Leaving Chatt

Jason flew back into Chattanooga on my birthday (8/16) and we anticipated the movers coming to pack our stuff the next morning, but there was a mix up on the dates and they didn't end up coming until Thursday, which turned into such a blessing. We were all SO exhausted and it was so nice to have a lazy day together as a family before going into crazy mode. :)

That night we met the Korhonen's for dinner at "chips & salsa".

After a yummy (and slightly teary) dinner, we stopped by Alex & Forrest's house to meet baby Forrest!! No pictures were taken but I sure am glad I got to see that sweet baby and hug my sweet Alex before we left. 

Then a stop at my parents house, where Sam and Vanessa met us and we got to spend some great time together. 

Y'all. Goodbyes are just THE WORST. I refused to consider them goodbyes. #denial

The next day the movers were there and started to pack up the house in a hurry! 

I was super stressed for the first hour or so because there were lots of questions for me: Is this going? How do you want us to label this? and questions from myself - Will we need this on the road or when we first get there? 

And the ever annoying LIQUIDS that weren't allowed to be packed in the truck, so I had to make sure those ended up in the section where were were staging for our small U-Haul. But the movers were fantastic and made it all go so smoothly.

Jason had taken the boys with him up to his parents house and Patricia LOVINGLY offered to watch them until dinner. Woo hoo!! So I just had this little nugget to deal with while we orchestrated the moving out process. 

She is SUCH a good baby. Seriously. We are lucky ducks that she will stay put for long periods of time. There wasn't anywhere quiet for her to fall asleep, so I strapped her in the baby carrier and walked laps around our carport until she fell asleep. Then of course, I had to CONTINUE walking laps to KEEP her asleep, so there went an hour and like 3,000 steps according to my phone. :)

Boxes, boxes - everywhere!

We met up with the boys at Outback that night and the Millers, Lawhorns, and Grandmother Cox and Grandmother/Granddaddy Lawhorn got to be there! It was great to get to see all of them in one place, but again, #denial on the goodbyes.

After dinner, the kiddos and I headed to a nearby hotel (since our house was in complete disarray), and snagged this selfie before bed. (Jason went to make sure everything was set at the house, and then joined us.)

Whew! It was a crazy crazy day!

The next morning, we had a final hurrah at Lillie Mae's (our favorite breakfast place), then the kids and I stopped by Mamaw's for a little bit. (She would kill me for posting the picture and I promised her I wouldn't, so I won't, but it's a REALLY great one.)

The movers loaded up the last things in the big van and we loaded our U-Haul, all while trying to keep the 3 kiddos happy. 

We had several friends stop by over the course of the two days - Debra, Becca, and Emily, it was so great to see them all one last time before we left!

(And of course my mom and Patricia, which again #DENIAL - 

can't even type about it without tearing up, so quit pestering me about it, okay?! :-P )

Then before we knew it, the house was empty and clean, and it was time for us to leave! 

I think I am more emotional about it right now as I write, than I was at that moment. We were running later than we had intended to be for the first leg of our journey, so we rushed through and left... but our Brynwood house means a WHOLE LOT to me, as I said in this post. 

Off on our adventure to "Denber"!

WE LOVE YOU CHATTANOOGA!!! 

WE WILL MISS YOU AND SO MANY FRIENDS WHO LIVE THERE!!!