Home to House In a Day

Well, we didn't end up snuggling and sobbing while watching The Little Mermaid on our last night in the house that we spent two years making into a home. Instead, my dear friend Jamie paid us a surprise visit and turned an otherwise dark and sad night into a celebration. We had dinner, walked around the house reminiscing (while she made fun of all the random things I was making the movers pack to bring with us), and ultimately did a little sobbing anyway. Jamie, we love you. Please make sure you don't steal anymore baby onesies. Also, if you're ever waiting in the parking lot of Chipotle, make sure you lock your car door...otherwise, "Hey, boo" might happen to you!! 

We spent a restless final night at home and got up early for dim sum with the family. My sweet grandpa (aka Yeh Yeh) treated us to a yummy brunch and I can assure you that Stegen and I ate enough so that we wouldn't miss it in case there aren't any good dim sum joints in England! It wasn't our going away party, but the reality of our imminent departure still hung heavy over our brunch. My grandpa and I have developed a very close relationship over the last two years...I'm sure going to miss him.

Five hours later (because dim sum always takes an obscene amount of time!), my parents (God bless them) took the kids while Stegen and I got to work on the house. We had quite a few things in our agenda: pack our suitcases to live out of for 4 weeks, decide what to put into the air shipment, take everything off of the walls, organize all important paperwork for travel, finish moving things to storage, find keys and remotes for our tenants, shred stuff, clear out the pantry (!), wash EVERYTHING, fold EVERYTHING, and try to remember if there was anything we were forgetting to do.

Long story short, we worked non-stop until midnight, went to my mom's to sleep (yes, I did what I said I'd never do again...moved back home with my parents!), and are heading back to meet the movers in about a half hour. The whole process was awful, especially trying to figure out just the right amount of things we'd need before our air shipment arrives and planning for weather we know nothing about. Here's Stegen getting ready to conquer the nasty task of packing our suitcases.

In a day, Stegen and I, sadly, turned our beautiful home into a house. We had to take a moment and let it sink in...this is it. Two and a half years of TLC to make this house a home and we undid it in the blink of an eye. As sad as I was to see it all dismantled, I must say that I learned something valuable yesterday: Stegen and I make an amazing team. Under all of the stress bearing down on us, we moved through the day like a well oiled machine--hugging, high-fiving, and rocking out to Pandora's 80's station along the way. I love you, Stegen, and I can't wait to make a new home with you in England!