We made our final run back to Manteo last Wednesday/Thursday for our final trailer load. If I never see another U-Haul vehicle, it will be too soon!(This is a picture from the Big Moving Day.)
Happily, we had a gift certificate for a stay at the lovely Oasis Suites while we were back in town. I told Steve that my heart was yearning for beauty and order, both of which are in short supply in our lives right now.
The hotel certainly fit the bill!
Hotel beauty aside, these are the kinds of sights that normally fill my days. Actually though, this particular photo gives me joy because it means all those boxes have been emptied.
The kitchen and I have spent a couple of long days together as I’ve tried to decipher how to “put 10 pounds of mud in a 5-pound bucket.” (Which is an old country saying, if you’re not familiar.)
In Manteo, I had bookoodles of storage including the cupboards, a pantry, and a large laundry room across from the kitchen with a ton of shelves.
In Charlotte? Not so much. I actually filled up four boxes to take to the Charlotte Goodwill after everything kitchen-related was unloaded.
On my second day of working, I was determined to empty every box marked “kitchen.” Unfortunately, in the middle of my labors, the air conditioner gave up the ghost; it was 94 degrees outside and close to 80 degrees inside. But I trundled sweatily along on my mission, encouraged along the way by notes that Greta had written as she packed.
Here is my end result.
The countertop, floors, curtains, and cupboard knobs will all be changed out but for now, at least we can make breakfast without tripping over boxes.
And speaking of breakfast, all those stacks of stuff haven’t kept Steve from his Bible reading accompanied by his coffee-imbibing. Nice to bring old traditions into our new house.
We were blessed to have Gage’s three brothers (who live in Charlotte), Steve’s brother, Dana, and our neighbor, Ray, help with the unloading.
It was amazing to watch these young men (and my slightly older husband) work for hours at a time, carrying small boxes, enormous pieces of furniture, and everything in between.
They did take a little time off for a water/laugh/watermelon break. (Dana kept up with the crew despite wearing a walking cast!)
And speaking of injuries, Steve knelt down in the grass near the street on the first day of unloading and got a few dozen fire ant bites. The only thing that helped relieve the discomfort was Benadryl so he’d sleep half an hour, jump up and work a while, take a nap, and jump up and work. Fortunately, he didn’t have the reaction to ants that he had to bees.
You might think the living room is looking pretty dandy–all spacious and semi-neat.
Well, that was the first day of moving in.
This is what it’s like now.
There are a couple of challenges we’re dealing with.
Since all of the flooring is being replaced and all of the walls painted, we can’t exactly load things into dressers and china cabinets and hang photos. So in the meantime, the boxes are just kinda hanging out there with us like brand new family members. Wherever we sit, there they are.
I wanted to show you one small change we’ve made so far.
This wall used to form a little entryway. (Front door is to the right; the hall to the bedrooms is to the left.)
We had that wall removed in order to give us more space.
We are also going to remove the wall on the left.
A view of the wall from the other side.
We most definitely have our work cut out for us. But I am reminding myself that when you work on a house where the progress is gradual, you appreciate all the more each small improvement.
Next Tuesday, Sarah and Gage will be joining us in the house and Gage will be helping Steve with some of the renovations. They will be staying with us for a few weeks while looking for jobs and an apartment.
A couple of miscellaneous things before closing:
First: Steve got this photo of Nathan and me while he was visiting us in Manteo. I just love how it perfectly captures the joy and ease of our relationship.
Second: Last Saturday night I actually managed to produce a meal in the midst of a kitchen where I couldn’t remember where anything was. The main dish was chicken, pesto, mozzarella, tomato, and basil leaf. Now that I have done real cooking I feel like we are officially moved in.
Third: Nathan and Meagan and family are going to be experiencing impacts from Ian this week. We are praying for them and everyone else in the storm’s path.
Speaking of hurricanes and Nathan . . .
I am reminded of his birth thirty-three years ago, right here in Charlotte. Hurricane Hugo made a visit right after we brought Nathan home from the hospital. (At the time, we were living in an RV, so we came to Steve’s parent’s house for the first few days.)
Nathan came early and since we had no crib set up, he spent the first few days of his life in a towel-lined dresser drawer–a dresser that right now sits down the hall from where I am typing this post. Right beside it is the white wicker chair where I took photos of Sarah as an infant.
In other words, we are not just buying a house; we are buying precious memories. Every hassle and repair and inconvenience is worth it so that we can reside in a place that houses so many memories of our loves and our lives
What about you?
Are you anywhere near the path of the hurricane? If you have a moment this week, keep us in touch with what’s going on with you.
I LOVE the photo of Pastor Steve in front of the U-Haul caravan. A possible title: “We’ve got this!” 🙂
Fred,
That’s perfect!
Moving is huge and hard. Keep chiseling away at it.
