Monday, August 23, 2010

seriously so blessed

it was pretty cool that i was able to celebrate my birthday (twice) before i left provo (even though i did kind of plan it that way). the 104 was a blast and the modern-era party was packed and rocking with friends and great gifts. but my very last night in town was perhaps the most special.

i've started paying attention in the past few years and noticed that things generally work out even when things look daunting (note to self: go back and read this line when you're finished writing this post), yet i woke up thursday morning feeling overwhelmed. i used wednesday to go to the logan temple and while i did not regret it, that left a lot of work to be crammed in to thursday. a lot. packing, loading, and cleaning.

why, oh why, did i worry? (jeff, go back and read this and take your own advice) not only did we get everything done by 10:00, but it was perhaps more special than my birthday parties. i had sent out a facebook invite inviting anyone who had offered to help me move to come, and while some people did stop by for a bit as they were able, there was a core group who all came and worked until it was finished. until the last spoon was packed (for the record, i still haven't found said box and had to eat my cereal this morning with a giant serving spoon gratefully discovered in a random box), the last box packed onto the truck (after years of helping so many other friends move, it's very surreal to be inside a uhaul and recognize all of the stuff as your own), and the last floorboard scrubbed.
at 9:23 that night i was looking around my house and saw the people i knew would be there; my closest and best friends. to look around and see people on their hands and knees or standing on their tip toes to wash and scrub, laughing and joking, then coming to me and enthusiastically asking what else they could do meant more to me than i can say.

thank you, everyone, who was with me that evening. literally, i could not have done it without you, and conversely, i am so happy that we were able to do it all together. as i'm unpacking the boxes around me, it's tinged with bittersweetness as i'm reminded of you all packing up the very same boxes.

i need to give special thanks to my parents as well. my mom spent the previous week with me helping to pack up the majority of the house, and had she not done so, we would have been at my place until 2:34 a.m. and none of you would be missing me now. then, in tag team style, my dad flew out to help drive me 1,300 miles across four states, providing not only a second driver, but also, along with my brother, moral support during such a monumental change in my life.


my emotions have been very close to the surface all week, and as i was heading down spanish fork canyon on friday afternoon (love the cd's, kristin!), i was on the phone with my sister and describing my feelings as "extremely happy sadness."

6 comments:

Em said...

melancholy abounds. I'm glad you are there safely, and I hope it doesn't take you another 10 years to settle in to a new spot.

Brooke said...

My thoughts:
A) Seriously dang post! B) you are NOT the only person amazed at how long it took (or didn't take)to get done! C) I cannot believe how much stuff you had... that Uhaul was stuffed to the gills! D)That's what friends are for! E)Extreme Happy Sadness...no greater description.

Good to hear from you, friend. Can't wait to see College Station from your eyes.

Side note...currently listening to Beastie Boys Mix-ups and reminiscing.

Becky said...

It's a wonderful life

Jaime said...

jeff, you are wonderful. i love this post. this is a time when not having a facebook is a bad thing. i didnt know about your friendship cleaning party and therefore, i feel like a bad friend for not contributing my love and support to help. if i had known, i wouldve been there. :(

i admonish you for following your dreams, all the way out to the alamo. it's scary to leave the comforts of home and head into the unknown. but you had a dream and you launched yourself off.

things like this are great. it's then that you find out how really loved you are. and it seems as though you are truly loved. :)

i am going to miss #907 with the red door. thank you for all the movie nights and parties, rock banding and even letting me crash there when i was homeless or heartbroken.

you are a great friend jeff. and i can't wait to come and visit you in the lone star state.

The Former 786 said...

You'd better keep this thing updated now that you're down there! We need to know what's going on!

Jack said...

it was really fun, wasn't it. so glad i got to help out a bit. man, that carpet cleaner was AMAZING.
You could always eat your cereal with chopsticks...out of a shoe :)
hope you had a great first week of school, manfriend.