Time to Go

Thursday and Friday, September 25th & 26th, 2008.

At 8am I took Jayden to Pre-K as usual and headed home to meet the men that were going to pack all our belongings into boxes. It wasn't until the ride home that I realized we had just spent the last night in our Oregon home. Over the next week would be living out of suitcases and hotel rooms.

When we moved from Seattle to Portland the moving company sent two men and mid way through the day we had five people feverishly packing so the job would be completed in one day. Imagine my surprise when I greeted only two men when I arrived back from dropping Jayden. I asked if they were it and they assured me they would be done and out by 2pm. Ha. By 11am they added another guy and while out picking up Jayden from Pre-K the fourth man arrived. Even with all that man power they still weren't out of our house until a little after 5pm. But, the packing was done and I did none of it.

The boys and I checked into our hotel room at Lakespur Inn, just north of the Nike plane hanger at the Hillsboro Airport. It had become our routine each morning on the way to school to try to peer into the windows as we passed to see if the Nike planes were "eating breakfast" before heading out to play in the sky. I figured this would score some points with my Jayden on his big adventure.

Friday morning was the usual. Up, shower and dress. Boys up. Jayden fed. Usually he gets pancakes however I didn't have those but I felt pretty good that I had gotten some of those sample packs of cereal, except that I forgot to get a little thing of milk and our hotel didn't have room service. At least he ate something and who doesn't love crunching on dry cereal. Landon fed. Wrestle both boys into some clothing. Pack a diaper bag for Landon and out the door. Today was Jayden's last day at Knowledge Beginnings, Hillsboro but he didn't seemed phased at all. Drop Jayden and meet the men that were loading our boxes onto the truck.

Landon and I sat on the floor of our house as the men loaded every one of our belongings onto the truck. We sat just watching and grabbing those little things I thought we might need on the trip. During the loading process I loaded our things into the car making sure everything would fit nicely...and it did! Until Tony got home.

Tony had left his suitcases in Oregon and had planned on getting a little duffle bag on the other side of security at the Chicago O'hare Airport. "Not so fast" said the security woman as she waved her finger in Tony's face. Apparently you can't go through security with CVS shopping bags as suitcases and she made Tony buy a suitcase before going through the security check. Tony also forgot to mention that he was bring his backpack too.

Tony arrived in Oregon as the men were finishing up and I was heading out to pick up Jayden from school. Jayden had to go say goodbye to all his favorite teachers, that would be everyone in the school. Then he was off to a final playdate with his best friend and future wife, Kira (Kira told Jayden they were getting married and he agreed). We grabbed Jay just after he had dinner with Kira and headed back to the hotel.

The next day would begin the big adventure, and Jayden would finally realize what it meant to move away.