Moving the Boys Home

Ahhh... move out day from college.

I remember my own move out days well.  Finals would begin, and when I was in between finals, or procrastinating, I would pack.  My last final would arrive, my Mom would show up, we'd pack the car, and off we'd go.

Many times, I'd have to wait until Friday night, and we'd load up the car on Friday evening, then head back home on Saturday morning.

Moving the boys home this year was an experience.

Both boys attend the same school.  Both had the same time slot for their last final.

I had to work until 11:30, and I had an appointment at 2. 

I worked out with the boys that I'd swing by with the vacuum cleaner and a box of cleaning supplies after I got off of work, and then I'd head to my doctor's appointment, come back, and pick them (and their stuff) up.

Wait... did I mention that yesterday was also Commencement Day for the Graduate Students in the University of Maryland system?

Chaos.

I arrived to a scene of mass chaos on the drive surrounding the dorms.  I called middle child on his cell, and told him I was on campus.  I couldn't find parking, so he came down to the car and pulled out the cleaning supplies and vacuum cleaner as I slowly drove past.

The police were out in force, yelling at people who were blocking traffic, double parking, making stupid choices... oh the list goes on and on.

I left to head up to my doctor's office.... my doctor's office that is located next door to another University of Maryland school.  The police didn't want to let me into the parking garage, and were yelling at me, telling me that parking was across the street.  I yelled back, and told them I was there to get a mammogram, and did they want to pay the cancelled appointment fee?  Tempers flared, they asked me to verify that I had an appointment, I asked them how do I do that?  Finally, they let me into the parking garage.

Appointment over, I headed back out, down to go pick up my kids from their school. 

Middle child was ready and waiting when I drove up.  He hopped in the car with the remains of the stuff that he hadn't taken home over the weekend.

I texted oldest child and sat outside of his dorm, waiting for him to show.  And waited.  And waited.  We texted again.  And again.  It was getting close to 5, and the dorms closed at 8.  I had picked up middle child at 3.

Finally, a little after 5, oldest child showed up.  He'd been out, signing a lease for the summer with his room-mates.

I headed up to his room with him, expecting the best.

Imagine the expression on my face when I realized that he had NOTHING packed.  NOTHING.  There was trash everywhere.  I looked at my watch and looked at him.  Less than 3 hours until the dorms closed and they had to be cleared out.

I went back down the van and found a big black trash bag, and began picking up the trash from the floor.  When I had the bag filled (it didn't take as long as you might think) I picked up the trash bag, took it down to the dumpster and sat in the back of the van.

Finally, at 7, he and his brother began hauling boxes down to the van.

He was checked out a little before 8, and then came the fun of sticking the boys into the van with all of their STUFF.

Finally, we got home, and began the task of unloading the car. 

Finally, at 10 o'clock, everything was unloaded and shoved into our living room.

Now, we get to move middle child into his apartment next week!