Our Last Goodbyes and Send Off

Well, I let far too much time pass since my last post. Guys, heads up: this is a long, long post since so much has transpired that I need to catch up on, but truthfully, I've been putting it off because my heart is a little sad still, and we're still in the unsteady period where we are attempting to get our bearings and create a new normal and routine out here.

First let me start with these people:

My mother-in-law, father-in-law and brother-in-law came over the Saturday before we left. They came bearing all sorts of thoughtful gifts that made the goodbye sweeter.

First, each of us received a Target gift card (WHOOP, WHOOP!) to use when we got to Colorado. Keegan no longer really cared about when we were leaving, he just wanted to know what day he got to go buy a toy when we got here :)

My mother-in-law even gave us a prayer shawl that was prayed over so we could have a tangible reminder that we're always wrapped in prayer no matter where we are. My heart.

We also got two loaves of Nana's Pumpkin Bread!!!! Our favorite! Mmm! And we can't forget the Bananas from Nana!

Luckily, Tina, John and Mike came bearing the news that they are already planning a visit West! We can't wait to have visitors in May. It definitely made this goodbye easier since it turned into a "see you soon!"

The next day, my sister, brother-in-law, nephew and niece came over to clear our pantry of everything we were having to get rid of, celebrate my sister's birthday and say our goodbyes.

This day was hard.

These five have spent all their years together- best friends for sure. It breaks my heart more than words can describe to know the role we're playing in their lives is going to diminish by distance alone. It's making me cry just talking about it. FaceTime is good, but for these best friend, wrestling kids its second rate. I'm confident that the time we do get, however, will be sweeter. How could it not?! Look at those faces together! 

We had chocolate coconut cake like our granny used to make, laughed and talked a lot, and then cried a lot in the end. 

My sister is my very best friend. She and I get each other, know our roots, know our pains and our joys. It hurts that we will see each other less, but am so thankful we had that Sunday to be together- just our families. I read a quote somewhere that said something similar to: "The best gift you can give a girl is a sister," and I have to say, it's true.

We had a busy few days preparing for the movers to come on Wednesday. I will say, my type A self struggled to have someone else do all the packing, moving and lifting- especially since it's all done just the day before moving day. It was nice to sit back, but a very strange sensation. They literally pack EVERYTHING, so, so quickly. Guys, Frank packed my WIPES. My baby wipes. I had to go out and buy more wipes... But I guess at least I'll have a fresh pack when we get into the new house?! Ha!

Keegan went to school for his last day on Wednesday while the packers came. My mom came a little early so we could take off to Saint Martha's together, because....

Ta-Da! Grammy was Keegan's MYSTERY Reader at school! So fun. Grammy had given the boys "Wherever You Go My Love Will Find You" for Christmas, so she brought that to read to the class. I love little Benny sitting right up in front with Keegan's class. We sure will miss Saint Martha's and our friends we made there.Wahhh...

We came back for a quick Arby's lunch amongst the packers, then we walked through the house with the boys one last time so they could say their goodbyes. The big boys went to Grammy and Papi's for the night so they didn't have to be in the chaos of the movers any longer than necessary.

While the boys were at Grammy and Papi's, Grammy took them on a scavenger hunt to the beach, to the playground to play, played outside in the sand at the side of their house and they even made Colorado Cupcakes. Once we finally packed up the house for the last time on Thursday, Kris, Smith and I headed up north to stay for the night and take the big boys the next morning for our road trip.

Sidenote: I bawled like a baby leaving this house. I always thought I'd have all daughters, but when we were house searching, we found this house and were told that given our approved financing, we were not eligible to buy this house given rules at the time. I had the most VIVID dream of my little blonde haired, blue-eyed boy standing on this front porch wearing a backpack on his first day of school. I actually went and cried on this front porch because I saw that little boy and wanted this home. A few weeks later we got a call that the restrictions had changed and we were now able to buy this house. Only after Keegan was born did I realize that little boy in my dream was my Keegan Michael. So, so weird. I love this home and miss is already. Summer's were the best on that front porch! We are so looking forward to getting into our new home.

ANYWAY...

We had a great night with Grammy and Papi. The next morning they even woke up bright and early to give us a great big breakfast before we hit the road at 6:30 in the morning! What a send off. Nothing like my mom's sausage gravy and biscuits! 

We made our way west to Omaha that night... In my Traverse with three little boys and two dogs for ten hours... Again: Wahhh....

Anyway, we are here and adjusting. The sun has shone since Sunday, but we may be getting our first Colorado snow storm tonight... But don't worry, it should be sunny and warm all next week! 

I'll update tomorrow about our road trip and how we're settling in! 

Thanks for all of your thoughts and prayers as we have journeyed West! Can't wait to update you all more soon. 

Another Goodbye

One thing we've learned about Keegan lately is that he has his momma's anxiety. We can't tell him about ANYTHING ahead of time, even if it's fun, or he works himself sick. Bless his soul. I tell him things when he asks, but we've learned that we can't hype him up about ANYTHING if we want him (or us, for that matter) to enjoy ourselves.

So, Keegan found out on Saturday evening that the next night we were going to Grandma Barb and Papa Bill's house to say goodbye... We left it at that. :)

But, that was definitely not all it was. The whole side of the family came. Great Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins. We felt loved. And we got another cake.... #whootwhoot!!! And guyyys, Meijer did it... They made my palate hurt with their sweet, delicious frosting. So, so good.

 

Too funny, huh?! I can't tell you the number of weed comments we've received in the past few months, so this cake was super, super appropriate!

 

Well, we had goodbyes. Lots of them. And the boys got to play, hard. And we had tears, that's for sure. Just like the going away party a couple weeks ago, we can celebrate, though, that we have so many people that we can miss and love all around the country. That's a good feeling.

 



There's that beauty of a cake, and that stud of a man cutting the cake. Mmm! Kris' step mom made a huge meal for everyone, and they got the cake. His grandma brought a cherry pie that Bennett proceeded to eat the crust off the side of it. He's a dessert boy, that's for sure!

 

Guys, Benny is going to miss his cousin Kaylee SO much. She is a total little momma, and loves on Bennett hard. They have clicked since the day Benny was born, and Kaylee loves to push him around in the doll stroller, and carry him around the house. Bennett HATES to be a baby, except when Kaylee babies him and shows him all that love and attention. He feels like a king and it is adorable!

 

 

And even though there were tears, it's so nice knowing that we will be back for a couple of weeks this summer... and that EVERYONE KNOWS that our guest room is open, and ready for visitors... in the end of June once we move in :)

 

So Karolkiewicz side of the family- thank you for loving us (all!) hard, and making sure we never doubt it. We love you, and are thankful that we WILL see you SOON!!!