Today is the Day

  Well, Time's up here in Woodsfield.  Later today, a moving truck will show up in our driveway, pack up everything we own and show up in Fredericktown tomorrow.
  It was an emotional day yesterday.  Brian did the first church by himself, I joined him for the second and the boys, Kimmy and Regan joined us for the third.  Kimmy came to the middle service toward the end so we could all say goodbye to the folks at Moffett-Fletcher.  All was well till Pappy picked up Carter to snuff the candles at the end of the service.  Carter happily went with him and helped him like the big boy he is.  When they turned around, John's face was so hard to look at.  His chin was quivering and showed so much pain.  We have been so loved here.  John and Carolin have been watching the boys every Monday for over a year and have become so close to them, and in turn, to us.  They have acted parents to Brian and I and have taken our children for weekends at a time and never let us pay them a single penny.  Michael has been calling John Pappy for longer than he ever called him John.
  Their granddaughter, Regan, has been Michael's best friend here.  We have had Reg here for the last two days and when it came time for her to leave she kept stalling.  Since we were still packing, I told her she could take Michael with her and she quickly went with her Mother and Michael.  As I was putting Michael to bed he was extremely whiney and when he finally let it out he started crying.  I asked him why and he kept shrugging.  Finally he said, "I'm just so sad cause Regan left."  He broke my heart.  I reassured him that it is okay to cry and that is exactly why Mommy and Daddy were crying this morning.  He said "Yeah." then sobbed some more.  People say that kids don't understand.  People who say things like that don't have a Michael.  My big boy is so amazing.  I love his loving heart.  I told him sometimes we have to leave people we love to start a new adventure and that Regan isn't gone forever.  We will still visit with her and she and her family will visit with us.
  When Michael started whaling, Carter woke from a deep sleep to cry with his brother.  He is so empathetic.  Whenever Michael cries, Carter cries too.  He's so feeling.  I hope my boys stay so loving and feeling for their whole lives.  I want them to know that it is ALWAYS okay to love like this.
  I have to thank my friends who stepped up on Saturday.  Brian had a district retreat scheduled for this Friday and Saturday long before we found out we were moving.  I am SO grateful for Kimmy, Christine and Molly.  The 4 of us accomplished so much in the time they were here.  Kimmy has been planning on coming for about 3 weeks but Molly and I decided the other day that Saturday would be a great time for D and M to come play with Michael and Carter one last time.  D was the biggest kid in preschool last year and Michael was the smallest.  They were instant buds.  M is about 6 months older than Carter.  It has worked very well for us.  Kim and I were working in the kitchen when they got here so Molly jumped right in!  We were working our way through the left over packing when I got a call from Regan asking if we were home.  I invited them RIGHT over!  Christine and Regan came straight from a funeral and also jumped right in.  Regan went right to playing and Christine started cleaning my stovetop in heels.  I have amazing friends here and couldn't have done all this without them.  Thank you Kimmy!  Thank you Molly!  Thank you Christine!  I love you all so much.
  Thank you Woodsfield for your hospitality and constant reminder that fast isn't always best.  We have learned to slow down and enjoy life again.  We needed that.  We have learned that roots are so important.  People here have a work ethic like none I have ever seen.  They are amazing and take pride in EVERYTHING they do!  Thank you Greenbrier!  Thank you Moffet-Fletcher!  Thank you Chapel Hill!  You have been so wonderful to us and we will ALWAYS remember you.  Thank you.
  Now that my cheeks are dry again, I better get back to work.