Last Days in Minnesota

My, oh, my, was it busy the last 2 weeks in Minnesota! First off, Paul's lip's healed splendidly.

Next up, since last post, we went on a "date" with the Momtime group (a chance for us to meet everyone's husbands and talk as couples, not just moms), we made huge strides with packing (and have obviously finished, as we're now down South), visited a couple of playgrounds for the ever-more-able-to-climb Paul, found a groove for Adeline to enjoy being "worn", namely facing outward in the Björn, dealt with a few more tantrums (but P's done extremely well with packing!), Ada's had more and more nights with 6 or 7 hr sleep stretches, Dylan's interviewed for work in NOLA, Paul had his last Mommy & Me class, he fell again at Heidi's and then the majority of the rest of this post: our last trip up to the Cities for Dylan's graduation from the Catholic Studies Master's program, our last hoorah with friends, and packing.

We drove up to St. Paul on Friday the 23rd, and Ada cried, no, screamed, but she was fed & dry. Just doesn't like car rides ... greeeeat. We stayed with Pete & Denise and thoroughly enjoyed visiting with them - about their little one due in September & their recent trip to Rome. We also attended the baccalaureate Mass at the Cathedral of St. Paul. Saturday morning got going early for D's graduation ceremony. It was wonderful to celebrate his accomplishment together. It was also kind of funny: a big milestone, yes, but he'd finished 6 months earlier, and it was just us. 

I had Pauly in the stroller, and Ada sacked out in the Björn.

After the ceremony in Minneapolis, we drove to St. Paul for a reception at the Catholic Studies building. It was a lovely day out, and Dylan had a nice chance to wrap up and say goodbye to his professors. And, there, Paul sacked out.

Next up was nap time at the Bivers. We just walked into their quiet house - as they were all napping, too - put our kids down, and I laid on the sofa to nap while Dylan made a few last-time errands around St. Paul. We loved visiting with Mike & Colleen - and seeing their 7 golden puppies! - before heading to Minnehaha Falls for a little farewell BBQ.

Pete & Denise came as well as a few others, and we had a great time. As it got later, and folks started having to go home, it saddened us to say goodbye to our dear friends. Got a little teary. On the way out of the park, Dylan said, "Welp, that's the hardest part of leaving Minnesota behind us now. Onward." Indeed.

The next day was our last Mass at St. Augustine's, and we'll hold that place dear, too. We connected with Fr. Jim Steffes, and we'd never felt as much a part of a parish since being married. I hope we'll find something as good in NOLA.

3 days left. Memorial Day was pretty chilled with a bonfire and burgers and an hour or so at the playground. Paul's getting so agile and strong! Tuesday was Dylan's last day of work, and I met him and all of his co-workers for lunch. They all had such lovely things to say about him to me, and I'm proud of him for making such positive connections during his short stint in Austin. Wednesday was packing day! And this is what Ada has to say about it:

We woke early to drive to get the Penske truck, and mid-morning, our truck-packing team showed up. With a notebook. Saying to write any questions or directions down for them. Because they're deaf. The whole team! It was really awesome. And it was so quiet. No arguing (that we could understand, anyway), and, for us, so stress-free. Until the end, that is, when their time was up, our packed things were in the truck ... and there was a lot of stuff not in the truck. What. Ok, I'll wake up at 3am and go ahead anyway because the kids are ready to go, and Dylan'll stay behind to tie the loose ends. He'll catch up at the hotel. No, we'll all stay and just leave later in the day. No, we'll shift everything a day. Yes, that's it. So, Dylan rented an add-on U-haul trailer on Thursday morning, we packed it up by naptime, had a last impromptu playdate with Heidi, Molly, and Baby Drew even though we'd said our goodbyes the night before at their house (They were kind enough to make us dinner on our "last night" as everything was packed up)! And then we took Paul to a last playground in Austin before early to bed.

2:30am would come around awfully quickly.

May 28, 2014: Madeline Therese Biver was born at 5:08am weighing 7lbs 9oz. I hugged and kissed all the Bivers in spirit and am looking forward to meeting sweet little Bit-o-Honey the next time we get together.