T-Minus 9 Days (and counting)

I was sitting in the car this morning, driving home from dropping Elizabeth (my four year old) off at preschool, stuck behind an SUV at a red light. She had one of those ribbons I've grown to associate with 'Support Our Troops' or 'Save the Tatas' (breast cancer awareness), but instead of the normal fare, it said 'I love my rotties'. I would rightfully assume that she means her Rottweiler (or however that's spelled) versus loving her cavities (though here, it might not be that far off). Her other sticker was one that said 'My dog is my co-pilot', confirming that she had a dog (or perhaps the SUV belonged to a man, and his wife/girlfriend was ugly as a 'dog').

I digress. I was sitting there, thinking to myself that maybe I should start a blog just about this big change in our lives, one that I can send the link out to my friends and family, and they can follow along back home while we go through this adventure.

This adventure, by the way, starts in nine days.

In nine days, I am boarding a Delta flight with my four kids (and no other adult to help me, heaven help us all), and flying from Georgia to South Korea. There, my husband will be there (hopefully meeting me at the airport) and we will be re-united after being apart since July 11th when the Army shipped him off. This has been a long time in the works. We started the command sponsorship while he was still in AIT. The passports for me and the kids have been sitting in the San Antonio base since June.

But that is neither here nor there. They're in my hands (well, in my back pack) and ready. Our flight has been booked.

To look around, you'd think I still had months to go before a monumental move across the world. Nothing is packed, and truth be told, I still have chores to do (dishes in the sink, clothes to be washed, etc...). Looking at it, we're not anywhere ready to move. Nothing is packed.

That is one of the pluses of the Army. Someone is going to come and do all that craziness for me. I have to say I'm relieved and a little nervous. This is my first Army move. I am lucky that I have a great group of military wives to offer me advice and to be my ear.

I still haven't packed my suitcases. I hate that I haven't but I haven't. I have a few items in each suitcase (and with four kids, we're allotted quite a few suitcases... two checked per person and 1 carry-on, so three per person total... add that together and I'm hauling 15 bags and four kids through busy airports).

I have packed Cody's carry-on. He's getting to carry the bag with the crayons and coloring books. I have a harness for Elizabeth. Although she's four, I don't want to take ANY chances. It might be degrading to 'walk' my child on a leash, but at least she'll be there. And for the record, she loves her harness. It's a pink puppy (or bear, I forget which) and it's tail is the leash.

Part of me is tempted to 'drug' the kids with Benadryl on the plane, and I will bring some with me (must write it on my list of things to pick up... along with Halloween costumes). Another part of me is willing to let them try to be themselves for this flight. I will bring some along, but maybe wait until the newness of the flight wears off. After all, this is their first flight ever (and my first overseas flight).

My stomach is twisted and anxious. I am so nervous and I'm not sleeping well. I think I got four hours last night (at the most). I tossed and turned all night and nodded off just before my alarm went off (so it seemed). I have so much to do, and no energy to do it. Not that I don't want to do it, but that I don't know where to start.

So, T-minus 9 days and counting... and on my to-do list:

1. Unpack all of the Christmas gifts in the top of the closet and bag them in the black trash bags. Specifically, I need to find the two Tetris hand-held games for the boys to play on the plane. They will all go on the first shipment of our stuff to South Korea, which should be delivered on or before October 30th.
2. Take the two boxes up to the post office and ship them to Alex. In them are all of our Wii games and our Wii (split up between the two boxes). I did manage to get the Wii safely packed in my camera bag, and the padding is thick with it, so the Wii should be safe.
3. I'm supposed to drive out at noon today to pick up some home-schooling books. I don't home-school, but this is a back up plan (you always need a plan B).
4. I need to get three costumes. Alex is going to get our oldest son his costume there in Korea (a set of ACUs).

That's really all I have on the schedule for today, and number 4 doesn't even need to be done today (1-3 does).

I know that Alex is anxious to get us there. Being apart is hard. Our phone bill is ridiculous, but it's expected and we're worth it. Moving across the world is a little overwhelming, and it's hard to get motivated when I am a profession procrastinator.

This time next week, things will be less overwhelming (or more overwhelming). But for now, I think a little nap before I get my day started. Maybe I should turn off the Disney channel, though I am partial to Handy Manny.