I've got more saved somewhere......
We're having fun visiting Randy's family....Josiah has been nothing short of entertained. 
We took Josiah to Grandpa Tom's farm yesterday to spend some time on the big tractor. Once he saw the tractor, we couldn't get him out of his car seat fast enough. He had a blast!
I can't believe it's been 2 years already! We are growing up so fast! I realize that this is a day late, but I figured since you're not a big talker on the phone that you could read my birthday wishes to you on my Mommy's blog.
So we arrive at our destination on Sunday, June 15...what a wonderful Father's Day gift to my husband....arriving together, as a family, to our new home. :-)
Everything is going great. Josiah has found a new place to play...our walk-in pantry. He thinks it's the coolest thing that the light turns on when you open the door and turns off when the door closes. :-) Whatever keeps him happy while we try to put our kitchen in order. We wanted to put the kitchen together first so that we didn't have to eat every meal out.
While I stopped unpacking to feed Alayna, Randy called to cancel utility service in VA and set up service in TX. One of those utilities was electricity. A few days before we packed up in VA, Randy called one of the power companies to set up service but they required a special number in order to complete the work order. By the time we obtained that number from our leasor, it was time to load up and move. So our leasor said that he had already set up service and that all we needed to do was transfer the name on the account. Randy did just that on Monday....gave them all of our ID information to make the account transfer happen....no problem, until.....
they turned off the power on Tuesday. Yes, that's right, no power. We thought that because we had been running the A/C full force (unpacking is sweat inducing) that we had a circuit short out. Nope! Turns out that they just can't "transfer" the account information. In order for our home to be under our name, they have to interrupt service, submit a work order, and then turn the power back on, which they couldn't do until Thursday (2 days later).
We were planning a trip to West Texas to visit Randy's family on Friday, so we just packed up everything and headed out the door just a few days early. It was amazing to feel just how quickly the house heated up. There was NO WAY we could have survived for 2 days in a home with no electricity. But I guess this was our fault since we didn't make the time to set up service prior to moving in. We've been enjoying our visit with Randy's family. We saw most of his family at graduation a couple of weeks ago, but we haven't seen his extended family in nearly 2 years. However, a 10 hour drive turned into a 14 hour trip due to stops for diaper changes, feedings, and leg stretching. This trip confirmed our decision to fly to TX instead of make the 1500 truck halfway across the country.
We are in West Texas until Monday AM and then we'll be stopping in San Antonio to visit Sea World. I just LOVE that place, and we're hoping that Josiah will, too. This will be our last vacation (our first one as a family, though) before Randy begins his residency program on June 30.
I left off with seeing our truck get put onto a tow truck (Josiah was really excited to watch this happen) so that they transporter could come for it a couple of days later.
Randy makes it into Baltimore Airport and picks up the rental car, no problem. It's not until we are headed back to the airport the following morning that we run into a slight snag. Trying to get 2 small children ready in a timely fashion....there is no such thing. We got to the airport about 1.5 hours before our flight was scheduled to depart....still, no problem. It wasn't until we got to the ticket counter that the agent asked us to see Josiah's ID, to make sure that we weren't trying to sneak him in as an "under 2 lap child". Up to this point, I've never carried any ID showing proof of age for Josiah. We were then informed that because his birthday is so close that they require a birth certificate. So they said that they could sell us a discounted seat and we could get reimbursed if we mail in a copy of his birth certificate to the airline's corporate office....no problem, charge us, just allow us to make our flight....but it was an oversold flight, so no extra seats. After 15 minutes or so at the ticket counter, they decided to have us fill out two small sheets of paper for EACH child for EACH flight (we had a connection in Austin)...this covered their butts should an FAA representive be on our flight and ask to see IDs. I'm still not sure if they did end up refunding our discounted fare because they didn't have any extra seats, but I guess I'll find out as soon as I look up my credit card account.
So after 30 minutes at the ticket counter and 5-7 minutes going through security, we were really pressed for time. Have you ever seen Home Alone when the family is RUNNING through the airport to make their flight? Before we headed to the gate, we stopped at a family bathroom and changed the kids' diapers while each of us took turns using the potty....then we heard, "last call for SW flight ### to Austin". AHHH, Randy took Josiah and I with Alayna, and we power walked/slight jogged to our gate where we heard, "we're looking for Martinez". We did make it; but because we were so late, Randy and I had to sit apart and in two middle seats...between two men. Under any normal circumstances (one that did not involve nursing an infant), it would have been fine....but how do you protect yourself from potentially wandering eyes? Turns out that I had a bottle ready so I didn't have to expose myself, but boy, was I hurtin' when we got off in Austin (it was a 3 hour flight).
Both of the kids did really well during both flights....Alayna slept most, if not all, of both flights and Josiah took a 2 hour nap during the first leg. I really couldn't have asked for more well behaved kiddos.
Okay, their is one last part to our story.....hope you're enjoying it thus far. :-)
So the plan was for Randy and Rudy to drive the moving truck while towing our car to TX while I drove our personal truck to Manassas with the kids. Our truck would then be transported to TX via auto transport company so that we could FLY to TX as a family (Randy was flying to Manassas to pick us up).
