Family Mellmann

For weeks (actually months) we have been sorting, packing, pitching, selling, and pitching some more.  For the last two days those efforts were kicked into high gear as the movers arrived to load all that hard work into their truck and haul it away.  Once they were gone and the house was clean and the car loaded with stuff we need for the winter, and our final farewell was said, the urgency of the day was past.  That constant driving to fill one more dumpster, load one more box, or say good bye to one more friend lifted like a fog when the sun rises. Today, Katherine and I had a truly leisurely start to the day.  Eventually, I went out to run some final errands, fill the car with gas, and buy a little driving food.  As I drove around town I realized that I felt oddly disconnected.  These roads, the buildings, the views as I drove around town were very familiar yet somehow they feel foreign to me now.  "My" church is now just a building.  The people in it are and always will b

The movers took the rest of the stuff from the house today and they emptied our local storage units.  Once they were gone, the house was truly empty.  No furniture, no decorations, no wifi.  Just dust and debris, and an echo. I cleaned the house with a little help from Katherine before loading my car with what the movers wouldn't take and with what Katherine and I want/need for our time in Grand Rapids (where we will "winter"...like being snowbirds with no meteorologic understanding).   As we drove away, the snow was falling.  It was beautiful.  It was as if the weather and the house were just trying to show us how wrong we are to be moving.  

The movers arrived this morning to start loading our possessions into a truck.  Since River Cove Road has weight restrictions and there's no way to back an 18-wheel semi into our driveway, they came in a large U-Haul truck.  They take everything to the local warehouse where they will collect all our things (two truck loads worth from the house and two storage units) and repack it onto a cross-country hauler (an 18-wheeler most likely). They disassembled everything that had screws holding it together (table legs removed, for example) and wrapped everything in either heavy-duty shrink wrap or moving blankets, and sometimes both.  They even removed the front tires from our bikes.  By the time they left this afternoon, they had removed almost everything; nearly all the boxes that I had packed, nearly all the furniture, almost everything from the garage, and everything from the basement.  They even hauled away much of our patio furniture. Early tomorrow morning, I will meet them at the

Today I taught my last classes at Trinity.  Roughly ten years, 30 or so performances, and more than 200 students.  Before I was a volunteer teacher, I was just a volunteer, serving in classrooms, helping where I could.  My first students are now college graduates, professionals, and parents! Time flies but it has been a great run.  I have enjoyed serving these kids.   From one of the high school students. " It’s going to be a lot different without you but I’m sure we’ll manage. You're the reason I can read music now!  I couldn’t have had a better music teacher. " You're the reason I can read music now!  What a privilege.

The packing here in Williston continues.    Boxes are piling up and the countdown to the movers arriving to collect our possessions is ticking ever louder.  But who wants to see pictures of empty rooms and piles of boxes?  Check out this sweet gift from one of my students.  I know there's a letter missing, but it truly is the thought that counts...and it's got music on it!

At church on Sunday I received another lovely gift from one of my students.  A musical staircase picture and a charming little music stand figure accompanied by a wonderful note.  I love how they made Mrs. into eighth notes!  They sure are making this good-bye thing hard. :)  

For the most part, I am working alone to get the rest of the packing done and the house cleaned.  However, with a notably emptier house, the elusive Katherine has been making more regular (and longer) appearances.  I even persuaded her to help me with some of the cleaning.  I am secretly hoping she will help me some more this week and next as we get close to departure. Today's dinner was a Katherine request - green bean casserole.  Light and easy so that I could keep packing.