Boxes and Duct Tape

A single decision that is made has a ripple effect... And usually in many ways that one does not fully consider.  Now, a simple decision of should I eat ice cream before bed or not, is pretty logical that if I eat it I will gain weight, not sleep well and maybe end up with a tummy ache however, will these consequences be worth the delight of eating it?  The simple decision to move away seemed easy enough once the decision was made, but the repercussions of moving away are vast and many!

What do I do first?  How do I relocate 1,700 miles away? What was I thinking!?!  So I made a list.... And another list.... And a list of the list and lost them all.  Found one, added to it and made another.  Eventually, I stopped and just started doing one thing at a time....  I had to decided what goes, what stays, what gets donated to Goodwill and what gets tossed.  I kept vacillating back and forth over my furniture and finally decided that the cost of transporting it to Phoenix was not worth it.  So, what Jen didn't put in her new home was sold or given away. 

I was rescued from myself by Stacey who became my voice of reason.  She grounded my feet as I bounced from one decision to another.  She brought boxes over and sat with me one evening going through my room.  Piles began to emerge:  To go on the first trip; To go on the second trip; Store at Jen's house; Goodwill; and garbage.  As I flitted from one drawer, to a different shelf, then got distracted by a pile of books, she calmly wrapped and packed the boxes.  Finally, exhausted, I fell into bed and awoke to my room looking like a hurricane hit it!

Jen was preparing to move on the upcoming Saturday and had arranged for family and friends to come and help... It was then that I realized that my furniture needed to be moved that same day. In three days... WHAT?!?   Where was my brain?!?  Wednesday and Thursday night I babysat the grand kids so I took off Friday to pack and prepare for my stuff to be moved.



The Breakfast Club - Founding Members
Kirk, Cheryl, Sabra and Ken

 I  kept reminding myself that eventually everything would work out, like it always does, and everything would get done.  I wanted to spend as much time with those around me as I could... So Friday morning, instead of packing, I headed down to The Country Cafe in Bothell to meet up with my Breakfast Club friends Ken, Kirk and Sabra to enjoy the best bacon in town and fill the morning with good laughter.

I dreaded returning home to tackle the dungeon.  There were boxes and tubs filled with "who knows what" under the house that needed to be sorted through....  Dang!  I was intimidated by the magnitude of all that loomed in front of me.  Where did all this stuff come from?  Thoughts of what Jen had said to me a couple of days earlier were ringing truer and truer, "Get rid of all this stuff from your past.  You get to have a fresh start."  So, with Keira's help, I began to open boxes... and the process continued for over four hours!  But what emerged was a very lopsided pile of items to take to the Goodwill with just a few boxes and things to save and take to Jen's house.  Hallelujah! 

Saturday morning arrived and the handful of friends began to show up around 9am... the moving van and many hands made the two trips to Jen's new house pretty smooth.  I have to say, I am pretty proud of her the way she organized everything! I walked into my room late that night with just a bed, a TV-tray holding my alarm clock, lamp and stereo, several small boxes, a suitcase and my clothes... Wow.  The bare walls echoed of life as I knew it being stripped away...

Stacey and Cheryl

The next morning Stacey picked me up early and we stopped for coffee then headed to church.  Memories flooded my thoughts of all the time spent within these walls... The stirring of my heart to know who God was, the awakening of the power of His love, the prayers, worship and friendships that had grown.  I giggled and reminded Stacey of the time when she tried to slip me a piece of fruity gum that made me gag during service. Sadness rose up as I reflected on who the church used to be, the faulty teachings and hurts that followed... and I grieved for all that was and was lost.  However, I am a stronger person for having walked this path.

We left that day, my friend and I, pondering how differently people have responded to my leaving.  From dear friends who were mad, to others who were just sad and going to miss me, and then there were those few who absolutely celebrated my new life choices and encouraged me daily.  There is a time in life when a girls just got to do what a girls got to do... How else would one experience The Grand Adventure!?!



Look I CAN have my cake... Even if
I can't eat it!

 The following week was filled with my "Goodbye Dinner" from work, moving miscellaneous things over to Jen's house, sorting and packing my clothes, and an evening filled with loading Stacey's van TO THE RIM with items to go to the Goodwill.   Did I really have that much "stuff"?  Why?!?  Well, today I am cured of "stuff"!  I don't want "stuff" anymore! 

The weekend flew by... Coffee and pedicures Friday morning with Darci, then Friday night Stacey, Jen and Mia and I enjoyed dinner at Playa Bonita Restaurant so we could see my favorite waitress, Bertha. Then we were off to the movies. Wait!  I think I even got my belly button pierced after the movie!  Oh my golly!  Yes, indeed I did. Saturday was moving day for Mom and my brother, Roy, so I helped out until almost 4:30pm and then headed home for a little siesta before getting together with some sweet friends at Wine Styles for a wine tasting goodbye party.



The Gang:  Stacey, Nancy, Cheryl, Betty, Chris and Chelli



My list for the last two days seemed to keep getting longer and longer... but eventually, every one of the "to dos" were checked off ... car maintenance, change of address, painting finished (thanks to my friends and family!), car loaded, final cleaning, and banking done.  Taco dinner at Mom's house for Valentine's Day with the family, the very difficult final goodbye hugs and on Tuesday at noon-thirty I was headed down the freeway to pick up Peter at the airport...

The Grand Adventure had begun!

-Cheryl