And we are off!

That was it, it was time! Our big move was scheduled for mid-ish June and the movers came to pack things up on a Monday. Four men basically scurried around us packing everything that wasn't nailed down. Complete and utter chaos. The main coordinator and I briefly talked about Dylan's special needs and he actually left her room untouched while they packed the rest of the house. The last day though, it was game on and they all went in there and made quick work of it!

Origionally they told me it would take five business days, 2-3 to pack and 2-3 to load the truck. They lied. It took 2.5 days and we watched our stuff drive off into the noon sun. I guess I am happy about that because living amidst so many boxes was pretty rough, but on the other hand, we expected to have beds for a couple more nights. They left the Wednesday prior to our leaving on a Monday.

Just like that we were officially bedless, toyless and generally stuffless. Well except for the corner of our room we dubbed the "safe zone". And by safe we means safe from the movers because very little was safe from them! We briefly (very briefly) tried to track down enough air mattresses for us all but then Matthew's sister reminded us that she had a standing invitation... with beds, toys and a neighborhood pool. It was an offer we couldn't refuse. Poor Ami...

But it was fuuuu-unnnn. We stayed there for five nights I think? Something like that. The kids actually loved it. Almost totally free access to computer games with the cousins? Yes please! Honestly all the kids were ready to go to Florida until we stayed at Ami's house and then they all started having second thoughts. We were like "Sorry Ian, we are moving..." after he was lamenting and then he looked up at me with his big brown eyes and said "Well then can we at least visit Ami's house?" 

All the flights to our final destination involved a lay-over and originally, we had 7 people, a wheel chair and a dog to move, and the idea of a lay-over with all of that going on almost made my head explode so we chose the shorter, direct flight, with a 2 hour drive at the end. 

At kind of the last minute, but it was in the works for a little while, we decided to leave Fitz in Utah. Matthew's sister had arranged a play date for her dog and Fitz a couple weekends before to see if they got along since she was considering getting another dog anyway and heard me talking about not particularly wanting/having room or a yard for Fitz in Florida. It went swimmingly and he's now getting more yard, love, affection and attention than he could have ever gotten from us. Happy ending for Fitz. In the end and having been here a while, this was for sure the right decision for us for many many reasons. 

We left early on Monday morning, Michael dropped us off at the airport and we all piled out to check our huge bags and head to security. I called TSA Cares, a disability service, ahead of time to let them know that we had Dylan and meds and a wheelchair and all kind of other complicated things and that we would like to have someone help us. We were in line for security and a wonderful (gorgeous, fabulous, super amazing, delightful - wait... I just might be happy to see her...) woman came and grabbed us into a line and waited with us and told us what to do and where to go. She ushered us through the process and we came out the other side where she checked Dylan's food and meds and swabbed my hands since Dylan was sleeping so they didn't have to get her out of her chair. We were on our way. It was fast and darn near painless so shout out to TSA Cares and the security manager for a job well done. The whole thing had been giving me stress.

I may or may not have called my favorite Pediatrician's office to get a controlled substance for Dylan in case she needed it on the flight.  Benadryl is an upper... we needed the good stuff. Initially Matthew was sitting with Dylan and Asher, across the isle was an enormous man (with noise canceling head phones) me and then Greyson. Ian and Duncan were behind me with some lady who was nice enough but said too many times that she would keep them in line if they needed too. Kind of like the mean old lady that knew she should be being nice but didn't really want to be so she said all the right things (?) without meaning them? Even though she was kidding it didn't come off quite right... was she kidding?

Anyway, I thought I had it easy with Greyson but I was wrong. I was so wrong. It was awful. Dare I say THE WORST. He was a total pill. He wouldn't play with an ipad, watch a movie, play a game... be nice... be normal... A little over half way there I traded with Matthew and I got Dylan, who was stirring and eventually wok for a little while and Asher who needed a halo. Seriously. Greyson was the worst. Everyone give a silent hooray for us landing and being able to get Greyson off the freaking plane. Thanks. 

The only problem with the post-flight two-hour drive is that it involved two cars since all of us and our stuff wouldn't fit in one (unless we paid 4 times as much and rented a meag-van). So it took a while, and some finagling, and it was hot hot hot (welcome to FL), to get the car seats in the right place. 

