We are way too old to be moving to another state! But, we did it.
Last week the strongest 4 young men on the face of the earth showed up at our house to load most of our worldly possessions into two very large trucks and an additional van. (Yes, we were 3500 pounds over the original estimated weight!)
As we drove my loaded red truck and Honeybuns loaded black car south out of Broken Arrow, OK and crossed the Texas state line, I again questioned the sanity of this adventure.
The "Two Men and a Truck" guys arrived in Frisco, TX a day later and began the process of unloading. It took several fewer hours to take it off than put it on! They were polite and fun and funny. They must have had special training to "lighten" the atmosphere of a stressful situation. I felt like they were MY sons before the day was over.
We found ourselves alone with 250 boxes, furniture, office papers and equipment, a myriad of personal items, and Oklahoma dust as they cheerfully drove down the street. (They lied when they promised their furniture pads would remove dust! I forgive them.)
THEN.....the Calvary arrived! My sister and her husband (Donna and Bill Leischner) showed up that very evening after driving several hundred miles from Illinois to help us unpack! What a God-send! The next few days were spent wallowing in far too many dishes, books, rugs, lamps, clothes, tools, yard art and cleaning supplies.
What were we thinking when we bought all that stuff??? Really???
Their presence also "lightened" the atmosphere as we laughed, made fun of ourselves, took much needed breaks to an air show and fireworks. We could not have physically survived this ordeal without them. We owe them BigTime!
Now life begins differently. We kept an apartment in Tulsa since Honeybuns thinks he must still go to work most days and we will travel back and forth until he decides to retire. Yes, it's a crazy arrangement, but the goal of living closer to one of the sons has been met, even though a few years premature.
NOW, we're ready! As we age it will be Philip's job to watch over his elderly parents. He's already looking for the cheapest nursing home, but promises it'll be NICE! Snow and cold weather kept us from settling in Colorado next to Andy and his tribe. We are comforted knowing that there is a non-stop flight from Dallas DFW to Durango, CO. THAT is good news!
Well send out our new address to those that are interested and NOT frustrated with the many addresses they've already "inked in and later crossed out" of their address books.
Tonight I'm "lightening" the load of maintenance and hauling those "extra" unnecessary possessions out of the house, into the garage for the trash man or Salvation Army truck to carry away. I guess it took this experience to purge! (Jamie and Nancy, you would be SO proud!)
Proves the point......."The Best Things in Life are Not Things."
The best things are:
knowing and loving God and being known by Him
a Godly, loving husband
healthy, successful, God-fearing sons and daughters-in-law
nine perfect grandchildren
WONDERFUL friends in many states
and a sister and brother-in-law that love and serve us SO selflessly!
Now....back to work!
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