Prayers for Nathan and his family for safety through the hurricane.
We are in Breckenridge, Colorado for the week. Enjoying time with family and the splendor of the changing fall colors.❤️
LeeAnne,
Colorado is such a beautiful state. I’ve never seen it in the fall but can only imagine. Enjoy!
Thanks for the prayers for Nate and family. They lost electricity early on and had a few other issues but they are safe.
We moved in with my Father-in-law after my husband’s mom passed away. We had a daughter, who was 10 and a house with all of our things. We literally moved in with him 2 days after she died and kind of abandoned our house for a year, we ended up renovating and renting it out for a few years before we sold it. It was really chaotic, but worth it in the long run. My FIL passed away last year and we still live in his house, which is the house my husband grew up in. I don’t regret it! I think it’s really special that Steve’s family home will stay in the family!
Jessie,
What a big transition–losing a family member and moving in with your dad-in-law, all in two days!
I love that you still live in the family home; it’s such a great feeling to be so closely tied to family roots, isn’t it?
I’m nowhere near the hurricane’s path although I have many friends in its path since I lived in Tampa for almost 13 years. I have reached out to several today – one is in Tampa and sent me a picture of their window with the hurricane shutter installed. Another lives north of Tampa but her daughter is a nurse at one of the Tampa area hospitals so she can’t really leave as she could get called in. Since the daughter is divorced, my friend has her three kids, ages 4-9. Another friend lives just south of St. Petersburg, she is under a mandatory evacuation. When I reached out to her yesterday, she was planning to stay home, the evacuation order wasn’t in order yet. She texted today and said she was headed to her sister’s house who lives farther inland. One of my other friends lives in the Daytona area, she’s not expecting to get hurricane winds but could see a lot of rain.
You were very lucky to have Gage’s brothers to help with the unloading! Good luck with all your renovations.
Phyllis,
Since you lived in Tampa for 13 years, I know you are especially interested in all that is going on right now with friends who still liv there. I have prepped for several hurricanes and it is certainly a stressful time. I truly appreciate people like your nurse friend who are staying put so they will be available to help others. Truly heroes!
So thankful for all of your helpers and that you are moved (if not unpacked yet). Moving is hard and you guys have made great progress already!! Take some time to rest though.
Happy that Sage will be joining y’all for awhile! How fun that they will be in the same town.
I’m heading north for the weekend but not due to the hurricane even though that will be a benefit! I am going to get to see my “baby” boy for the first time in months and I’m so thrilled about about that.
Suzanne,
Seeing a child is always a good excuse to travel–in any direction! Nice that it also coincides with getting away from the hurricane.
Enjoy!
Moving is such a challenge, and I’m so impressed you were able to cook a meal in the chaos! We too live in an old house (over a hundred years!) and it’s quite an adventure. Lots of lovely discoveries, but also lots of “why on earth is this the way it is?” We are fortunate enough to have been given photos of the front of the house over the years, starting with one that has what looks like a model T parked out front. I love imagining all the people who made this space their home before me.
Robin,
How cool to have pictures of your home through the years. I LOVE the thought of that! And I’m like you–I enjoy imagining the people who came before, whenever I see an old building. So many stories that could be told.
Enjoy your historic home!
So glad you had lots of help. Will be anxious to see all the changes you will be making to your new home. I had assumed that Gage and Sarah already had jobs lined up when they moved. My husband says, don’t assume anything!!! That meal looks wonderful. What an energetic lady you are. That was a beautiful room you had. And that wonderful picture of the sunset and river made it even more special for you to rest and relax. That was very thoughtful of wriing down thoughtful verses and words of encouragement..
Sharyn,
They’ve been looking around for jobs but want to actually have boots on the ground in Charlotte before actively looking. And it appears that many apartments won’t rent without a couple of pay stubs so it will be a lot of details to get together.
Yes, I loved that room; so much peacefulness!
Good luck with the unpacking! Unfortunately, I’m in central Florida near the path of this hurricane. I’m also flying out of Orlando tomorrow to go to Ireland for two weeks, but my husband and son will be home during the storm. Just hoping that my flight gets off okay and my house is standing undamaged when I return!
Melissa,
A trip to Ireland? Jealous! I’ve always wanted to go there on a picture-taking jaunt. Sounds like you are getting out of that airport just in time–or at least, I hope your flight is still a go!
praying you all settle into your new town and home … we are going to miss you all so much look forward to seeing all your new memories made:) many blessings .. that meal you made looked like a 5 star restaurant YUMMMMMY!!! xoxoxoxoxo
Jess,
So good to see your name pop up here! I apologize we were never able to get you guys over for dinner but things got a little crazy there the past couple of months.
I appreciate your words about the meal I made; I’ve found that if I put all my items into one dish it makes it look fancier. (Plus saves on dishes!)
Greet John for us!
