The day I've been dreading

Yesterday was the day I've been dreading for the past 5 and a half months. The day we had to say goodbye to Amy, Ashley, and Luke as they drove away to Indiana.

The day before, the movers were at their house loading up the truck. I headed over there to help Amy some and to get a sneak peek on what I can expect when we move (apparently I can expect them to give me an order for lunch (as opposed to asking for lunch), drinking a case of Gatorade, and spending strangely long amounts of time in the bathroom with the fan on). So anyway, after everything was loaded on the truck, Amy, Ashley, and Luke spent the night at our house. Side note - Mike had to leave the day before to start his job and her other 2 boys are staying in Blacksburg for another couple of weeks because their baseball team made the World Series.

The kids had been looking forward to a sleepover at our house. It was clear they still didn't get that Ashley and Luke were moving away and they wouldn't see them for a long while and that everything was changing. But I remember moving away from my best friend when I was 5 and I wasn't sad, so it brings comfort that the kids won't really be sad about it.

In the morning Luke asked if it was a school day. Amy told him, "No, we're moving to Indiana today. Tomorrow you start your new school and you get to go on a field trip and ride a bus." And Ethan was immediately very jealous. He asked if he would get to ride a bus when he starts at his new school. So I said, "maybe", knowing he won't because in North Carolina the law actually states that the kids CAN'T leave the day care center until they are 4 to go on field trips.

When it was time to go, they loaded into their packed van. Luke asked, "where are we going?" And when Amy replied, "Indiana", he said "why?". So....very clear that they don't get it. But Amy and I both cried while hugging each other's kids and then hugging each other and saying goodbye. Blythe was already back inside because you know, Curious George was on and she didn't want to miss the end (so important and all). They both reacted when they saw me crying and asked what was wrong.

Amy said when they got almost to their house in Indiana Luke said, "I miss Ethan. Mom, do you miss Mary?". When Braden called this morning to talk to the kids, Ethan told him "Yesterday Luke was here but then he left. And Luke's mom cried. And then Mommy cried."

So change is sad. But I've already set up my computer with "Southwest Ding" software since Southwest flies to Raleigh (yay!) and Indianapolis. So now I will know right away when great deals come available. And our walking and talking routine will continue as soon as we both find the time to actually start working out again and this heat gives us a bit of a break.