Waiting…

We picked up the visas last week, and now we are down to the waiting for time to go.  Not like we still don’t have a lot of things to do before we go…  In some ways we are anxious and ready to get on with this, and in other ways, it just seems to be coming up too fast.

We still have a lot of arrangements that need to be made, but much of it just can’t be done until right before we leave. We have chosen a property management company to take care of and lease our home while we are away. We have chosen a lawn service to maintain the landscape and lawn.  We have yet to meet with the mover who will ship our Japan belongings to Tokyo, and will pack up and store the rest of our belongings here.  We have researched storage for our vehicles, but haven’t arranged for that yet.  We have made  initial arrangements for pet care…  we are dividing the pets between our children for the next two years. (Yeah…  remember all those times we DIDN’T say “no” when you asked for a new pet hamster, rabbit, mouse, rat, cat, etc? Now it is your turn to take care of some pets for us. [Insert Smiley-face])

Right now we are headed into the Christmas holidays.  It has been difficult for me to get into the holiday spirit this year, because I have so many other things on my mind.  We finally did get the tree up and some decorations out, but I feel almost halfhearted about it because we have to get it all taken down and packed away immediately after Christmas so that the movers can come in. I feel halfhearted about the holiday cooking as well, because I am simultaneously trying to clean out and use up the stuff in my pantry, fridge, and freezer. I still want to do the holiday stuff…  because, after all, we won’t be spending Christmas together in this house for a couple of years, and I will miss that. But…  It is hard to get motivated.

I still wake up in the night to ruminate and worry about everything.  Sometimes I am so sure about it all and so excited to get there.  Other times, I wake in a panic and wonder “What have I done?” I find that it always seems worse in the dark… when I am the only one awake…  Once daylight returns, I usually feel better about it.  Just feeling scared and alone in the dark, I guess.  Three more weeks, and we get this show on the road… Three more weeks.