The First Day

It has been a long time since we've moved, over six years actually, but before that the longest we were in any one place was two and half years. So we have some experience with the whole packing and lifting routine. Even so, this move was hard. Maybe its because we have two kids and infinitely more stuff than we had when we were two spry 26 year olds who had just finished grad school. Or maybe its because we have attained the ripe old age of 32 (one of us anyway). Whatever the cause, I am wiped out and promptly passed out in Jilli's bed after reading her one book tonight. The physicality of it all has lessened the blow of leaving my beloved house behind. But its also been easier because we have been so warmly welcomed to the neighborhood already. When we did the inspection about a month ago I met our new across the street neighbor. Her name? Michele, and it is spelled with one L. She and her husband have 4 kids, with a daughter a little older than Jilli and a son a little older than Ror. Hmmmm, I thought, that seems too good to be true. As we were unpacking the truck (for the first of four times) on Saturday her husband came over with three of the kids and introduced himself and offered to have our girls come over and play while we unpacked. The girls had a date with the eternal holders of the best-neighbors-ever title, so we thanked him and kept unpacking. When we arrived back with the second load of stuff he walked across the street with a warm, delicious, homemade casserole for our dinner. I swear, I think the moving hormones were making me a little teary. Later, a down the road neighbor walked to the house (in the rain) with his son (in his cub scout uniform) to introduce themselves and ask if they could help unload the truck. Jeff met our next door neighbor too and said she was great. Saturday night as Jeff and I were getting ready to go back and pack yet another load for transfer an adorable brown bunny hopped through our front yard. We both agreed the bunny was a bit of overkill, but we'll take it. I think we are going to be ecstatically happy here.