We stopped for lunch, my car (me really) opted for the chocolate cookie for dessert while I watched Matthew's car (Matthew really) make the (poor) choice of milk shakes. Needless to say, a future pull over was necessary to remedy a spilled milk shake in the rental car. Can I get a hand raise for who saw this coming? haha 

At one point we stopped at a gas station to pee and it was the most disgusting, filthy bathroom I have ever seen in my life. I mean truly, the thing needed to be burned to the ground. It was so gross that Duncan refused to wash his hands in there... and this is my serious hand washer (every kid really gets progressively grosser from him down). This bathroom made you literally think you were worse off if you actually touched the handle to wash your hands than when you avoided it altogether. (Silent thank you for quads and a low toilet). In the parking lot, Asher spilled his gatorade in his rental car seat (that we had to return that night) so we spent way too much time in the parking lot of the gas station with the horrible bathroom, cleaning up messes. And then we were back on our way. 

We finally arrived at the house and were here for approximately 2.2 seconds while we unloaded the bags. Unfortunately, we had to take the half hour drive to the other airport to return the two rental cars, hopefully we would be back before midnight but it was not looking good at this point. 

While we did stop at the house a quick text was made and an angel descended upon our house bringing amazing gifts... air mattresses, food, tons and tons of food, sheets, blankets, everything we need for a few days of no-stuff-ed-ness. I had been in touch with the local LDS branch and they had people chip in to bring us lots of food! I had no idea ho much help this would be!

Then we set off for the last errand of an already very long day! The way we were returning the cars is that we stopped to fill up and piled all the kids into one, the mini-van. Then Matthew drives to return the car. I circle back and pick him up, and then we circle to OUR mini-van which is parked in short term, load all the kids into IT. He then drops off the mini-van and then I pick him up and we head home to live happily ever after. 

Except for the vomit.

Somewhere in the middle of this process... not somewhere, in between dropping off the two cars... Ian EXPLODED. Wave after wave of vomit during which Duncan said "mom, Ian's vomiting, mom, Ian's vomiting, mom, Ian's vomiting" over and over again (like we didn't know). The problem is that we were on those skinny circle roads at the airport with no place to pull over so we had to muscle through a mile until we got to the parking lot with our van. As soon as we stopped Duncan came flying out of the car... we got the other kids out and proceed to extract Ian out the BACK of the van by tipping the seat back and sliding him backwards onto the ground.

We had stopped at Walmart for pillows and pool noodles (priorities amIright?) so we took the bags off the new pillows and tossed Ian's clothes right into the bag/garbage where they will live forever. Thank goodness there were baby wipes in our van because you know those rental cars were bare bones! We had wipes!!! We made Duncan give his pants to Ian and wait while we proceeded to clean Ian, the car, and the car seat with baby wipes. I mean, for the love, we were turning the stupid car in in three minutes. It couldn't smell like vomit! (And man... did it smell like vomit.)

Done, well enough, we think, and Matthew gets in with all the windows down to return it. He said at the last minute he noticed some chunks so he removed a sock, wiped it off and went in to return the car with one sock on. (That sock also is in the garbage...) I am not sure this story is funny yet but I am hoping it will be someday.

We picked him up and we were on our way. One kid was uncomfortable squished between car seats in the back but somehow no one died and we arrived at our new home at about 12:30 am. At this point we had totally given up on life and told them all to get naked and go jump in the pool. But 'psssst, try to be kind of quiet so we don't make our new neighbors mad!'

Last picture I took of Fitz, sent it to Melissa. Is it any wonder they wanted him? Seriously.
(Don't get all melancholy, the kids haven't ask for him yet 3.5 week slater)

PS. Not very fun.

Day 1

I believe this was the end of day 2 but I might be into day 3.

Nice to not know what's going on...

And day 3. *I* became their only toy.
(PS, I am on the bottom of this pile. That's my leg on the right...)

Last time at Kristen's pool. 

Ami - Like the fairy godmother pied piper - leading my boys away to swim.
Nice to have a break.

Even thought we interrupted her morning pondering... more than once.

Cute Jenna trying to entertain them.

Awesome farewell dinner with Tracy and Shannon.

Japanese places - SO MUCH BETTER with kids!

Don't let the looks fool you... THE WORST.

Asher and Dylie get the plane prize. Winners!

Pawned off this stinker on his dad. C-YA!

First arrival at the house!
Even though we had to leave shortly after this... You know, for vomit-fest 2016.

We give up on this day. Go swim! First nudie-pool encounter.
Not the last.

The lighting isn't great but I think someone told Asa to stop and all the kids
turned to see what he was doing. Hilarious.

Awe shucks, last picture.

Or was it this one...