What I Learned

So, I think I have pictures. But Newly is perhaps finally having that baby, so go read her blog and keep up on all her cool (but mucusy) happenings!

As for me, here are some simple things I learned while moving from Pennsylvania to Michigan:

1. If you believe from all that you read, and the computer packing wizard confirms it to be true, that you can, indeed fit all your belongings into a 16' moving van. You.Will.Be.Wrong. And you will be the idiot driving down Interstate 80 with a Penske truck and a U-Haul trailer behind.

2. If you drive close enough in front of the moving truck (because your brother is driving the truck without cruise control, so you must drive the car in the lead to keep him at a speed that will not destroy all your furniture) you can indeed pick up his ipod playing on the radio station.

3. You can sell a home, pack, clean, load and move all in 8 days time. I didn't say you could do it WELL necessarily.

4. Your brother will not only show his love and devotion to you by flying out to PA and spending two days loading an unloadable truck (see #1 above) but will show such consideration for all that you hold dear by finding a creative way for you to haul all your sprouts and plants to your new home. (Okay, not ALL. I left half of them behind with friends!)

5. You may (I'm just sayin') cry just a little when you say goodbye to your first home.

6. Even if you haven't slept well in weeks, even if you are nervous and stressed and exhausted (and did we mention stressed?) you will still be able to leave Pennsylvania at nearly 4 in the afternoon and drive straight through to Michigan, arriving at your sister's door at 3:30am.

7. And you will still get up at 7 the next morning to go unload.

8. And you will cry (I'm just sayin') just a little when you see the "Welcome to Michigan" sign that your sister and niece and nephew made for you.

9. And taking the very first item off the truck, your sister will break a mirror, ensuring the next seven years of your life will be MISERABLE. (Just kidding, Jules!)

10. You can, in fact, arrive at 3am on Sunday morning, spend two days unpacking and still manage to get your child to school for the very first day on time, without any glitches (like getting lost).

11. While it isn't pretty, you can in fact find many ways around not having personal internet service at home. (Helllooooo Library!)

12. Within the first week, you can spend more time faxing, notarizing and overnighting packages back to PA for the sale of your house than resumes going out for new job leads (although, it's a close race!)

13. On top of all of this stress, you can still take on an unexpected flood of water in your home's master bath (the home you still own this week, not, of course, the apartment you are just renting) and can deal with the problem from 4 states away with 4 days to go until settlement.

14. VISA actually does throw parties for users who go above and beyond ($70 for fingerprinting in order to substitute teach, $200 for a toilet repair for a home I no longer live in, $261 to renew homeowner's insurance that got jumbled in the move (not by me, by the company) in order to just cancel it 5 days later after settlement...) Mine is being held next week at the Ritz in Las Vegas. Anyone want to join me?

15. You can cry just a little (I'm just sayin') when your sister calls and says, "the kids' open houses for school are Thursday, do you want to come?" (and you're not just crying because she offered to feed you!)

16. You can actually survive the kick-off week of football without seeing a single game.

17. You can go one further and actually win your first fantasy football game without television or internet service.

18. You won't even miss (okay, maybe a little) having a microwave oven.

19. When you change your Verizon cell phone number from a PA number to an MI number, you will actually have to close out the one account and start fresh with a new account. Translation: all those extra minutes you used at the start of the month won't have time to even out by the end of the month. You'll have to pay overages if you want an MI number. (Note: the MI number is rather critical when trying to get a J-O-B in MI.) Refer to VISA party being held later this week.

20. While shedding some tears (I'm just sayin') the night before and expressing some (or a lot) of anxiety about a new school where he doesn't know anyone, LM will return home from his first day with the names of new friends and an excitement over his courses (all except P.E. - henceforth referred to as: Boot Camp.)

21. Pinching pennies like never before allows you to get really excited about the smallest things. Jiffy mixes for $.30, for example. (I'm just SAYIN'!!)

22. After all is said and done, and LM is happy at school and you are a few steps closer to being employed, and the house is 3 (COUNT THEM, THREE) days from settling on your former home, you will rest a little easier knowing that you have finally made it to where you've been trying to get for so very long.

23. Did I mention the Jiffy mixes?!