Moving

As I write this, I am sitting in my nearly empty living room while the movers pack up my house. Tuesday, I am leaving Memphis and driving to Chicago to start a new job and kind of a whole new life.  I know I know, so brave of me, or stupid, depends on who you are asking... I have already cryed twice so far, once when we said goodbye to the best babysitter ever (call me if you need someone who is loving but puts up with ZERO crap from your children and I will give you her number) and another time when I registered Cooper for his new daycare.  The second time was very random and extremely awkward so no details are available there, ha. 
I can already tell you when I will cry again and one time will be in about 30 seconds as I finish this post.

• I will cry when I leave this house for the last time.  This is my first house.  I bought this house all by myself and I have paid for every last mortgage dollar, homeowner's policy, lawn mowing service, faucet replacement and termite ALL BY MYSELF.  I am so proud that I have only called my dad hysterical one time and it involved the aforementioned termite.
• I will cry when I say goodbye to my best friend Christy.  She has been my rock and my support system for six years now.  Her mom is my surrogate momma, her husband is my handy man, her family has accepted Cooper as one of their own, and she makes me laugh, pretty much a perfect combination of friend.
• I will cry when I go to church for the last time at Bartlett Baptist Church.  That church is my family.  They accepted a single, unwed mother when some churchs might not and have allowed me to blossom and grow in my relationship with Christ. I have met so many friends there and I will miss everyone so much it makes my heart hurt. 
• I will cry when I say goodbye to my Connect Group. I have taught freshmen girls for almost 2 years now.  In that time, I have learned that teenage girls know more than just the details of the latest Twilight movies.  They are smart, insightful, and funny and have way more to offer than some adults give them credit for. They have laughed with me, celebrated with me and cried with me through the events of the past year and I love them.  I am not sure what I will do without them...
• I will cry on Saturday night when I have dinner with my Mom's group from church.  We have been together for almost 5 years.  We have been through everything from gossip, unemployment, divorce, loss, teenagers to all sorts of other trials that I can't even list because I don't have that kind of time.  They have seen me grow from a scared single mother consumed with debt and scared of the future to a scared single mother not consumed with debt and less scared about the future (doesn't sound so motivational in writing does it???)
• I will cry probably 15 additional times in between these times for all sorts of reasons.
• Finally, I will cry unconsolably when my sisters leaves me in Chicago on Sunday.  Now my family lives all over the country and I love all of my siblings so much, but my older sister is kind of like a second mother to me.  She has been with me through the whole "Cooper ordeal" (as I lovingly refer to it, ha!) In fact, when Cooper is really in trouble, I threaten him with telling Aunt Gretchen and he snaps right to attention (it is awesome you should try it with your own children, she can really be frightening!) She lives 2 hours away, but it is kind of like a security blanket having her so close.

I would love to end this post with some motivational thoughts, but I am coming up short.  I am really excited to move and get to experience this new adventure.  I am also really excited that I don't actually have to pack anything, seriously, this is fabulous. I am also really sad to leave all of my friends and my family. There area lots of emotions at play here, so I am going to end this here, see you on the other side of this move...