After a four-day journey, our family has officially landed in Tulsa, Oklahoma. We are thrilled to be near Nana and Papa, as well as uncles, aunts, and cousins. This will be the first time Robin and I have lived so close to so many relatives. It's been a weird couple months. I've experienced a mix of joy—for all that lies ahead in this new chapter—and sadness—for all that we now leave behind.
Robin and the kids left for Oklahoma on Thursday. I planned to stay behind that day to clean our house. (I severely underestimated how long it would take me to clean our house!) It was a surreal experience. I moved from room to room, making sure the house would be presentable to potential buyers. I washed windows, I scrubbed baseboards, I wiped shelves. I couldn't help but feel that with each wipe of the cloth, I washed a present reality into the past. Look, here's where we brought our two babies that were born to us while living here. Right there is where my son accidentally ran into the wall, which led to a great cuddle session. Hey, this is where my son learned to walk for the first time. It was hard.
But as we pulled into my parents' driveway last night, and as all the kids jumped out to say hi before comfortably making their way into the house, I became excited to see what new memories would be formed. I could sense that everything would be O.K. (No pun intended.)
Hello, Oklahoma. Great to see you again. I look forward to all you have to show us.