Last America Day

This is our last full day here in America. It is just unfortunate that my brain was ready to start this day at 3AM. Early mornings like this make for LONG days. I guess if it is my last day here, it is okay that it is longer than normal.

We have had so much to get done and so much  to do and so much to pack. HOLY SCHMOLY!

If you had to pack up your family for 18 months, and could only take what fits in your luggage, what would you take? I am telling you... YOU BUY MORE LUGGAGE! That is what you take... you take more luggage!

We decided to buy hockey goalie bags because that is probably the cheaper/more stuff to cram in there route. The problem is, it has to be under 70lbs per bag. I methodically places certain items in each bag and I put blankets or diaper packages around breakable things. I would say I am a "master packer", well that is until my new title becomes shattered because the lightest bag is 95lbs and the heaviest is a whopping 135lbs!!

So, we bought more luggage. As we were transferring my perfectly packed items from this bag to the newest addition of the Thomas luggage family, I saw my cute husband roll his eyes, shake his head and smile. He is such a great guy. His tongue must be bruised from all that biting on it he does. He certainly speaks his mind, and I typically know where I stand. But sometimes, it is the silence and just the body language that speaks volumes.

What would you pack for 18 months?? The kids entire wardrobe today plus the age they will be in a year. Why haul clothes twice, right? Legos... you need an ENTIRE suitcase of legos. The girls think that is so funny because they say, "Would if someone stole that suitcase thinking it was full of money, and then the person will open it thinking they have all this money, and really it is just legos." And I am thinking... GUESS WHAT.. it is a suitcase full of money... little plastic money with dots on top, money in the shape of pink legos. But hey.. the hours of entertainment and the thinking that goes into building something... that has to be educational and worth it, right??

Well, for our last day here we have so many fun things planned. Like, the DMV to get a license renewed, our 2nd boost of immunizations for Ryan and I, pay off all utilities and other bills. Return the 30 boxes we didn't use. You know, fun memorable things. There are a few things that my girls wanted to do before we left. I so wanted to do them. I regret not doing them. One of those, "gosh, I am a bad parent, how can I fit it in" moments. I hate those. Maybe we will have to try and squeeze a couple things in.

It all seems so surreal to me, like it isn't really happening. You would think after selling my beloved van, packing up my house, having my husband living in Mexico for a month, pulling my kids out of a school they love, living at my parents out of suitcases.... like lots and lots of suitcases that I would realize that I am leaving all of this. But, I will say, when the guy in Mexico says, "Welcome to Meh-he-co" is probably when I will realize... OH CRAP, this is for real. Please pray for me. Please pray that I will be able to keep "it" together. I think after all of this go-go-go and then when we get there it will be even more go-go-go. But in a couple weeks at some point when all of my dishes are purchased and put in the cupboards, our clothes are in their closets my life is going to slow down, like WAY down. And it will be at that moment  that I will realize that I am not in Kansas, err... Utah anymore. It will be then that I will need your prayers the most. I am sure at that point, this blog will have the shortest post ever. It will read, "okay, now I need those extra prayers" and you will know at that point that it hit me. That my life is different, my home is different, my extended family isn't around me, my friends aren't right there with me, but the best part is... my little family will be RIGHT THERE WITH ME, and that is the best blessing of them all. That is why we are doing this.

Many of you have been praying for us, THANK YOU! Thank you. We love you and will miss you like crazy. Our home number will stay the same and will be a local Utah call. You can call us anytime. You can email us, or Skype. Until we meet again... or at least until we have internet up and running and I can get on Facebook and this blog.

Love to all of you. I will type you in Meh-he-co.