Packed & Out...

We got back from the beach on Sunday and the packers were supposed to arrive on Monday morning. The plan was for them to pack the house on Monday and Tuesday and then have the movers come on Wednesday. Madison Claire stayed out at the McSwains for the entire week so we could get the house packed up without her running around.

Monday morning I woke up somewhat anxious about how the day was going to go. I've never been professionally packed before, so I didn't know what to expect. I also hadn't heard from anyone with a confirmation on what time they were going to arrive so just assumed that they would be there between 8 & 9am. I started getting nervous once 9:30am rolled around and there was no one there so I called our contact at Armstrong Relocation and left a message. She called me back a few minutes later and informed me that Ryan had never called to confirm the dates and there were no packers or movers scheduled to be at my house that week.

(PAUSE: I haven't mentioned that Ryan was already in Memphis by this point full time, so I was left at home to manage this process by myself with the kids. We were set to close on the house on Thursday morning and the new homeowners were already mad because they wanted to close earlier so I knew we couldn't push it out.)

When she told me this, I nearly lost it on the phone. I started crying, explaining the situation, and telling her there was no way I could pack and move my entire house in 3 days with a newborn & no husband. She promised me they would do the best they could and said she would call me back. As soon as we hung up the phone, I immediately called my mom and told her to be on standby because she might be coming to Nashville to help me pack. Annie started calling her friends and we began to assemble a Plan B packing solution. Luckily, it wasn't needed because the relocation company called back and said the packers would come on Tuesday morning and they would still be able to get us out by Thursday. PRAISE THE LORD!

So...Tuesday morning rolls around and I'm waiting on the packers. The best thing I see is that United VanLines truck pulling up outside of my house! I'm anxiously awaiting the packers to walk up and I see 3 large men approach the home. They ring the doorbell and I tell them that the packers are supposed to be here today, not the movers! They got a good laugh out of that because they WERE the packers! I was expecting old ladies...not big strong men! Who knew??

They worked all day at the house - from about 9am - 7pm but got the whole thing packed. It was really quite frustrating to be there because you felt so helpless just sitting there on the couch while they worked away around you. That said, mark my words...I will never pack a house again myself! It was FABULOUS and definitely the way to go. When all was said and done, there were over 300 boxes. Here is a shot of a few rooms:

The next day, Wednesday, a different crew came to load up the truck. They filled this huge truck from top to bottom with our things. Not a single piece of thread would have fit on that truck when they were finished. It was unbelievable! The movers were great...aside from all of them having a crush on Annie and that causing some awkward moments.

The McSwains brought Madison Claire by the house in the late afternoon because Ryan and I had talked about it and we wanted her to have some closure with the house. She walked through it and kept saying, "it's empty" but seemed to think it was kind of fun. We said bye-bye to her room, to her window-sill in the kitchen that she loved to sit on, and she gave the house a kiss. I think it was good for her and I know it was good for me.

Once the movers pulled out, Annie and I cleaned the house up until Annie had to leave. I stayed and finished the cleaning and loading up the last items myself in the empty house. It was hard. I held it together until I saw all of Madison Claire's fingerprints on the window and doors in our kitchen going out onto the deck. I couldn't bring myself to clean them off.

I took a few pictures of the empty house...I didn't get the fingerprints and now I wish I had.

When I left the house, I drove to the McSwains which was set to be our temporary home until we found a place in Memphis. I talked with Ryan on the way there and told him "never again will I do this by myself. I am giving you a VERY STRONG hint that you need to do something VERY NICE for me!!" I know he would have been there to help if he could have...and I'm still waiting on my something nice :) :)

I have told myself over and over again that a house does not a home or family make. A house is just a house. Just as a church does not contain God, a house does not contain my family...it just serves as a gathering place for memories to be made. I am so thankful not just for this house, but for what this house represents to me - all of the fun Ryan and I had in building it together; the laughter from moments shared with one another; the occasions we celebrated with friends - from birthdays, to small group, to movies, to football games, and more; the strengthening of our marriage in this phase of life; our love for each other and our love for our kids who won't ever remember this house, but yet was their first home. These are the things I will take with me in my heart...and these are the things that I will always remember.