Weeks 30 & 31: Homeward Bound

Oh weeks 30 and 31. So many feelings. So much change and adventure.

The movers came for our things on a Monday (the last week of June). It was AMAZING to have someone pack us. Amazing. They had everything boxed up and in their van in a matter of hours. And then we were left with an air mattress, our pillows and blankets, our TV (priorities), and a couple of camping chairs. The kids wasted no time in making lots of new games with their wide-open space.

This was Steve's last week of work, which meant lots of hard goodbyes for him. His last shift was an overnight leading in to my 31st birthday. He came home after a long night and promptly made me a lovely breakfast in (air mattress) bed. :) Happy preggo mama.

We had planned to leave on Sunday, but after a few days in our empty apartment, we decided we might as well make an early start and spend an extra day somewhere with furniture. So Saturday morning we packed up the remainder of the apartment, I did laundry and packed suitcases, Steve ran a couple errands and said some last goodbyes, and then we loaded into the car. It was surreal leaving Winston-Salem. I definitely didn't internalize the fact that we were driving away and not coming back. It was just too odd after 7 years of living there. But that was how we commenced 5 days of travel, 1,300+ miles.

But oh, sleeping in real beds every night?! THE BEST.

We stopped in Charlotte first, and headed down to Atlanta the next day. We ate at Flip Burger there (YUM) and Steve and I were very happy (the kids preferred just watching movies in the van). From there we hit Biloxi, MS, Lake Charles, LA, and then (at last!) we made it to San Antonio. Travel was challenging (I had to stuff a bunch of diapers and a water bottle between my back and the chair to try to keep the preggo back pain at a minimum, and breathed through many a panic attack during the drive) but Steve made sure we took lots of stretch breaks and ate snacks and lunches, and we took the second half of every day to just chill out in our hotel rooms.

Still, we were VERY happy to pull up to our (temporary) town home on the final travel day!

WE MADE IT!!!

That night we ordered pizza and ate on the floor and were very happy.

And the next day the movers arrived with all our stuff. CHAIRS! BEDS!!!! Comfort and luxury!!! Oh, we were happy. Steve had to go get his in-processing started at the base, so it was on me to do whatever was required. The big kids played Legos upstairs while Juliette and our baby-bump helped me track inventory.

And that night we all slept on mattresses, and that was very, very happy. <3

Week 24: Jetsetting

This is just a nice selfie of me. Where I don't look tired. Because I'm not. Because this picture was taken ON VACAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!

Earlier this month the babes and I cashed in on my (fantastic) Christmas gift from Steve: a trip to see my med-school bestie! I hopped on a plane with a backpack loaded down with books and snacks (ALL FOR ME!) and many hours later I was hugging my Suzi in the PHX airport. And the fun started right there. We didn't even go home--we went straight to In'n'Out for dinner, followed by splitting a delish Biscoff + strawberry topped dessert at Waffle Love. (If you live near one, go get one in my name. I'll take the calories for you. I'll just hide them in here:)

For five days we shopped! (Old Navy! H&M! Charming Charlie! Anywhere we wanted at the Scottsdale Mall! And Nordstroms' Last Chance, where I got these two pairs of flats that retail for about $100/pair for $35!)

We ate! (Kneaders! In'n'Out! Waffle Love! Paradise Bakery! Sauce! The Soda Shop! Cafe Rio!) 

We met up with friends (hi Amanda!), got pedicures, and saw not one but TWO movies! (And they were both good!)

We watched good TV (all of season 1 of Grantchester, and a new version of And Then There Were None that had us really jumpy).

I took lots of naps and ate lots of ice.

I called/texted/sent selfies to Steve so he knew the baby bump and I were okay.

And when I got to the airport at home (after promising to try to make this a repeat occasion--next year, maybe?!) all three of my babies wrapped their cute arms around me at once and I just felt filled up with gratitude to have these loves of my life. (Who all, miraculously, felt worth the effort of pregnancy when I help them at birth--and that reminded me that this one will, too.)

Best girl trip ever. <3