Goodbye Kansas

Our last few weeks in Kansas flew by in a blur of packing and saying good-bye to awesome friends.  I managed to be really awesome at not taking my camera to anything so I don't have much documentation of any of our good-byes!

Not long before the move my friends Billie and Ashlee threw a going away/baby shower party for me.  It was such a treat to be able to get together with the girls one more time.  There are so many amazing women who have influenced me during both times that we've lived in Kansas.  I am going to miss their shining examples and am so grateful that I've had an opportunity to know such fantastic people.

The move officially started on a Wednesday when some of our neighborhood muscles came over to help us load the truck.  Jaron's Dad flew in from Idaho to drive the truck for us and we were able to spend our last night in Kansas as a family having dinner at Jaron's brother's house out in Lawrence (he's a student at KU). 

Early the next morning, Jaron, the kids, and CR and the moving truck were off.  I didn't want to alarm the kids so I tried not to get emotional as I put everyone most dear to me into a vehicle and then stood on the curb while they drove away.  Totally didn't work.  I cried through the family prayer, pulled it together to buckle the kids in, and then stood crying in the early morning rain until they were out of sight (okay and maybe a little after!).

Then I got dressed and headed to a non-stress test at the hospital, thanks to my neighbors who were so willing to chauffeur me.  Wouldn't you know it, a new nurse hooked me up to the machine and said,

 "Is your baby always tachycardic?" 

 Wouldn't you know it - that is just my luck that baby would do great for 8 weeks and then be tachycardic the morning my husband drives away!  His heartrate was nothing what it was originally when he was tachycardic but was still out of the normal range at about 190 beats per minute.  I waited to speak to the MFM doctor and contemplated whether to call Jaron and tell him to turn back.  In the end, the doctor said that milder tachycardia could often be explained by emotional trauma or physical stress in the mother.  Haha, I guess packing up and saying good-bye had been more emotional than I'd realized!  The doc gave me the go-ahead to still leave via airplane two days later.

I spent the next few days cleaning the apartment, doing homework, and just relaxing.  I also got spoiled by friends and taken out for lunches and dinners.  On Friday night, my last night in Kansas, I went to stay at my dear friend Billie's house.  She took me out with her gal pals (whose average age is probably 65 and who were an absolute blast to spend the evening with) to dinner and the ballet.

It was such a neat experience to go to the Kauffman Center in the heart of Kansas City for my last night there.  The ballet was very contemporary but was a neat experience.  I had contractions throughout the entire evening and joked with Billie about taking me to the hospital later that night.  Turns out they were all Braxton Hicks and I got on a plane the next morning.

Jaron and the kids arrived in Boise just hours before I joined them via airplane.  It was soo good to see them!!