Step 1 - arrival...

Well, we made it!
Wow, that was certainly a long drive.  
After breakfast and some tough, tearful goodbyes, we hit the interstate around 7:15am.

We arrived just after 7pm.  It was still light out, so the kids were excited as we made the last few turns toward our new home.
They squealed when we pulled up in the driveway behind the moving truck, which arrived an hour before.  

After I dug the key from it's hiding spot, the kids scrambled inside to check things out. Naturally, they wanted to be sure their rooms were adequate.  Fortunately, they were happy with their new digs!

A word of advice, though. When loading a moving truck, you should remember to hold on to your pillows and blankets if you plan to arrive late at night.....possibly even an air mattress.  Better yet, book a hotel room! 
Sadly, I didn't remember either. So, we grabbed some dinner and stopped at WalMart for some last minute bedding. Then we all went home and curled up on the floor....OUCH.

So, thoughts so far?
I like it.  I think my kids even like it.
It's pretty here.  They have all four seasons, and the people are so nice and polite! 
Of course, I do miss home!  My family and friends are so important to me, it breaks my heart to leave them behind.  
But, at the same time, it's the fact that I am so close to them that makes this transition manageable.

Sound backwards?  Not really.
Think about it.  When you are close to someone, you have the comfort of speaking to them regularly, and keeping in touch in a way that is almost like being there.

I think we will enjoy it even more once we eliminate all the boxes! I am making great progress, though! At least, my back is telling me I did a lot today!

One thing I can say, in a move like this with kids, it's important to let the mess and the boxes go for a little while and get the kids out.  
I want them to love their new home, but I also want them to love their city and their new surroundings.  The sooner I make them feel comfortable, the sooner they will make friends and feel at home.

So, now that we have gone out for dinner, we are going to relax a bit. 
We are one step closer to feeling at home!

Tammy