John, David, and I watched as a semi-trailer was being backed up in front of our house. Mom was hurriedly packing the last few boxes of things. She gave a box to us and told us it's time to pack all our toys.
We carefully packed everything, and Mom taped the box shut and then lets us write "TOYS" on it. Before long the few remaining Amish families in Dundee came to help us load all our belongings. Cousin Emma and I watched from the living room window as the men carried all the furniture out followed by the boxes and finally our heavy Pioneer Maid cook stove. Once all the household things were on the trailer they hitched several Belgian work horses to a hay wagon and backed it up to the shop and lifted all the woodworking machinery on it and then drove over to the trailer where they unloaded it unto the trailer. After that they pulled our buggies and with everyone helping they lifted them up into the trailer. Finally they stacked in the hay and our pile of firewood, and shut the door.
Once there was nothing more to watch we looked around the house. It looked forlorn and sad. The emptiness nearly made me shiver. Uncle Alvin's were waiting in their buggy in front of the house so we tied Jim behind the buggy and Mom and we children climbed inside. Daddy was going to walk and lead our cow Jenny. For once no one had much to say as we drove away. I looked out the back window and saw Daddy standing in the middle of the road looking at our property and the buildings they had built with dreams of raising their family there.
Alvin's horse kept on trotting and soon I couldn't see Daddy anymore. We arrived at Alvin's and Mom helped Lydia make supper. It was dark before Daddy finally came. We ate supper and went to bed. Cousin Emma gave her stuffed bunny to me to sleep with, but it felt lumpy and all I wanted was my own bed, in our own house with everything the way it was supposed to be.
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So hard for you and your family. You conveyed your feelings very well through all the details.
ReplyDeleteYou have a lovely way with words. Moving is such a difficult time, especially for children. I was raised in a military family and we moved a great deal when I was young.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy your blog.
Sunny :)
This sounds so sad. It must have been a wrench for you.
ReplyDeleteHey! You answered my questions about how you move buggies and horses ~ thanks! That'll come in handy one day if I ever need to move my buggy - HA HA Seriously though, I kept thinking awwwwwe when I was reading your post because for kids, seeing a big empty house that used to hold all their feelings and personal things, is a bit unnerving. I bet your new house will be full of wonder and brand new things - can't wait to read it!! Have a good weekend ~ ☺
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting blog! Glad I "found" you! I will be back. Sounds like you have some interesting storie to tell.
ReplyDeleteMrs. Nurse Boy
I can understand why it was so very sad for you. Look how clearly you remember the details and your strong feeling, today. What a difficult time to go through.
ReplyDeleteHaving said that, I love the way you tell your stories. You really have a gift with words.
Sweet story. Moving is really hard!
ReplyDeleteHugs, Lisa
Moving is so hard isn't it?
ReplyDeleteMust be awful hard to pull up roots and move a great distance...
ReplyDeleteMoving is hard on everyone, especially kids. I can identify with the sadness of the empty rooms.
ReplyDeleteMoving is always a tough time for everyone. So many adjustments to be made. So much that is new that you have to get used to. You captured the memory very well.
ReplyDeleteI always thought I would move a lot once I was a grown up. I grew up in the same house I was born in but the rest of my family had stories about all the other places they had lived.
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I did live in a two different places before we came here but we have been here for twenty four years.