Transitions, part 1

A year ago, my husband had already been here in Albuquerque, New Mexico for about a week, busily finding us a house to rent before he needed to report to his job.

Here is my husband’s car, loaded up for his trip before he left Michigan . . .

The blankets are to cover up things like his computer and TV (he was there a whole month before we were, so it was nice for him to have those!), and also for him to use for sleeping until we arrived.

It doesn’t look like he took a lot, but we space bagged ALL of his clothing, and he was able to take it in the areas you see filled with stuff. 🙂

And here he is, about to leave for his part of our new life in Albuquerque!

Meanwhile, back in Port Huron, Michigan, our boys and I were getting ready to move the household and ourselves to New Mexico, the biggest move I’ve ever managed on my own. We began packing up the rest of our things, beginning with my scrapbooking and papercrafting supplies, since I would not be able to either go out to scrapbooking night anymore now that my husband was gone, and wouldn’t have time anyway.

Here I am, boxing up my big Crop in Style xxl tote . . .

This pile of boxes, with the exception of the flat box in the front (that’s the TV), are my crafting things, plus one box of piano lesson books.

We took a break on the fourth of July. Although my husband didn’t want me to take the boys to the fireworks by myself, they did do sparklers out in front of the house . . .

“Mr. Loquacious” . . .

“The Batman”

“The Artist”

“The Puzzler”

And then when it got dark, we joined in with our next door neighbors and combined the (legal) fireworks we had purchased.

Our church back in Michigan also had Vacation Bible School the week before our actual move, and a dear friend at church (thank you again, Phyllis!) offered to take the boys each day so I could get errands done without having to drag the boys around and take twice as long.

Here is “Mr. Loquacious” . . .

“The Puzzler” . . .

“The Batman” . . .

and “The Artist” . . .

There is a family who brings a couple of horses for the final day of Vacation Bible School, so the kids can have rides.

Here is “The Artist” . . .

“The Puzzler”

“Mr. Loquacious”

and “The Batman”

On the final day of VBS, “The Puzzler” received Jesus Christ as his Savior, and he was baptized at the end of morning service that Sunday.

On our very last Sunday at Sparlingville Baptist Church, our church family gave an afterglow with ice cream and cake in our honor. Before that, at the close of service, Pastor Milton called the boys and me up onto the platform, and thanked us for our years at Sparlingville, after which he gave me this beautiful plaque from the church . . .

. . .which now is displayed in our home here in Albuquerque.

The following day, Monday, August 1, 2012, was moving day. The moving truck arrived, and the men loaded it up!

Soon after that, the boys and I loaded up the minivan with what we were taking on the road, and off we went, on the biggest adventure we’d ever had, a 1700 mile trip across the country, with stops along the way to see family and friends, ending with our arrival in Albuquerque! I will be continuing the story of our trip, and our transition into life in New Mexico, in future posts, so keep watching! 🙂