Off to Nashville, Tennessee

 
...with two little people, one mom (Steph), one gramma (that would be me), 5 suitcases, 1 large box (with some nifty homemade handles)  and all  carry-ons we could handles plus a double-decker stroller.   It took both of our cars to get us to the airport.  Thank you Sarah Jane for going with me to drive a car home.  Sarah Jane just dropped me and the luggage on the curb at the airport where I just waited a few minutes for Karl bringing Steph and the little people.
Thank goodness for curbside check-in...it was worth the tip.

Then we had to say "Good bye" to Pa.   It was a hard moment. But luckily Pa had gotten the emotion of that hard moment out early that morning and the hubbub of the airport  kept the realization that "our-close-by-little-people-were- really-moving-away" at bay. And we rushed away.

With an hour before we boarded we found a less crowded gate and played chase and hide and seek with the little people...our plan to wear them out.

Where's Ethnie?

There she is!

We were flying Southwest and were totally stoked that we had an "A" group boarding...only to realize we were pretty close to the end of the boarding.   The plane was pretty empty.  Most people had a row to themselves...we had the back third of the plane to ourselves (who would  willingly sit close to two toddlers on a flight:)  Thank goodness.

We had planned a late night flight thinking that the little people would drop right off to sleep as soon as we settled in.  WRONG!
Poor Duke...Poor Steph.   She walked (as soon as the seat belt light went out),  bounced,  cooed to and tried  calm a distraught baby.  Ethnie was good but so restless...she obediently tried to lay down but couldn't get comfortable or fall sleep.  So she  tossed and turned and crawled up and down and over for 3.5 hours.  She never did sleep.   Duke did finally fall asleep for the last 45 minutes of the flight.

We landed in Nashville at 1am...so happy to be there.  By the time we got to the baggage carousal, our luggage were the only pieces making the lonely ride through a near deserted baggageclaim area.

It was such a good sight to see Jake walk through those doors.  The kids, still and now wide awake, were so happy to see their daddy after a six week separation.

Jake loaded up Steph, the little people and a couple pieces of luggage and head for their new home (one car and too much luggage).  I was left to explore the now deserted airport with a smart cart full of luggage...trying to stay out of the way of the custodians and the ride-on vacuum. Finally, after reading every sign, board and tourist flyer in the baggage claim area...  Steph returned to get me.   Jake would have come but the little people wouldn't let him go.

 

Our first sight of their new home.

 and this.

But VERY Grateful for set up beds.

 Friday morning Jake's and my first activity was a trip Walmart for breakfast makings.

One a side note:  Jake had a arrived in Nashville Monday night with  plans to get semi-unpacked and organized.  But the moving company had a different idea.  They called Tuesday to inform him that their garage door where his crate was stored, was broken and that it wouldn't be fixed until Wednesday or Thursday.  He finally got his crate Thursday afternoon...the day we were to arrive.  Thank goodness for a friendly neighbor and then two men from his new ward's Elders Quorum to help him unload.

Here's Steph blog on our the first few days in Nashville.