On Wednesday while I waited for Randy to arrive with our moving truck, I called the auto transport company to make sure that everything was in order and that our personal truck was scheduled to be picked up on Saturday in Manassas. I was assured that my reservation was confirmed. Well, on Friday, I received a call from the company asking me if I had any flexibility with regards to my pick up date. I told them that the truck HAD to be picked up by Saturday. They told me that they would see what they could do and that they would call me back. Friday passed and still no phone call back. So Saturday mid-morning, I called the company to see what they were able to arrange and about what time I should expect them. I was then informed that they could NOT do the job for me. Let me remind you that they were scheduled to pick the truck up that day. I was beyond mad!
Without going into all of the details....I demanded that a manager call me to explain why they could no longer do the job that they said they could do...confirming just 4 days prior. The manager did end up returning my call and explained that he just took over the company the previous Thursday and that he didn't receive my file until Friday at 4:30PM. I soooo did not care! He began by apologizing and stating that he would be more than happy to issue a refund of my deposit ($195). Great, but that still does not get my truck to TX, 1700 miles away! He continues by saying that he couldn't complete my reservation for amount that I was originally quoted 2 months ago, $995. I completely understand that gas prices have been going up like crazy for the past 2 weeks, but a call to inform me that due to gas prices they would need a bit more money would have been reasonable. Instead they've decided to let me believe that they were going to pick up my truck until the day they were scheduled and then let me know that they couldn't do the job! When I then asked what the new quote was going to be, the manager told me that he didn't want my money and would not provide me with the new quote. Well, after a few more minutes of me griping him out (I refrained from swearing), I hung up on him.
So where did that put me? Looking up any and all auto transport companies regardless of their BBB rating to find out if they could pick my truck up that day. I was blessed to find one, but their quote was $700 more than what I was planning on paying. OUCH! Yes, I could have driven the truck there for less than that amount, but then I would have put that many more miles on the truck, spent a good 2-3 nights in a hotel with 2 small children. Not really an option! I went ahead and "bit the bullet" and confirmed with the new auto transport company...and yes, they did come that evening and picked up the truck.
If you or anyone you know is in need of transporting a vehicle, do NOT even consider Evergreen Van Lines (and beware that they are changing their name within the next 2 weeks).
And yes, there's more to our adventure.....
Our moving adventure to TX begins on Wednesday, June 11 when we are scheduled to pick up our moving truck. Most often the truck leasing offices have the trucks ready to go the night before but not this time. When Randy called Wednesday at 7:30AM to see if we could pick our truck up a little bit earlier than our reservation at 9AM, he was informed that our truck wasn't there yet and that it would be arriving little after 9AM. Well, 9AM quickly turned to 9:30AM and eventually 10AM when they called to say that our truck was ready. Randy headed over immediately only to find out that the tow dolly's lights didn't work with that truck. So he ended up waiting until 11AM for the truck that we were originally supposed to receive...it was coming from an hour away. By the time that Randy arrived back at the house, we were 2.5 hours behind schedule, and it was already 80 degrees....not ideal weather to be loading a moving truck in. Thankfully, we had quite a bit of help so it only took 1.5 hours to load everything. However, it took me 4-5 hours to clean up the house, make a run to the garbage dump, run to the store for dry ice (I was determined to move my 40 bags of frozen breastmilk), and eventually take showers so that Randy and Rudy were clean for the 30 hour drive.
Both my and Randy's drive went well. I drove the kids in our personal truck to Manassas to spend a couple of days with extended family while Randy and Rudy drove the moving truck (pulling the car) to TX. Thankfully, my drive was only 4 hours....Randy and Rudy drove all night on Wednesday and pulled into our new driveway on Thursday night.
Randy was able to get keys to our new place on Thursday night but ended up spending the night in a motel....why, you may ask...because they thought it would be fun to lock themselves out of the house and it was too late to go by our leasor's home to pick up another key. :-)
Stay tuned for more of our adventure....
As a matter of fact, there is. Yesterday was a monumental day for the Martinez family. After a long 4 years, Randy graduated from Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM). Woo Hoo!
Congratulations, Randy! I am so proud of you!
I will post pictures as soon as the move to TX is over.
Where does the time go? My little girl is already 1 month old. We had a well-baby check-up today and she is growing marvelously! My SIL posted her infant's stats in a format that I liked, so, Elizabeth, I'm going to use it here. :-)
1 month
Weight: 11 lbs. 1 oz.
Length: 23"
2 weeks
Weight: 9 lbs. 8 oz.
Length: they didn't take a measurement
Birth
Weight: 8 lbs. 8 oz.
Length: 21"
There is obvious proof that breastfeeding is going well and Alayna is eating like a champ. Alayna also smiled (on purpose and in response to us talking to her) on Sunday. She has also started to watch Josiah and track him as he moves around her. I just love watching how fast she is developing and discovering the world around her (as noisy as Josiah makes it).
4 years ago we packed up a 22' moving truck and traveled 26 hours to VA so that Randy could fulfill God's plan....to become a physician. 4 years ago, all we could see through a very LOOOONG tunnel was a light just barely bright enough to see. Today, we are almost blinded by the light--it's so close! Friday was Randy's last day as a medical student...he has been cleared to graduate! Woo Hoo! Graduation is just 6 days away and this week's goal is to PAARRTTAY (well, when we're not busy at home packing up the house)! While this weekend will be a time to celebrate Randy's accomplishment, we are going to enjoy all of the family (and friends) traveling in from out of town. :-) And to those of you who couldn't make it, we are thinking of you and wishing you were here to celebrate this special occasion with us.
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