Last Days in Indy (Moving Part 1)

Greetings from Pittsburgh!

We’re finally getting settled into our new abode here in the Steeler city (where we are quickly finding that everything really does revolve around the Steelers!). Needless to say, the last two weeks have been jammed with activities as we wrapped up our lives in Indianapolis and headed east. Here’s a recap:

At the end of July, our good friends Jake & Carrie hosted a going-away party for us (with the help of Kandice and Beth). This was no easy task, mind you, not because we have such an overwhelming number of friends but because Carrie’s grandfather was laid rest that same morning (not to mention the unexpected guests who shared intriguing tales about “butt darts”…). All in all, it was a wonderful Saturday evening filled with laughter and joy as many of our closest friends sat around and told stories and reminisced. As the night wore on, I had to keep telling myself, “Soak this moment in. Really enjoy yourself and this time to be with these people.” Truly, it was such a wonderful moment, I felt almost like I was a part of a movie, as when the camera is panning away from a picture perfect house at the end of the flick and the light is glowing from the house while laughter and conversation can be heard from within. A little taste of heaven.

A couple days later – July 31^st to be exact – was my last day as an employee of College Park Church. The church staff planned a wonderful luncheon in our honor including an unforgettable relay race involving two wheelchairs (both of which will most likely never be used again!), spinning around cones, and lots of fear and trust as Amber and I were wheeled around by members of the staff [Note to self: when wheelchairs begin moving at more than 3-4 mph, they start rattling and shaking as if an earthquake has caught hold of them]. By the end of the lunch, we were overwhelmed by the generosity and friendship of our church family as they showered us with words of encouragement and gifts.

At this point in the summer, we were beginning to wonder if our house would ever sell. Another person was ready to make an offer and backed out. We lowered the price in hopes of getting it off our hands before moving. During this nail-biting time I not only learned the all the more the truth that I’m not the Sovereign of the universe, but Amber and I had the fun of hosting my college friends, Phil & Krista, for KC’s wedding and introduce them to the joy of having to keep your house immaculate at the possibility of a showing that could occur at any moment. That first week of August is still a blur as it was filled with running around with the bridal party (on crutches mind you, as my foot was broken!) and catching up with old friends. Like the parties the week before, it was a memorable time of fun and laughter – particularly when the groomsmen went putt-putting. We laughed until our bellies hurt on one hole when KC hit his ball out of the “rock trap” (instead of a sand trap) only to watch it roll twelve feet right past the hole, bounce on the back wall, and roll all the way back to about three inches from where the ball had been.

The last week in Indy was frenzied to say the least. As I was running around performing errands, setting up our utilities in Pittsburgh, and changing our addresses with every company known to man, I was also fielding phone calls from our real estate company. On Monday night (the 6^th), Dennis, Timothy, and I watched the extended version of The Return of the King. Ah…what a good movie. Yet again, I cried near the end when Aragorn is crowned king and the four Hobbits bow only to hear Aragorn say, “My friends, you bow to no one.” Then, Aragorn and all the people of the land bow in honor to the four Hobbits.

Tuesday the 7^th. We finally get the call we’ve been waiting for – four days before the move! An offer has been made on the house – and a good one at that. Our agent thinks he can get another $1,000 out of it, and I’m thinking, “Let’s just take the offer!!!” Things started moving fast at that point. As we boxed the last of our belongings, an inspection was done on the house.

On Friday night, after a long day at the State Fair (gotta love how that greasy food sticks to your stomach!), Amber’s parents and several friends helped us start loading up the moving truck. By the end of the night, we were over halfway done. On Saturday morning, we finished loading up the truck and our vehicles – and thanks to my dad’s slick packing skills, we somehow were able to fit everything in. The truck was load from top to bottom, and I had no problem admitting my cowardice and allowing Amber’s dad to drive it to Pittsburgh! ...