Monday, April 07, 2008

Movement

Pin It I keep trying to write about leaving Utah, about leaving our neighborhood, about leaving our friends, about saying goodbye, about all of the wonderful gestures and genuinely sweet moments of friendship - and each time I try it makes me feel weepy. I'll write about it another day, when it doesn't make my throat ache and my eyes well up with tears.

We packed up our moving truck on Thursday night, drove to Las Vegas on Friday, and moved in on Saturday morning. I was relieved to see that the house (which I'd never seen in person) is really very nice. The dining room is carpeted, which perplexes me more than a little, but the kitchen is pretty amazing - full of appliances I have no earthly idea how to use. I'm not sure what to do with a convection microwave or a trivection oven. I don't even know what trivection means. I only know that I'm fairly certain that at some point, something will explode in there.

The kids are a little painfully tender right now. They keep crying over little things - little things that are really all about the same thing when you get right down to it. Carter cried tonight because he was nervous in his new room, and when I sat down next to him he told me he just wanted his old room back, and his old house, and his old toilet. Abby cried because we didn't have time today to go see her new baby cousin, who has the same name as her pre-school friend, a friend she "will never see again, never never never."

But then tonight after dinner my husband puttered around with a screwdriver, I organized stuff, Abby drew, Carter stripped down to his underwear and Sarah practiced the piano.

It was normal. It was good. It was almost boring.

I'm feeling hopeful. Cross your fingers for us.

45 comments:

  1. I'm glad the move is over, Sue, and you're in Vegas now. The time leading up to the move, with all the dread and anxiety, must have been the worst. Now you can focus on making things 'normal' again.

    Hugs - Heidi

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm glad the move went as well as can be expected. And it sounds like you guys are getting on with it.

    Hang in there!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Glad you're getting settled. I hope it feels like "home" soon. :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. I hate it when the kids' pain magnifies my own. I really do.

    ReplyDelete
  5. It will get easier. With little ones you're so busy getting them adjusted and worrying about them that you forget your own misery for a time.

    My dining room has carpet too, as did my last one. Why? Surely was a mans idea to drive women crazy.

    Kitchen sounds cool! I'll trade ya!

    Take pictures! I wanna see!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Be glad you don't have a carpeted KITCHEN. Yes, you read that right. The moron who lived in my house before carpeted the kitchen. Why don't you just remove it, you ask, which of course was my plan to do immediately upon moving in. But I couldn't, because said moron didn't just install carpet, he GLUED IT TO THE HARDWOOD underneath. I'd kill him if I could find him.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Good luck with those ovens. And things really will get better, but moving is hard.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I'm glad the move is behind you. I'm thinking of you and all your family!

    ReplyDelete
  9. We made a major move last July. The kids still talk about NC and the house and friends there, don't watch for that to end, maybe ever. BUT, it gets to a point where suddenly you realize that they wouldn't really want to go back, and they realize too. They have new best friends and my 6 year old doesn't even remember the names of some of her "best" friends. Anyway, I know some awesome people in Vegas, you guys will settle in quickly, I'm sure. Just enjoy the adventure. (That's my favorite part- I feel like our family gets closer when we move because we're all we've got and we're in it together)
    Good luck!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Oh, my heart is breaking for all of you.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Changes can be so hard. I'll bet it won't take long until you feel like you are home again.

    I don't know how to use a convection oven either but it sounds like it will be fun to find out.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous8:59 AM

    I'm sorry you had to leave. Moving sucks. I've never had to move kids though, and I imagine that sucks ten bazillion times worse.

    Please attempt to make something in this "trivection" oven and document the explosion. Please please please!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I'm afraid I've been out of the loop for awhile and haven't checked in on you guys...Hang in there! Kids are resilient! They'll make new friends and find out that moving is a chance for brand new exploarations and discoveries. You will too!

    We're sending good thoughts your way!

    ReplyDelete
  14. All new experiences, all new friends just waiting to be discovered by you. All to add to the richness of your life.

    ReplyDelete
  15. sniff. sniff. I'm so sad for you! stupid different toilets.

    ReplyDelete
  16. My heart aches for you, Sue. I know what it's like to leave a place you don't really want to leave.

    I pray the new adventure of living in Las Vegas will be more attractive everyday as you put down roots in your new house.

    (Maybe you should get the carpet out of the dining room first, though. Seriously. What are these people thinking?!?)

    ReplyDelete
  17. Keeping my fingers crossed and praying for you. I hope that you slide into a new life that gives you comfort.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Glad you made it safe and sound. Things will get better. Just keep positive.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Sue,
    I've been reading a while but I haven't posted until now.
    I truly feel your pain - we're going through the same stress trying to keep our house. You give me hope that it can all turn out OK.
    Also, I live in Vegas (native - all my life) and welcome you. I think I detected a definite improvement in the feeling of the city this weekend. It must have been your family arriving!
    If you need any hints or tips - I'm your girl. Email me any time.
    I don't know what part of the city you're in (sooooo NOT a cyber-stalker) but I live out by the temple.
    You are very welcome here and there are lots of friendly, fun people to meet.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Anonymous10:31 AM

    Fingers and toes. I just "met" you but I feel like I've been through this with you. You're gonna be fine. Think of all the explosions in the kitchen and messes in the dining room you have to look forward to.

