Don't worry, he had to go again! Teresa thought she would take that lady up on her offer to help and have her hold the sleeping child, but that lady was fast asleep herself. So again, Grandma, Thad and a sleeping Wes all made it to the bathroom and Wes slept until the toilet flushed. So they started all over again! Luckily it wasn't too bad from there and they were able to get settled for the rest of the flight.

This is of course your living nightmare as a mother sending your children with other people. But luckily Teresa just took it as it came and says she would do it all again if she had to. What lucky people we are to have such wonderful family!

We woke up bright and early Monday, April 29 and headed out of Norwalk at about 6:00am.

This was our last view as we drove away:

Man, how I will love this house and this street forever. The ways I grew as a woman and mother and the way we grew as a family will always be so special to me. 

What a wonderful adventure we were blessed with. I can't think of a better way we could have spent the last three years.

Goodbye, Connecticut.