First Night for Bro & FBIL

I just got home not to long ago, after bidding Bro and FBIL a good first night in their new place. :) Today was the official moving day, but really, the process began a while back.

I've been helping out whenever I can, but yesterday, there was much urgency as we prepared for today. Yesterday, I rushed over as soon as I could (after a quick 25-min power nap after work) to help out. Bro and I made a trip over to the new place, unloaded 2 carloads, and cleaned. I was really fighting heat exhaustion/stroke way after the sunset.

I have never done well with extreme L.A. heat. Although I make light of this a lot, I used to suffer from heat stroke/exhaustion quite often when I was in elementary school. I don't know how many times I've fainted in the restroom without anyone knowing, but I bet it was a lot of times.

Now that I'm grown up, I faint for other sometimes less predictable reasons. (I know, I know, I need to see a doctor.) However, I still get pretty nervous around extreme heat. I get really fatigued and sometimes feel really gnarly after a good few hours in intense heat.

Last night, it was pretty bad, but I hung in alright. We ended up going back to the old apartment to meet FBIL for a late dinner. Considering I felt all gnarly, I still ate a lot of good food. We reminisced about a lot of things.

Thinking about the residents of this old apartment has been a running joke. We often call it the "family heirloom" as it's been passed around so much. It started off with bro finding the place for Cousin Lawyer who moved in by herself. After a year or two, I moved in since cousin was away for work more often than she was home. Then Doctor cousin moved in temporarily. Three ended up being a crowd so Doctor Cousin and I moved into K-town (a crazy 6-month stint; Doc Cousin lived with me for only 2 months). I moved back in and then Cousin Lawyer eventually moved out and my college roomie moved in. Within that year, I had pretty much unofficially moved in with BF 2 miles away. Bro came back from Japan and unofficially moved in. Eventually, my college roomie moved out and FBIL came home from Japan and moved in, and they've been there ever since 2002 or 03.

The conversation also shifted to how we deal with moving. FBIL mentioned how moving is often a difficult transition for him because of the attachments he makes. He is one to really explore the neighborhoods that he lives in. For instance, he becomes a part of the community as he makes regular walking trips to the local farmers markets. On the other hand, Bro has moved around 16 or 17 times in his life. I trail him by maybe 4 or 5 moves (he moved 2 or 3 times before I was born). However, we moved more than 10 times before we graduated from high school -- a phenomenon that prompted FBIL to comment, "that's not normal!" Perhaps he's right in that all the moving has given us a different outlook on moving. I don't recall moving ever having been a big ordeal for me. I don't get really attached to places that I've lived at and moving has never been a big transition for me. I remember writing my college essay about how I easily adapt to wherever I go because I have moved homes so many times in my life. In retrospect, I realize that moving homes is much different than moving to another city, state, or country, and school more than 10 times so maybe that's also why moving hasn't been a big deal for me....just a big hassle at times.

I went home exhausted and I could tell I wasn't feeling right (likely from the heat). I knocked out but didn't sleep so well. Much to my dismay, I woke up at 6 AM feeling funky but couldn't go back to sleep. I finally got up around 7 and got ready to start the day. I stopped by Home Depot to pick up a vanity bathroom set before heading back over to the old apartment. Friends arrived b/t 9 and 9:30, and we moved like crazy. We left the old apartment around 10:40 and moved into the new place until about 1:40. Afterwards, Bro and FBIL treated us all to delicious Thai food. :)

Afterwards, we dispersed and I came home to shower and rejuvenate. I felt really gnarly (blaming the heat) so I ended up taking a nap. I got up after an hour but still felt really gnarly, but I ate, read my text a little bit, and then headed back over to help them unload the second truckload for about an hour. This time it was just us 3 and it was much cooler and it was just half a truck load of boxes, knickknacks, and big plants.

The last thing left is to help clean their old apartment tomorrow. As FBIL says, throughout all the moving, Bro and I see a lot of "silver linings." Although I am not looking forward to the heat in the old apartment, I don't mind seeing the place one last time (even if it's to clean). We've all had some great memories there.

Closing the door for the last time will be both sad and exciting as we look forward to opening new doors that house new memories.

(I had to end with something cheesy and nostalgic. :)

Congratulations to Bro and FBIL on the purchase of their first home together!