Chapter Two

(Or, another chapter of our lives, but I never counted, so I don't know the number. I thought Chapter Two sounded better...)

We did not just move across the country - we were displaced for a month. What to do with the time but travel? After tearfully leaving our friends we drove to Dover and got on a C-5 bound for Rota, Spain. A week in Spain was relaxing! We stayed in the Navy Lodge and went to the beach every day. The Lodge would lend you chairs, umbrellas, towels, coolers, and sand toys. How wonderful is THAT?? The kids ate squid, shark, octopus, snails, swordfish, etc. and we were so pleased! Seafood, beer, wine and water was pretty much what we lived on for the week. It was an experience with the kids that we were lucky to have. Here is Molly sucking out the snails.

And Chris and the kids in the water playing...

Of course, we HAD to eat a lot of gelato!! Every. Single. Day. I think that little girl has chocolate on every summer dress and shirt.
We also went up in a church tower in Seville.

We let the kids take a picture of us while in the palace gardens.

Most evenings we managed a walk along the beach.

Yummy sangria!!

From there we came back on another C-5 to Norfolk to Dover. We drove down to Richmond to see Heather and Scott for about 36 hours. It was worth every minute of the drive. I don't know when I'll see her again, which is hard. We took the kids to Maymont Park.

After Richmond we went to D.C. to see Mark. We all went to Mount Vernon together on a hot, summer day.

Then, driving back to State College we met up with Stephanie and Scott, Abby and Carter for dinner at an exit on the turnpike. They were on their way down to D.C., and meeting on the road was the best we could do. I miss them.
Next, it was back to State College to pick up our things at Rebecca and Jim's house, our old next door neighbors. After yet another tearful goodbye, we were at least on the road. Well, 3 miles down the road Chris realized the U-Haul did NOT have air conditioning. In Pittsburgh he traded trucks to get one that DID. We went to Wright-Patt to see Col. Z and Tami, and Julie, and then we were off to St. Louis. I met up with my friend Bob and a friend of his for drinks, which was fun. The next night we spent in Kansas City at Great Wolf Lodge with Stephanie and Chad and their 2 kids. That was fun!
The final night of travelling we spent in Salina, KS. Not a lot to do there, but we managed to find the best steak I have ever eaten at a place called Tucson's. The best salsa, too. It was a local joint, and the waiter said the prep cook, Bernice, makes the salsa. When she took a month off to have a baby, it was "horrible!" It made us laugh.
We arrived on 2 July. On the 4th we went to a cook-out with some friends of ours. What a lovely way to be made welcome right when you get back! Unfortunately, it poured rain and was so cold you could see your breath outside, but the guitars playing and the singing inside more than made up for it. Plus, the beer didn't hurt. :-)

Oh! I drove the Blazer with the 2 dogs, the 2 kids and the cat across country. We'd meet Chris each night at the hotel...anyway...I pulled up to the house, and we unloaded. We tried to get back into the Blazer to go to dinner, and it wouldn't start. Thank GOD it didn't die on me somewhere hours away from Chris on I-70!!

Our household goods were supposed to be delivered on the 6th. Due to a "computer glitch" according to the moving company, they weren't delivered until the 10th! So, it was another week in the TLF, but at least it is a modern TLF! Of all places to be stuck, it wasn't a bad place.

Chris started work on the 5th, so he has been pretty busy already.

We have been back in the house for a week now. It was strange to know where to put the furniture and dishes, and the neighbors on both sides, but strange in a good way. It was fantastic to have a friend come over as the truck was unloading and take the kids to the playground and Chick-Fil-A for ice cream. It has been nice having another friend come over to help me set up the play room.

In the first week - the kids rooms are unpacked, I managed to even bake muffins in the kitchen, and the dogs have run of the house, pretty much. The cat is not real happy about that, but she doesn't hide and growl at them much. We joined a gym so I hope to get in shape.

I didn't take pictures as we went across country - I just wanted to me a mom in charge of the kids and the animals, enjoying seeing our friends. Sorry, friends!

Before we moved we managed to squeeze in a bar tour. Who can leave State College without a bar tour? Certainly not US!!

Other than that - I miss my friends. I miss my neighbors. Moving sucks.