Saturday, March 28, 2026

We are officially in Tennessee!

We got in on Sunday afternoon and caught our breath in the 83 degrees sunshine on the deck.  Then we drove over to the storage unit to meet the movers.  I am playing catch up on blogging this week between bouts of unpacking and homemaking.
Monday morning was spent at the computer as we got ready for the closing of our MI house.  My brain is tired and my body wants to rest.  I spent time fussing around the house, going through mail, picking up...and turning the calendar.  I was up in Michigan for one month and one week.
The dogs crashed while I worked at the table.
And then after the closing and some lunch, I crashed in the chair.  It was time to rest!

 

Today is the day! Saturday, March 21, 2026, Moving Day!

We were up early and got some final things ready.  We were not sure when the movers would want to start.  They got to Michigan at 2:00am and got some rest before coming to the house at 9:45am to begin packing the truck for the drive south.
The dogs were not happy, but we know what it is like to be up and down and all around on the floor with these little furballs in your face or under foot.  It was a cool 37 degrees when these TN guys started!
A picture with my sis when they stopped in to say "See ya later!"  
We did a walk-through with the guys, so they saw what they were dealing with and knew the lay of the house.  Then we didn't see them for awhile...so Ted went walking around...and found this.
They wrapped every piece of furniture with padding and plastic to protect it!  WOW!
They went through the house strategically, building a base in the truck and then packing it to the ceiling of the truck.
They were friendly and we chatted off and on as they worked their way through the house.
I was worried about how the couch and loveseat would stay clean in storage.  Ted walked by and asked me if I was still concerned.  Nope!  And we had said nothing...this is how these guys do their job.
As they cleaned out a room, I vacuumed. Ted took a load to the dumpster and then another to the Salvation Army.  He went and got drinks and snacks of their choosing for the guys.
They staged for each part, going into the truck. 
I ended up swapping artwork for bags of clothes, which were going to go in the van, as they needed more soft stuff to pack around things and were concerned the artwork would get messed up in the truck.
It was satisfying to walk through the empty and clean house.


I hope the new family enjoys their days here!  We sure have wonderful memories of our time here with our children, family, and friends.


Taking a minute to look at things and starting to sweat it...will we get everything in there?  We had to leave the wood and buckets of paint with a friend...either to use or for us to pick up some day in the future.






It all fit!  And our van was loaded with room to spare.  The guys planned to drive straight through back to TN and will meet up with us late Sunday afternoon to unload at the storage unit.
One last walk through...

One last meet up with friends to say "See you later!"


One last picture in front of the place we call home for almost 9 years.  God taught us much within these walls.  He brought us through some tough things.  We praise Him for it all!  And we trust Him for the future!
We headed south about 5:00pm...an hour after the truck pulled out.
We passed the truck at 7:15pm!  It made us laugh.  We knew they were going to stop to eat before hitting the road...and they were not driving crazy fast.  I prayed for their safety and alertness as we pulled on past them.
Trusting God for safety in travel...and reminded that He holds us in His hands.

No slowdowns in Cincinnati!!!  We made it to our stopping point for the night at 10:30pm.
We stayed at the La Quinta in Lexington, KY.  It was a full hotel and sort of noisy.  The dogs remained on alert most of the night and sleep was not great, but the shower was divine and the bed comfortable!
Soon...we will be home to our own...sort of...bed and comforts of our TN home!  And we are liking the warmer temperatures as we drive south!  68 degrees at 10:30pm...ahhhh...spring weather after the lingering winter of MI weather.

 

Together again!

My last run to DTW to pick up my love!  He landed at 11:25pm.  We slept in a little and spent some time taking calls and texts.  I had emails to answer and Ted had a work meeting.
I have missed this guy!  I feel better when we are in the same place at the same time.  I love hearing his voice in the next room.
We had some odds and ends to take care of to be ready for the movers on Saturday morning.  We were moving slowly after the late night/early morning!

Checking off our lists and making plans...
A visit with dear friends and mentors...
listening to work stories that are almost unbelievable.
Keeping watch over the neighborhood!  It was a beautiful day.
"Oh, I see you are packing up just like our tenants do!"  Yep...easy to fit a lot in the bag and squish in wherever we need!  The difference is...my stuff is clean and we are not moving out in the middle of the night!
As ready as we can be!
Time to walk away from everything to enjoy supper and fellowship with friends.  Yummy pizza and salad with lots of laughter!