10 Years..... Moving Day!
Part 3
Well, it was here. At moments it felt as if it was never going to come, and other times it felt as if it was coming way too fast. June 20,2004... Father's day, no less! The U-Haul was packed, we ate lunch together as a family, and my best friend and her husband got to my house to help me on this journey. I gave my mom one last hug and with tears streaming down my face, I got into my car, my dad and brother into my parents' car, and my friend and her husband driving the U-Haul. We were off!
Now at this point, I should say 8 hours later, we arrived and were ready to unpack. However, that was so not even the case. We thought we would be saving money if we got a diesel engine U-Haul. Well, whatever money we saved with that, was far surpassed by the energy and effort it took to drive it. I have to give my friend's husband props. There were times I didn't think that it would make it another 100 feet, let alone 500 miles... but somehow he made it!
It started off fine, but then Ohio isn't very hilly. We had walkie talkies between the truck and myself to make sure that we didn't separate. The walkie talkies were a huge blessing, because we would pass landmarks that meant something to us, and I would start crying, but I would receive a message, and then the tears became laughing. There was a lot of "hey, remember when..." and I know that got me into West Virginia with a minimal amount of water loss!
Then... we hit the mountains in West Virginia. We met my father and brother at a rest stop in West Virginia, had some food (as it was close to dinner at this point) and got back in the vehicles. My dad and brother took off and left us in the dust. I stayed behind with the U-Haul. After all, I wanted to make sure my stuff got there! : ) Well, what should have taken no more than 4 hours ended up taking around 8! I would look in my rear view mirror and not see the U-Haul at all! This was usually when we were going up a hill. Now, if you have ever driven on 77 in West Virginia and Virginia, "hill" is not necessarily the correct term. Mountain, might be better. I mean, there are truck run offs going up a mountain if needed for an 18 wheeler to stop because their brakes are out. So, there we are, in this diesel truck, with the gas pedal pressed all the way down to the ground, and then some and it starts to go slower and slower up the hill. As I was watching in my rear view mirror, it appeared as if it was going backwards, it was going so slow! I would get over, put my flashers on and slow way down, keeping an eye behind me. At this point, we would walkie talkie each other to make sure everything was okay. The U-Haul would eventually catch up and we would be on our way again, well, on the downhill parts....
This continued on for several hours... up the mountains, down the mountains, around the curves, through the tunnels, up the mountains, down the mountains, and finally into North Carolina. We stopped at the rest stop on the border of Virginia and North Carolina and found out from my dad that he and my brother were already at the hotel, checked in, and relaxing. We still had, hopefully, another 2 hours. But, I forgot that we had the hoopty! So, we stretched and went back into our vehicles and continued. At this point, I need the conversation simply to keep me awake. It had already been almost 10 hours of driving and we weren't anywhere near where we were staying that night. So, we talked all the way through North Carolina and got to the exit. Well, I had forgotten just how far down 74 the apartment was, so I kept saying (foolishly), stay right behind me, we are almost there. Well, 45 minutes later, we finally arrive at the hotel. At this point, Father's day was over. We grabbed our over night bags, met my dad for the keys, and decided who was sleeping where, and went to bed.
Unfortunately, I was so exhausted I couldn't sleep. Have you ever been there? Your body is just drained and you know you need to rest, but I couldn't. I think I slept about an hour that night. The rest of the night was spent laying there and praying. But it wasn't an audible prayer. It was one of th:ose prayers where you are thankful the Holy Spirit can interpret your groanings for you. Romans 8:26 "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." Yeah, that was that night. I didn't even have the words to say, but I know my prayers were heard as they have been answered so many different times in so many different ways in the last ten years.
I was at the rental office before it opened to sign the papers and get my keys the next day. We were ready to unload the truck and get unpacking!
Here is the thing about North Carolina in June. It rains. It was pouring by the time I got out of the office. That made for many laughings at (mainly at the two girls by my brother and her husband). We had a metal ramp from the truck to the ground and I lost count of how many times I slipped. There was a tile floor inside the door of my apartment before going up the stairs, and we learned, not so quickly, how to navigate that area with boxes in our hands. We definitely provided the entertainment for the three guys! But we persevered and finally the truck was unpacked and all boxes and furniture were in the apartment!
My dad and brother went to drop off the U-Haul and grab lunch. Well, the place to drop off the truck must have been back in Ohio as it felt as if it took eight hours for them to get back with lunch. Apparently, the place was hidden and they couldn't find it, but the three of us were STARVING by that point!
The girls started unpacking the kitchen and getting that set up while the guys put the furniture together. We got the place to a point where we could go to sleep. We got cleaned up and went to dinner. Well, okay, it wasn't THAT simple. My pipes in the bathroom backed up and so we went over to my dad and brother's hotel room, took a shower, and then went out to dinner.
The next day was more unpacking, getting the tv set up and the rest of the furniture put together. I had bought this kitchen table, chairs, and baker's rack that was in pieces and parts and so the three guys put that together. They hung the shelves, and put up the rack in my bathroom. The girls unpacked boxes. And more boxes. And more boxes. We were exhausted, but it was together! I had a livable space.
Then reality came crashing in. They all left the next day and I was all alone. For the first time in my life, I was alone. There was no one to say goodnight to. There was no one to talk to at the dinner table. There was no one who knew me. It was just me. I don't know how I got through that day or night. I wept. I pleaded. I begged. No answer. But, my God had a huge plan and 10 years later, I am living by myself, but am so far from being alone. He has given me a second family that I treasure. It's been an adventure getting here, but I am so glad I was along for the ride!
