All Moved In!

I know I'm way overdue for a real post with, like, pictures and stuff. But, you know, moving is very busy! So, here's what we have been up to!

My Dad and a couple of the men from the church in Missouri came and helped up packed up or U-Haul last Wednesday afternoon. We had a going away party Wednesday evening after services and then stayed the night at Mom and Dad's. We loaded up Thursday morning and began our long trek across the country to the east coast. Mom and Dad brought their car and so Russ drove that, Dad drove the U-Haul which also pulled Russ' car and I drove my car with Mom and Chloe Jo. We stopped and stayed the night outside of Nashville, Tennessee (Ashley, I said hi to you, Katie and Brad while we were driving through!). We drove through the Appalacians on Friday and stayed that night outside of Charlottle, North Carolina.

Here we are in front of our *ginormous* U-Haul.

The thing was not full and when we opened it to unpack, everything had tumbled around and it looked like we just threw our boxes in there.

On Saturday morning we made the last couple of hours of the trip and arrived at our new home around noon. It would have been a lot earlier if it wasn't for this:
I think we were pretty lucky to drive 1,000 miles and only had this one mishap about 30 miles from our destination. The U-Haul people told my Dad to just drive on it because they would be at least 2 hours to come to where we are. So he did. And I was nervous the entire time! But, in all fairness, the tire was on the car trailer and it had double wheels and the other wheel on that side was just fine. And who are we to argue with U-Haul about driving on a flat...er, destroyed...tire?

This is our new home. It is a duplex and it is so quiet! I love not living in a complex with neighbors above us. I'm fairly happy with the place. The kitchen and bathrooms are very outdated, but they are clean now (thanks Mom for scrubbing that disgusting tub!).

I don't like our landlord. When he came to let us in he made a huge racial slur against the people who live next to us. They are Indians (as in from India, not Native Americans. I didn't realize that until Russ told me. I can't help it. I lived in Oklahoma for a while.) and our landlord said that Indians are dumb. Whatever, dude. Indians are not dumb and that is totally racist. Anyway, that and the fact that he thinks he is big stuff have made me not like him much. We asked him to fix a leak on the water heater and have an exterminator come out for some bug problems and those men all called him "Mr. So-and-so."

Enough about him! We moved all of our stuff in and I got the big furniture situated while Mom vacuumed and Russ and Dad did odds and ends fix-it type jobs the rest of the day. Sunday went really well. Russ had a great sermon and the congregation seems to like him. There are around 30 members and it is a very bi-racial group. I am adding this because the church we were members of in Missouri wasn't. We had 2 African American families that I can think of and the rest of the 150 members were Caucasian. The town is very diverse, also. I'm really glad about this because it will help Chloe Jo to accept all races and the differences we have.

Mom and Dad had to leave to go back home on Monday morning and it was awful. I know I'm going to see them again, but it won't be for a while. I am used to spending Saturdays and Sundays with them and going to eat with them a couple of times a week. It is going to be a huge adjustment for Chloe Jo and I and for them, also I'm sure.

I finished unpacking the last box on Wednesday and I finished hanging the last thing on the wall yesterday. I guess that means that we are officially moved in. We are adjusting well so far to life over here, but it has only been a week...almost! I can't believe we haven't been here for longer. It feels like forever since we loaded up the U-Haul and made our way out here.

I have learned a few things since moving out here and being around here:

1. Drivers are crazy everywhere. It does not matter if it's in a big city or on a country road.

2. The trees in this part of the country are a whole lot taller than the trees we are used to in the Ozarks.

3. People from South Carolina are very proud to be from South Carolina. There are a ton of cars with the Palmetto Tree and Crescent Moon (these are on the state flag) on the back glass. I never saw a car with any "I love Missouri" anything on them.

4. The sweet tea in the south is really, really, really sweet.

5. Southern hospitality is still alive.

6. It is easier to teach Chloe Jo to speak Dr. Suess and Obble Bobble than it is to teach her English. Her new favorite phrases are "zizzer zazzer zuzz" and "obble bobble." She hates to speak English. Go figure.

And last of all, here are a couple of road signs that we didn't have in Missouri:

That's all for now, folks!