Moving One Year Ago: The Rest of the Rest of the Story!

Welcome back for the REST of the rest of the story! Whew! Are you exhausted? I know Jemma was! This was a photo I took of her the next day at our temporary housing. Pooped, just like the rest of us!

To recap: We moved our family from the 'burbs of Chicago one year ago this week. And if you read the news, you will know we are not the only ones. Folks are fleeing Chicago and the surrounding areas of Illinois by the droves. Outrageously high property taxes are one reason. Traffic and quality of living are another.

Our biggest reason? After twelve years of living "abroad", we knew it was time to come home.

We did a DIY job of our move this time, and here are a few things we learned.

1.) Give yourself plenty of time to pack. I'd say it took at least a month, doing it every day.

2.) Get quality packing products...the bubble wrap, the packing paper, the good boxes.

3.) Find moving materials on Craigslist.

4.) Label everything. I used a color coded system with duct tape and a Sharpie. Keep a master list or       two handy.

5.) Clean as you go. It will save time on the final days.

We rented a UPack trailer to move our household goods from point A to point B. We were very happy with UPack and their drivers, and it was a very economical choice for this DIY move. Here's what we learned about the loading process:

1.) Give yourself plenty of time to load. We could have used at least two more days to do the job             correctly.

2.) Rent or buy packing blankets. They will protect your furniture on the move.

3.) Buy or rent dollies and moving palettes. Also, invest in some of the big straps that movers use.

4.) Packing tape. Lots of packing tape.

5.) Load heaviest items in the back (like a piano). Use mattresses to form walls, and give some                  thought to where you put the furniture and boxes. You will load to the ceiling of the trailer,
      so have a ladder handy.

The biggest lesson we learned was this:

If you do not have enough friends or volunteers to load, hire movers for loading day.

We did not have enough help for moving out day, and I promptly hired movers to help us unload on moving in day. I used Hire A Helper, compared rates, and booked just three hours with a local crew. I saved them for the heaviest work day...when we would be moving in the furniture and piano. Money well spent!

So, to continue the story...

We were now out of our Illinois home, but we still had two weeks before we could close and move in to our Michigan home.

Two weeks of living at a Residence Inn.

Honestly, it turned out to be a great idea. My husband travels frequently with work, so he accumulates lots of free hotel and airline miles. We had a really nice room that was more like a two-story townhouse. Two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living room and kitchen. Perfect.

We treated our time in the temporary housing like a vacation. We ate breakfast in the lounge. We swam at the pool. And every day, we explored the area. It was a great way to decompress from the stress of moving.

We explored Ann Arbor and hit the local sites, like Zingerman's Deli.

We spent evenings relaxing at local patios, soaking in the fun of downtown.

We went to summer festivals and had amazing food.

Our new hometown of Saline is small, just 9,000 residents. But it is an adorable town, with so many amenities that add to the quality of life here.

The library!

Dog parks!

A sense of history that is celebrated!

Bike trails and walking trails!

A really quaint downtown area with shops and fantastic restaurants!

Coffee? Yes, please!

A really nice local grocery!

And of course, local hot spots like the Dairy Queen!

Festivals, food, and lots of family fun!

One year later, and I cannot believe how different our lives look today.

We love our little cottage, and our sweet neighborhood. We have wonderful neighbors that we talk to daily!

We have a wonderful church family that has given us plenty of opportunities for fellowship and serving.

The schools are wonderful. The people are super friendly. The area, with its trees and farm fields, is lovely.

I have a job that I love. I never would have guessed that I could get back to freelance writing again, but it has been a perfect fit for me. I can write on local topics, meet new people, and really feel a part of this community.

Yesterday, my mom and sisters dropped by for coffee. And last night, we took Sam for a bike ride, exploring downtown, the parks, the old historic neighborhoods with their beautiful old homes. We pedaled through parks and schools, ran in to four different church members and chatted. It was small town living at its finest.

Do I feel lucky? No. I feel blessed. Blessed beyond measure.

God really knew the plans He had for us. Plans to prosper us and not to harm us. Plans to give us a future and a hope.

And now you know the REST of the story. One year later. Life is good, my cafe friends!