    ReplyDelete
  21. So glad the move was swift and "easy" (the action of it, not the emotion). Hopefully the normalcy of it all helps ease the transition even more!!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Crossing my fingers here!
    Glad you survived the move!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Anonymous11:40 AM

    Will it help you feel better to know it is snowing like mad here today and more is on the way. You are enjoying weather in the 70's, I think. We are headed your way next week for a visit to get some sun, so please arrange it with the weatherman.
    Your convection appliances should be a great thing. Maybe a visit to an appliance store would yield some instructions and get you over the fear.

    ReplyDelete
  24. We have dining room carpet too. I don't understand it.

    Glad you made it. Hope things get better from here.

    ReplyDelete
  25. I hate it when I'm just as upset as my kids are but I have to pretend that I'm not because I'm supposed to be the adult. Hate it.

    Hope things keep looking up for your family!

    ReplyDelete
  26. Glad you like your new house, Sue. It would really bite to have to move into something small, with a tiny kitchen, reeking of dog urine and a mildew problem in the bathroom (ask me how I know this?!)

    You'll have it feeling like home in no time. The kids will begin to make new friends in the new neighborhood and before long...you'll have a whole new life, blooming where you're planted.

    Our dining room was carpeted, too. Must've been a builder/designer that didn't do much entertaining...

    ReplyDelete
  27. I'm glad to hear some settling in has begun, and I'm sure that each new day will be easier and easier, and will also be filled with new ties to THERE, making the broken ties less painful. HUGS (BIG BIG ONES!) to you

    ReplyDelete
  28. Oooh, your kitchen sounds like Disneyland! I want one! And yeah, carpeted dining rooms suck. Plan on making good use of your steam cleaner- or buying a cheap, destroyable rug to throw over the carpet.

    I hope your new house can start to feel more like home for everyone. We're all glad to have you back!

    ReplyDelete
  29. keeping my fingers crossed.

    and if it's any consolation, here in utah we woke up to snow again this morning.

    ReplyDelete
  30. ps- don't you hate it when your kids are crying, looking to you for comfort, but you just want to cry about the same things? sometimes it's hard to be the grown-up.

    but you're doing great, i'm sure! no go bake on (in?) the trivection contraption.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Been praying for y'all. I'll even cross my eyes in hopes all settles down - I just can't keep 'em that way! :)

    ReplyDelete
  32. Yuck. I hate moving. I hope you guys get settled soon.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Glad things are going better than expected.
    We're also so happy to have you back so close.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Awww, sweetie. I am so sorry you had to leave Utah. Hope your hearts begin to heal soon.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Fingers crossed.

    The great thing about this is that your kids will get over it so quickly. Don't you wish we adapted so fast?

    ReplyDelete
  36. Utah is already a lot less funny without you...which is really depressing because wasn't that funny to begin with.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Right there with you on all counts, except I'm like two weeks ahead of you, timing wise. It's heartbreaking when the kids cry because they are missing all that is familiar. I tell mine that it's normal to feel sad but not to let it stop them from feeling all the good things about the move, nor stop them from making new friends. And that making new friends doesn't mean the old ones are gone forever, they're just ADDING to their friendship circle.

    And then I repeat that to myself like a mantra.

    I'm feeling hopeful, too. But Sue? If you have any cats, you might want to keep them inside for a good long while. :(

    ReplyDelete
  38. Time to buy a tarp! Viola! A child-proof dining room or camping ground cover (you're such a multi-tasker.)

    ReplyDelete
  39. Best of luck to you and your family now that you have moved. You will be in my thoughts and I wish you nothing but the best!!!

    ReplyDelete
  40. Anonymous3:17 PM

    I hope things do get back to normal. And soon. The move and all time/preparations leading up to the move were hopefully the worst part of it all. Everything is crossed for you!

    ReplyDelete
  41. that made me feel sad for you guys. But Im glad there were snippits of normal, I mean as normal as you can feel in a carpeted dinning room house.

    At least your close to my holly, thats pretty dang blessed!

    ReplyDelete
  42. Yup, you're over the hump. If they're already stripping to their underwear and being sorta boring, I predict everyone will survive. If it makes you feel any better it's still too cold here.

    ReplyDelete
  43. Whoever puts carpet in dining rooms has never had children....heck, they've never heard of children!
    When we moved into our current home, the dining room and half of the kitchen was carpeted along with the BATHROOMS!
    Sure, the carpet on the bathroom floor is nice when your feet are cold, but we have boys who like to dance around instead of aiming!

    I ditto what Jessica G said. We need all the funny we can get around here. Especially right now with all this darn snow!
    Las Vegas is lucky.

    ReplyDelete
  44. When we moved last summer, I dreaded it right up until we actually got in the car and pulled away from the house and the town. Then I was strangely fine. It was the anticipation that was the worst for me. Hope things are getting unpacked and you are feeling settled :)

    ReplyDelete