oh, what a night

It's way past my bedtime, but I feel compelled to pause and reflect on this absolute whirlwind of a day.
It started bright an early with an unexpected trip to the airport to drop off the hubs, whose flight had to be rescheduled from last night.

I arrived at home, only to zip out a few minutes later to bring tidings of joy in the form of McDonald's to my work spouses. Not going to lie; my heart was overflowing with how excited the kiddos were to see me... and honestly, the feeling was mutual. My life and career was complete when one kid, ( hair was different than the last time I saw him, slicked back with gel,) proudly announced, "Mrs. Checchia-- I'm a GREASER!" a reference to the novel "The Outsiders" that I started with them before leaving...

Back home.

I forgot to mention that my dad was home this whole time, attempting to attack the disgustingness that apparently lay dormant for years, daring us to move whatever it was that it hid under. Let's just say that I cleaned up more spilled drink rivers off the walls than I thought humanly possible...merely signs of fantastic memories made at the Checchias.

We had to break after an hour to drop off a chair at a friends. And pick up an anticipated satchel from Danielle's. Stop at Starbucks. Run the car through the giant washer. Which, by the way, I forgot how much I LOVE DOING THAT.

View from my window.. doesn't it look like an impressionist painting?!

D, however, did not love the car was as much as I did.

(He forced himself into the front seat and onto my lap.) 

Then it was home, James, and time for the epic cleaning-and-moving-crap-out session which lasted well into the night. I had the brilliant idea of allowing the locals to sift through the Goodwill pile for free.... which was a bust. We ended up taking it all home in the u-haul for another re-loading/thrift store drop off tomorrow. Greeeeeat.

But wait! I didn't say goodbye to Kim and baby Liam!
Diversion!

And my sweet friend Kristin stopped by, who was bequeathed with cleaning supplies. I love that word, bequeathed. Back to more non-stop cleaning.

And finally, when it seemed I would be wiping down surfaces for the rest of my life, it was over.

The house was empty
It echoed in that weird, unsettling way
as it hits you that it used to be filled with your stuff
our first house
where we had Cinco de Derby and "Amurica!" bashes
Thanksgiving with both families and 'homeless' friends
a first-time garden
your two best friends doing an 'extreme home makeover' on your back bedrooms
ping pong and foosball battles
Younglife and OM and middle schoolers everywhere
a half-way house for 2 out of 3 siblings

and it hit me that life was truly lived in this house. What a chapter to add to our stories! What memories and joy and ridiculousness was experienced in this house, this town.

I stood there staring into the dark and vacant kitchen and just. cried. my dad, being my dad, stood by me and choked up as well. Too much feeling wrapped up in one moment.

Good, sweet Lord, what a night.