Moving day

So tomorrow is day 1 of our pack out. For my non-military friends that is when the military send a moving company and they pack you up and move you out, hence the name. We are moving in shifts this time. Tomorrow is called unaccompanied baggage. Since we are moving across an ocean we are allowed to send supplies before us so we have dishes and bedding while we wait the 8 weeks it takes to get the rest of our furniture. Only for us, its not 8 weeks but 6 months before we will see our household goods again. We decided that unpacking an entire house for a 6 month tour and then packing it again would drive me to drink. ( more than I do now anyway) I have spent the last couple of weeks deciding what we could live without and what was a necessity.

I have learned a couple of things since I started. First, my kids are pretty resilient. They have sorted toys, books and clothes and planned for an exciting trip and a new adventure. Second, we have a whole lot of crap. I thought I was pretty good at keeping the clutter down and not being a pack rat, I was wrong. I have taken out 7 bags of trash and my back porch is covered with things that are going to the ladies garage sale. When did that happen? Where did this desire to store build? Third, I am not a nice person when you make me deal with change. During this move I have been picking fights with my husband, not sleeping, tearful. I used to think that I handled anything life threw at me with a good attitude, that I would handle it with grace and understanding. I can hear you laughing by the way. I have had to apologize to my husband more than once about my attitude and been humbled on a daily basis that my kids have handled this in a more adult manner than I have.

I now need to laugh at myself, to remember that I can choose my attitude, that I am only as moody as i choose to be. I need to love on my husband and kids and enjoy my time here before its gone. So lets choose laughter and live aloha