So Incredibly Lucky

I had a wonderful weekend. Gusi had a wonderful weekend. My best friends from home came to town for the weekend to wish us bon voyage. Not only did my friends come, but their families came too. See, the thing is, I've grown up with Heather and Erin since I was a little girl. Being that I'm an only child, they are the closest things I have to sisters, so their moms, kids and sisters are like my own. Our moms are great friends and hopefully our kids will be great friends as time passes.

Gusi did great with all the kids running around the house and getting into his toys. The house looked like there was a rally going through it. I believe Gusi was taking bets on the Kawasaki 4-wheeler vs. the fire engine with odds favoring the fire engine. I'm sure I saw money changing hands.

On Saturday our friends helped us take stuff down from the attic and shift things from our house to my mom's and other things from her house to ours. That afternoon we had Gusi's music teacher come and do a sing-along (plus we invited some of Gusi's regular playmates to join us). He absolutely loved it. He was so happy. All the kids seemed to enjoy themselves that afternoon filled with songs and pizza and play. For me it was a bit tearful. I knew it meant that moving into the hotel and out of our house was around the corner, and that meant that moving to our new house was also right around the corner. So much change.

I know all of this change (i.e., the boxes piled high in the dining room) is not going unnoticed on Gusi's part. He has been waking up at 4am or 5am every morning screaming and trembling. I go in to get him and he spends the rest of the morning snuggled in our bed, (usually) fast asleep. This is not routine and he is frightened. We've taken (as of today) the position of calling everything new una aventura so he senses that all of this is supposed to be fun. Of course it isn't fun when mom spends most of the day packing things and dad is out running last minute errands, but it does seem to cheer him up when we proclaim that adventure is within our grasp.

The change is also affecting me. My two best friends in the world will now be across the world. My son's best friends will be across the ocean. My husband's family so far away. My support system, my strength, my mom no longer in the same neighborhood. And then I remember...this is an adventure, a once in a lifetime chance to see and do and feel something totally new; it's a great opportunity for my son. If I could only pack up everyone that was in my home Saturday afternoon and take them with me. Then it would be easier.

As I said good-bye to friends who know my weaknesses and still love me, who know the tough times I've had and have stood by me, who love my husband and child simply because I do, I thought to myself: I'm the luckiest person in the world to have so many wonderful people helping me turn the page to the next chapter in my life. So incredibly lucky.