Memoirs of a Mommy: July 2009

I can't believe it's been a month since I left Albuquerque! It's definitely one of those times in life when it seems like it is lasting for-e-ver when you are going through it but as soon as it is done you feel like it went by so quickly. It's a strange phenomenon. So here's the low-down on what we've been doing...
The kids and I left ABQ and headed to Bentonville, AR to spend a few days with my sister and her family. We had a good time playing with cousins and spent most of the days lounging around the pool. All the while Bob was back in ABQ packing up the truck, getting the house ready for final inspection and finishing the checklist of all he had to do before checking out of the AF. He was a little frazzled by it all but finally hit the road on Thursday afternoon (June 25). He drove all night and we met him in Joplin, Missouri the next morning. We drove on to Dayton, OH and spent the night with our good friends Jeremy and Tracy. Next it was on to Washington DC. We stayed with friends there and actually got to go bowling at the Harry S. Truman Bowling Alley in the White House! WOW! It was a memorable experience. We even got to go into the West Wing and we snuck a picture (you're not supposed to take pictures inside the buildings). WOW is all I can say! Our final leg of the trip was from DC to Boston. It was a looooong drive with traffic. We arrived at our new home at about 10:30 pm. We had 2 guys and 2 girls (Great Adventures and her younger sister) there to help us out. They worked very hard for about 2 hours but at 12:30 am we were on our own. Bob and I worked until about 3:30 am unloading the truck...then we crashed for a few hours and got back to work at 7:30 am. Bob flagged down a guy driving a truck past the house and got him to help get the armoire into the house. Then he went and convinced two construction workers to help him and the truck guy get the piano into the house. He's good like that! It took the rest of the day to go weigh the truck empty and return it. At 5 pm that evening we were back on the road headed to Michigan for a little vacation. We were in Boston less than 24 hours. I must admit that it was difficult to leave all that work undone. We drove through the night and got to Kalamazoo around lunch the next day.
We had a wonderful time visiting with Barb, Dan & James and Chuck & Kathy. It was also very nice to attend our old church. While we were there I celebrated my 32nd birthday. Bob and Barb pulled together a surprise birthday party for me! It was so nice. Over the 4th of July weekend we got to go swimming in Lake Michigan and also had a great time watching fireworks in Kalamazoo with the extended McNinch family. We all had a great time! Then it was on to Delton, Michigan to spend time with Bob's parents and brothers and their families. The kids had a wonderful time playing in the water, using the paddle boat and the kayaks. We enjoyed making s'mores and sitting by the fire at night. It was a blessing to be together and we were so glad for the kids to have the opportunity to play with their cousins. After our time in Delton we headed to the east side of Michigan to visit my brother and his wife and also to catch a Tigers game. Trips to Tigers games are getting easier as the kids are getting older. They loved riding the tiger carousel, getting their faces painted like tigers and running the bases after the game. Not to mention the fact that the Tigers pulled out a win for their biggest fans!!! :)
Finally on Monday July 13 we made our way back to Boston. It was another long day in the car but we were glad to be home (even though it didn't feel like home yet). We had 5 days to get everything unpacked before our friends the Geaslens arrived. It was tough work but we did it! Now we have our friends and their 4 kiddos here...making the count 8 kids and 4 adults in our little house, oh and only one toilet!!!! We are having a fabulous time touring Boston together! Bob has started his summer classes at Harvard and loves it already.
It has been a crazy month...there were a few times I just wanted to throw in the towel. But we made it through and I think our time in Boston is going to be good...and it is going to go by really fast that's for sure!