I'd Pack That, Too, If I Could

Ah, packing.  The constant shuffling of items in and out of boxes these past few years has left me all-too-skilled at putting our life into boxes.  We had phase one of packing a month or so ago when we knew the move was looming.  We weeded through the garage and boxed up some of the less necessary items.  But, the orders weren't coming and we didn't know when we were actually getting them, so we took a break.  Two days ago, on the 25th, the orders showed up.  The goal for our move-out date?  Sept 1st.  If you do the math, that's one week exactly for Dustin to check out of the squadron and arrange for new housing in Mississippi.  It's also one week for me to get everything packed up to be loaded on the truck and get the house cleaned up.  Amazingly, I think we're gonna do it!

In case you haven't noticed yet, we are DITY movers (Do It Yourself).  Rather than the Navy paying movers to break pack our stuff and get it to our new place weeks after we get there, they pay us a percentage of what they would have paid the movers to do it all ourselves.  It's a win/win as far as we're concerned. We put some serious hard work into it, and make a nice chunk of change in the process.  We also arrive with all of our stuff, which beats the heck out of sleeping in an empty room with a towel for a bed (I may have done that during my first move as a Navy wife, just days after getting married, driving down to Texas then seeing Dustin off at the airport to gather his belongings from Florida while I searched out an apartment for us and stayed there with nothing until he got back days later... but I digress.)  The money is the one benefit for us of moving twice in one year (more like twice in four months, but who's keeping track?).  Anyway, because of the hasty departure, Dustin has been at the base detaching from the squadron and getting all the paperwork ready to go.  So, it's clear who's doing the packing.  Like I said, though, I'm a seasoned pro at this point and it's all going very quickly.  In fact, were I not also tending to the wee ones and my ravenous appetite, I'd be close to finished!  At this rate, I'll be done by Sunday and have enough time to scrub down the house and make it sparkle for our departure!

This move will be a little different from the last for me.  My mom helped me fly from Washington to Texas with the kids last move.  This time, it's *only* (I use that word loosely) a 12 hour drive, so I'm hopping in the drivers seat.  Dustin and Porter will be heading things up in a giant 26 ft U-Haul truck that will be pulling my Expedition.  I will be driving Dustin's Dodge Ram with the kiddos and our cat, pulling a 12 foot trailer full of outdoor equipment and power tools.  It should all go nice and smooth as long as I don't have to back that thing up.  I am really good at jack-kniving trailers.  Really good.  I have tried learning several times and have not had one successful back-up.  So, that could be a really fun adventure!  Another thing that makes this move a little different, is that we are moving into base housing this time.  We lived on base in Jacksonville four years ago and it wasn't all that bad.  There are actually some real benefits in the way of having no utilities to pay, a fully-maintained yard to NOT have to worry about, a virtually non-existent commute for Dustin, and no deposit.  It won't be a beautiful house like we've had here in Texas, but it will be so nice to get there, move in immediately and only have to worry about getting our internet connected.  And, it is so temporary.

So, here we are - just a few days from moving to Mississippi with our two little ones, the dog, the cat and my newest companion.  Nausea.  Yes, being almost seven weeks pregnant and moving could be classified as "unfortunate."  Nausea is a beast.  I'd pack it up, too, if I could.   But, alas, it seems that for now it is mine to keep.  At least for a little while.  Good thing it's for a super good cause.