Leaving Emmitsburg

With the U-Haul in the driveway, the house nearly emptied out, and the kids eager to hit the road, we went and spent the night at our neighbor's house!

Settlement and closing on the house went through on Friday morning, June 28th.  Our plan to leave by noon was delayed like a NASA mission as thunderstorms rolled in and a few last minute changes had to be made to our bicycle rack.

Thanks to the help of Jes at Gettysburg Bicycles, we mounted a new rail on the truck allowing all five bikes to make the journey westward.

Buttercup settled in to her spot in the back seat of the Tacoma.  Laila saddled up in the U-Haul with Dad.  And Jaik joined Linda in the pickup as we pulled out of town.  The family bet was made as to who would cry first, and Daddy lost.  While driving over Sidling Hill into the setting sun, Western Maryland said goodbye to the Hakkarinens and the Piedmont Plateau faded away in the rear view mirror.  Friends, family, the Baltimore Orioles and the Chesapeake Bay will be here when we visit, but they wouldn't be coming with us.  Laila read a letter written to her by Ms. Sarah, our neighbor, friend, and Elementary School P.E. teacher as our eyes welled up and that tell tale lump in the throat began to form.  We were leaving, and it was real.