The inevitable party

I’ve been looking forward to tonight since The Narrator first accepted his job in Michigan. I’ve been dreading tonight ever since The Narrator accepted the job in Michigan. All for the same reasons. Tonight is our going away party hosted by dear friends that we met 3 days after we first moved to Florida 5 1/2 years ago.

I’m sitting here looking at our stuff packed in piles of boxes. It’s just stuff. I don’t know when I’ll see it again or be surrounded by it again. But my life isn’t in those boxes. My life is in the people we’ll be surrounded by tonight and those who will surround us when we arrive in Michigan. And as the inevitable new beginning approaches, it’s been eye-opening to see what my list of “should-haves” is. We should have had more parties, we should have hung out more, we should have called up our friends more spontaneously for days at the beach or the park or for ice cream. We should have been more verbal about our love and appreciation for those who stepped in to support us like family when family couldn’t be here. We should have started game nights sooner, pizza parties sooner, should have, should have, but didn’t. But at least we did some. I suppose it will never have been enough, so we must remain satisfied with the pictures and memories we did make. And I’ll take the lesson with me. We’re already planning vacations and spring breaks and meetups in Tennessee or Chicago or girls weekend in NYC. Like I said, it’s a new beginning.

The kids are doing well. One moment they’re upset because the toy they are looking for is taped up in a box and they “don’t ever want to go to Michigan!” Five minutes later T-Rex is stomping through the house in his rainboots while Little Miss is clomping around in Grandpa’s boots, and they both have backpacks slung over their shoulders filled with random toys and clothes for Michigan.

The Narrator and I are doing as well as we can. Tonight will be beautiful and blubbery all at the same time. It’s been a huge help to have my parents here the past week and a half. They have packed boxes, watched and entertained kids while we worked (and went to a movie!). Dad has patched holes as I took down pictures and shelves, and Mom has cleaned and let me cry on her shoulder. I wouldn’t have survived without them. They know what it’s like. So do my in-laws who arrive tomorrow. In a way, we have followed in both of our parents’ footsteps. My parents were military and lived overseas (where I was born) and made great friends before moving back home to Ohio. My in-laws lived in Alaska for a few years and The Narrator and his sister were born there before they all moved back home to Michigan.

We’re still waiting for our home to sell and trusting God for His perfect timing. We’re going to miss our neighbors.

Well it’s back to packing for me. Thanks for all your prayers. Maybe I’ll go flat iron my frizzy head of hair so at least my hair will look nice tonight when my face is all splotchy from crying. Vanity. I know. Don’t care. 🙂