Moving, Part 1

We are in the thick of the move now! It was only a week after we got orders that the house was being packed up. A few days later and we only had a few mattresses and camp chairs (plus a TV) left!

We set aside one room to hide all the stuff we didn't want packed. This is where Cade, alex and the dog hung out while the packing was happening. Cade took advantage and got some extra sleep!

Carson had fun going around the house and cleaning up the spots that had been covered up for years

The piano is always a huge factor in our move. We get to count it as spouse pro-gear, so most of its weight doesn't count against us. That also makes sure it gets packed appropriately. In Korea they made some custom packaging with our upright piano. In Colorado a piano moving company came and prepped the piano for move and then the movers loaded it. This time they hired a company to make a custom crate for it! That baby ain't moving around in that crate! 

I think the movers played a good game of Tetris! So organized!

And the house is empty. We stayed in the house for almost a week with just a few mattresses and the essentials. Sometimes that makes you wonder why we all have so much stuff, and then after awhile you miss your stuff, lol.

I had to grab a shot of the opening ceremonies of the olympics. This is the 3rd time that we've been in a moving transition while the olympics have happened. It's almost become a tradition! The first was in 2012 when we moved from Korea to Colorado. I very clearly remember being in the base hotel and watching the opening ceremony with the boys. In 2018 we moved from Colorado to San Antonio during the winter olympics. I have a picture on facebook of us in our Airbnb that we stayed in while house hunting and watching the opening ceremonies. This time Covid made it so the olympics were a year later and the opening ceremonies were on while we had no stuff! 

This is how I was feeling in the middle of all this. It's pretty easy to over exert myself and pay for it later. I've had quite a few days where I could be helpful, and then days where there was just nothing left.

Another aspect of moving is saying goodbye. In our last few weeks, a lot of people hosted us for dinner, dropped off dinner or met us for meals out together. I didn't get pictures with everyone, but our family felt very blessed to have encountered such good people in our time in San Antonio. We had great friends that we met through work, church, music and motorcycles! 

I got my last haircut at North Star Barbershop. It was during our first week in San Antonio that I saw a girl at Lowe's with an awesome haircut and I asked her where she got her hair done. That let me to Liz and some rockin' hairstyles over these last 3 years!

It also seems to be a tradition to have some sort of motorcycle drama when we move. Last time it was when Dan was prepping his bike to be packed, but instead of just getting his tank close to empty, he ran out which led to all sorts of problems that we certainly didn't anticipate.

This time, on our last weekend, Dan had a "small" wreck. Thankfully he wasn't hurt too bad, and the bike was still rideable to get home, but the damage did total the bike. We couldn't get the insurance to take care of it in time for us to move, so it came with us in the Uhaul. Guess it's a problem for future Dan!

In our last few days, I had help from the Relief Society sisters to get the house vacuumed and clean and ready for the pros we were required to hire upon moveout. My friend Dana pressure washed the back patio, but left us a message first!

Tradition in the military is to have a hail and farewell each month. They welcome any new soldiers in the unit and say goodbye to those that are moving. Dan's replacement put together a very thoughtful departure gift- a framed gold record with a list of all the recruits Dan had put into the army band, and a QR code linked to a YouTube video of all the other liaisons sharing a goodbye message.

On our last night in our house the boys were each sleeping over at a friend's house, so we didn't see much point in setting up our mattress up in our room. Dan, Carson and I hung out in the living room for one last sleep.

And a few last pics before we left San Antonio!

Thanks to Jacqui and her parents for hosting us on the official last night since we couldn't be in the house anymore, but couldn't leave until the next morning. 

Well that wraps up the events of moving that took place in San Antonio. Watch for a part 2 and part 3, road trip, house hunting, and finally arriving in Washington! Spoiler: as of writing this post on August 9th, we still don't have a place to call home yet.