Packing-Mania!

...Or should I say "Post-Mania?" While I know you all out there in blogland are anxiously awaiting some deep theological reflecting, most recently life has lent itself to the more earthy and base experience: Moving.

Moving is not a foreign experience for me. My short list includes Minot, Omaha, Ypsilanti, Fairfax, Morfelden (where is the umlaut key?), Roanoke, Bratislava, St. Paul, and Gottingen (again, umlaut please). Throw in Valparaiso and it's a party! But I realize now all of those moves were possible with thanks to [an exhausted] Mom and Dad as well as government-hired movers. No such luck with the ELCA! I packed and packed for two weeks preparing for this move and it culminated beautifully as the photos will testify below.

As I finally to post on the moving experience, I would like to take this altogether-too-brief opportunity to publicly thank all of my dear friends and dear Dad who came together for a day of packing and fellowship.

Dad, Dean, and Norma in a heated discussion about global warming
(after Norma showed off her amazing packing expertise!)

Roy, Jason, and Michael taking a break. Roy had just finished
helping by "babysitting the loo paper" and gathering
the children for "Story Time with Uncle Roy."
Who needs New Testament skills
when you've got people skills like that?

The Oslunds: Doug and Amy with Signey, Simon, and Nora
- such great helpers!
Nora's moving specialty was cookie eating!

More helpers! The irreplaceable Emily Grier who held mountains of boxes from toppling and helpers Katie Grier and Mrs. Renee Kowlessar (married now for two weeks, tomorrow!)

Two other kids, Adam and Carl, just along for the free food!
Pastor Carl is seen here abandoning his regularly scheduled
piety for the lusty pleasures of pizza and beer.

Packer Extraordinaire, Paula - joined by her helper Maggie!
You should have seen that truck...
This move could not have been possible without Paula's Tetris-like genius!

My Spaetzle-Making, Furniture-Lifting, Floor-Cleaning, Belly-Laughing, Creepy-Couple-Same-T-Shirt-Wearing Heroes Dave and Kelsay!

Topped off with my driving hat... It's off to Indiana!

...and three cheers to Dad for driving the Penske! Dad wins the Lifetime Commitment award for supporting his daughter in strange and wonderful ways. Whether buying the extra Diet Coke for us to stay lucid or keeping cool when the traffic is mounting to astronomical proportions, Dad got us through the drive. I couldn't have been blessed with a better Father. Thanks, Dad!