Travel Update 1.1

This has been such a great experience. The flight from Phoenix to Minneapolis was smooth. I read about 1/4 of The Overton Window on the flight. My seat would not recline, so rest and sleep was ruled out and I stayed up reading. The lady in front of me threw a tantrum though because she wanted me to turn out my reading light. I know I can get grumpy when I haven't slept in a long time, so I'm not going to bad mouth her here. But, I think a little 'anger management' would hurt her. :). Coming from me... I am either getting better, or I'm fully delusional now.
The layover in Minneapolis was short. A great cardio event and stretching of the legs and then the 30 minute wait before boarding aloud me to finish off The Overton Window.
You would believe the amazing people I met the kept coming up to me asking "Is that Glenn Beck's new book?". The country is waking up! I had four separate conversations with complete strangers about history and about reviving this Country again. These were conversations that they were fully involved and visibly connected in having with me. Not just listeners to me talking, but people that have also been reading and learning.
Started a brain candy book on the flight to Grand Rapids, Michigan. An author named Jim Butcher wrote a series of books about a modern day wizard in Chicago that fight evil, etc. Monsters and ghosts and all man of crazy stuff. They had a series on the teli on them called The Dressden Files.
Landed in Michigan at 9:30 am local time and my lovely wife and daughter were there waiting for me. It felt awesome knowing it wasn't just a visit but that we were together for good, again.
Got back to our house and immediately started removing doors and getting ready for the help to arrive.
My mother and father had arrived earlier in the day before me arrival and were waiting to help when I got home.
I have two of the best parents ever. I got my fun loving crazy and social part of me from my father and my soft heart and love for people from my mother. I couldn't ask for two more wonderful people to model my life after as a man, as a husband and as a father.
At noon Tyler Revor and two friends arrived to help. They were the main muscle of the event. Strong, hard working and great attitudes. They were absolutely perfect help.
The 28 foot semi-trailer the company dropped off was great. We packed as tight and space conserving as we could and still ended up using 16 ft of the trailer; 2 feet more than the estimate/contract. So there will be an additional $180 on the bill I think.
I kept getting cramps all day. I drank at least a gallon of water and 4 Gatorades but the cramps still plagued me all day.
After an hour and a half or so we cut the paid help loose. They got all the heavy stuff out ans to the trailer wonderfully. I was very happy with Tyler and his friends.
We still took another4 hours packing though. My wife made several runs to the hardware store for more rope to secure and tie off walls in the truck to make sure things were firm and secure. She made runs for Gatorade and cleaned the house as rooms became empty. She as like the foreman of the project in the house and also support for us guys loading inside the truck.
I can't tell you how amazing my wife is. That house was horrid! I mean, I walked in and all the rooms were stacked with boxes and furniture and as we emptied the house, every dust bunny and lost cat toy or hairball in the five county area allowed up in knee high piles everywhere (moderate to extreme exaggeration way occasionally be applied). With the help of my mother-in-law they had that house at the end looking amazing. Every room super clean and move-in ready for renters. It just baffles me how much work my wife and her mom frequently coming over to pack, have done over the last couple months.
My mother-in-law is the greatest! She has a servants heart that always thinks of helping other people. She is kind and soft spoken and always makes me relaxed when I am around her.
My father-in-law is a great guy too. He was there helping inside the truck. He has a great ability to see the bigger picture... I think the word is - wisdom.
Made sure the house was all perfect and then we said goodbyes to my mom and dad and went off to my wife's parents. Organized the car for travel, took a shower, washed sweaty moving clothes, a bite to eat, a last trip to the local ice cream place and then I hit the bed after working a shift in Arizona, traveling across the country and packing a house into a trailer; awake for over 27 hours.
Weird thing, I couldn't sleep. Even got up early to type this into my itty bitty Blackberry phone. My thumbs I think have clinical issues now. :)
We head out onto the road in 30 minutes. Departing at 5:00 am with the car for the start of this next phase of our journey.
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Sent from my BlackBerry Smartphone provided by Alltel