Becky,
Moving is not for the faint of heart! Having moved twice in the past six years I feel your pain. I plan on staying where I am now for a long time! I love this old house and the neighborhood. I am sure once the dust settles and everything is arranged the two of you will be very happy there. How exciting Sarah and Gage will be staying with you for awhile. I am certain you two are very happy they will live nearby.
Cindy,
Glad you have landed in a place you love. Old houses have so much character; kind of like old people! 🙂
Yes, it will be great to have Sarah and Gage nearby. Never could have planned that in a thousand years!
I’m so glad things are coming along. New memories intertwined with old ones. Makes it all worth it. Looking forward to hearing Sarah and Gage’s plans as the weeks roll by. I was wondering if you were thinking about getting another pup once all settles down.
Lesley,
We have definitely talked about another dog but for a while, at least, we want to enjoy being empty-nesters, able to pick up at a moment’s notice without worrying about someone to take care of the dog. But I don’t know how long that will last; I do miss having a small white, furry creature in the house!
Can’t wait to see all of the lovely updates to your memory filled home. Our former kitchen had one of those over the window bridge pieces – we removed it and it was amazing how much it opened up and modernized the space AND how much more natural light came in. All that in about five minutes with four screws.
Laura,
I didn’t even know what a window bridge was; had to look it up! How nice that you could make such a great improvement by removing four screws. I wish our projects were that easy!
It will make a huge difference to remove that kitchen wall but it will make a huge mess, as well. It will all be over eventually.
So glad that your kitchen is set up as they say it is the heart of the home. Prayers as you continue to set up and feel at home amidst all the memories. We aren’t in the path of hurricanes but are heading into Northern Michigan for a few days and there is to be a lot of rain.
Patti,
Yes, I feel like I can handle anything if my kitchen is somewhat organized. It’s a great feeling.
Safe travels. Northern Michigan is beautiful!
I always look forward to Mondays to see your progress and updates. I did a complete house remodel four years ago, at age 82, soon after moving from a two-story house to a single story. I know what you are going through. Removing the living room and kitchen walls will make the house much more open and livable. God bless you.
Aunt Yvonne,
I imagine you had to do a good bit of downsizing going from two-stories to one. It truly is amazing how much stuff can be accumulated.
Thanks for your encouragement about our renovations. You are one of my few readers who has actually been in the house so you can picture it all. I can’t wait to see it when it’s all done.
So impressed with all you guys have accomplished! Sooo much work for you. Bless the Long brothers, Dana and the neighbor for helping. Good men!
I’m glad Greta left the packing notes for you. 🙂
It is literally a jungle out there when Steve goes outside. Fire ants now? Ouch! I literally look around cautiously when I go outside these days, thinking of his bad experiences with the Wildlife of the Lawn.
Who could ever dream your path would lead you back to live in the family home already so full of precious memories. And now you will make more! All the changes you have planned will make it your own and be so very lovely.
Sending love as always and prayers for all the grace and strength you need day by day. 💕
Deb
Deb,
Thanks for the prayers and for grace and strength; a LOT of that is needed each day.
This afternoon I’d had about had it so I got in the car and drove around awhile getting familiar with the area; I also stopped in at the Goodwill with a load of stuff. It was therapeutic to escape the boxes for a little while.
Hi Becky, Just seeing all those boxes and furniture scattered about makes my sore back even sorer! I just helped my son move from Kansas City down to Wichita (which included a U-Haul as well) but it was nothing compared to the size of your move! My husband’s sisters live in the Orlando area and are getting prepared for Ian should it veer their way, one is a widow in a large house with a disabled daughter and is trying to put up shutters etc., I believe her daughter and son in law from VA (with their 3 kids under 3!) are on their way down to help. His other sister lives in an assisted living facility and the facility is also making preparations, we are in the Raleigh area so I have not checked if we will be impacted yet. Continued good luck with your move and continued prayers all in the path of Ian.
Dale,
Oh my. I know you all are concerned about your sisters-in-law living in Florida right now; that’s some scary stuff. Glad they are both getting assistance.
I think Charlotte is supposed to get some extra rain Wednesday or Thursday but we really need it so we’ll just hunker down and enjoy not having to go out in it!
I know your son appreciate your help with moving and it’s always nice to be able to do something for your son.
Hello Becky
I was actually thinking of you today and I wanted to ask if you had memories of Hugo the hurricane (they mentioned the hurricane Fiona in the news here)and you actually mentioned Hugo in the post but what was it like? Was it scary?
We do not really get hurricanes in Denmark we had one in 1999 but I do not remember even I was 9.
Have you ever seen a tornado?
Katrina,
I do remember Hugo; most of the people in the house went to the basement because of the high winds. A tree was knocked down across the street and we couldn’t even get our of the neighborhood for several days. A little scary with a newborn.
I’ve never been in a tornado, thankfully!