Well, it was here. At moments it felt as if it was never going to come, and other times it felt as if it was coming way too fast. June 20,2004... Father's day, no less! The U-Haul was packed, we ate lunch together as a family, and my best friend and her husband got to my house to help me on this journey. I gave my mom one last hug and with tears streaming down my face, I got into my car, my dad and brother into my parents' car, and my friend and her husband driving the U-Haul. We were off!
Now at this point, I should say 8 hours later, we arrived and were ready to unpack. However, that was so not even the case. We thought we would be saving money if we got a diesel engine U-Haul. Well, whatever money we saved with that, was far surpassed by the energy and effort it took to drive it. I have to give my friend's husband props. There were times I didn't think that it would make it another 100 feet, let alone 500 miles... but somehow he made it!
It started off fine, but then Ohio isn't very hilly. We had walkie talkies between the truck and myself to make sure that we didn't separate. The walkie talkies were a huge blessing, because we would pass landmarks that meant something to us, and I would start crying, but I would receive a message, and then the tears became laughing. There was a lot of "hey, remember when..." and I know that got me into West Virginia with a minimal amount of water loss!
Then... we hit the mountains in West Virginia. We met my father and brother at a rest stop in West Virginia, had some food (as it was close to dinner at this point) and got back in the vehicles. My dad and brother took off and left us in the dust. I stayed behind with the U-Haul. After all, I wanted to make sure my stuff got there! : ) Well, what should have taken no more than 4 hours ended up taking around 8! I would look in my rear view mirror and not see the U-Haul at all! This was usually when we were going up a hill. Now, if you have ever driven on 77 in West Virginia and Virginia, "hill" is not necessarily the correct term. Mountain, might be better. I mean, there are truck run offs going up a mountain if needed for an 18 wheeler to stop because their brakes are out. So, there we are, in this diesel truck, with the gas pedal pressed all the way down to the ground, and then some and it starts to go slower and slower up the hill. As I was watching in my rear view mirror, it appeared as if it was going backwards, it was going so slow! I would get over, put my flashers on and slow way down, keeping an eye behind me. At this point, we would walkie talkie each other to make sure everything was okay. The U-Haul would eventually catch up and we would be on our way again, well, on the downhill parts....
This continued on for several hours... up the mountains, down the mountains, around the curves, through the tunnels, up the mountains, down the mountains, and finally into North Carolina. We stopped at the rest stop on the border of Virginia and North Carolina and found out from my dad that he and my brother were already at the hotel, checked in, and relaxing. We still had, hopefully, another 2 hours. But, I forgot that we had the hoopty! So, we stretched and went back into our vehicles and continued. At this point, I need the conversation simply to keep me awake. It had already been almost 10 hours of driving and we weren't anywhere near where we were staying that night. So, we talked all the way through North Carolina and got to the exit. Well, I had forgotten just how far down 74 the apartment was, so I kept saying (foolishly), stay right behind me, we are almost there. Well, 45 minutes later, we finally arrive at the hotel. At this point, Father's day was over. We grabbed our over night bags, met my dad for the keys, and decided who was sleeping where, and went to bed.
Unfortunately, I was so exhausted I couldn't sleep. Have you ever been there? Your body is just drained and you know you need to rest, but I couldn't. I think I slept about an hour that night. The rest of the night was spent laying there and praying. But it wasn't an audible prayer. It was one of th:ose prayers where you are thankful the Holy Spirit can interpret your groanings for you. Romans 8:26 "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." Yeah, that was that night. I didn't even have the words to say, but I know my prayers were heard as they have been answered so many different times in so many different ways in the last ten years.
I was at the rental office before it opened to sign the papers and get my keys the next day. We were ready to unload the truck and get unpacking!
Here is the thing about North Carolina in June. It rains. It was pouring by the time I got out of the office. That made for many laughings at (mainly at the two girls by my brother and her husband). We had a metal ramp from the truck to the ground and I lost count of how many times I slipped. There was a tile floor inside the door of my apartment before going up the stairs, and we learned, not so quickly, how to navigate that area with boxes in our hands. We definitely provided the entertainment for the three guys! But we persevered and finally the truck was unpacked and all boxes and furniture were in the apartment!
My dad and brother went to drop off the U-Haul and grab lunch. Well, the place to drop off the truck must have been back in Ohio as it felt as if it took eight hours for them to get back with lunch. Apparently, the place was hidden and they couldn't find it, but the three of us were STARVING by that point!
The girls started unpacking the kitchen and getting that set up while the guys put the furniture together. We got the place to a point where we could go to sleep. We got cleaned up and went to dinner. Well, okay, it wasn't THAT simple. My pipes in the bathroom backed up and so we went over to my dad and brother's hotel room, took a shower, and then went out to dinner.
The next day was more unpacking, getting the tv set up and the rest of the furniture put together. I had bought this kitchen table, chairs, and baker's rack that was in pieces and parts and so the three guys put that together. They hung the shelves, and put up the rack in my bathroom. The girls unpacked boxes. And more boxes. And more boxes. We were exhausted, but it was together! I had a livable space.
Then reality came crashing in. They all left the next day and I was all alone. For the first time in my life, I was alone. There was no one to say goodnight to. There was no one to talk to at the dinner table. There was no one who knew me. It was just me. I don't know how I got through that day or night. I wept. I pleaded. I begged. No answer. But, my God had a huge plan and 10 years later, I am living by myself, but am so far from being alone. He has given me a second family that I treasure. It's been an adventure getting here, but I am so glad I was along for the ride!
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