Moving Day

Moving Day! (more like DAYS)

Our Sea Crate

Let the chaos begin!  Ryan had barely landed before the quick acting, completely distracting, million question asking movers came to ready our possessions for the trip to Belgium or storage.  The whole process took an ENTIRE four days and proved to be just as exhausting (at least mentally) as if we had done the moving ourselves.  We had our ups and downs and have decided we are going to just be excited about what actually arrives in Belgium, whenever it finally gets there.

Eating breakfast with no table.

We made the rookie mistake of not labeling enough or segregating our items around the house to make it easier for the movers to tell what items were headed to which location.  (however, I am not sure it really would have mattered) We were granted 1,000 pounds of Air Freight, 14, 000 pounds by sea, and everything else had to head to storage until we return.  We were told nothing could leave the United States until we had at least one Residency Visa. The air shipment should take a week and the sea freight should take about 8 weeks.  Other than those guidelines, I had absolutely NO idea what to expect! 

Our first day, team one arrived and got started with the daunting task of packing.  They wrapped EVERY- SINGLE-ITEM.  The process took a little more than FOREVER!  They were able to complete the main level of our home, (Let's just pretend they were able to complete the first level of our home, we found many items they forgot.)  as well as the girls rooms and their clothing.  Day two consisted of more packing and the beginning of loading the sea container.  The girls LOVED getting to see the semi come park at our house and watch as the men packed, moved, then packed some more.  Day 3 was supposed to be the last of the sea items.  Day four the second team came and took care of packing our air freight, wrapping all of our furniture (with no seams un-taped), and finishing loading the sea container.  The movers also loaded our air and storage containers.  Being limited to weight and not space was very nerve-wrecking, with no scale in sight.  It proved to be a guessing game.  How much do you think this weighs?  Better just put that in storage.  Do we really need this?  Will this even work over there?  We held our breaths as our semi left for the weigh station.  We were dreading what this huge container could possibly weigh.  After sitting on pins and needles, we finally got the call we had been waiting on.  Our sea shipment only weighed 12,000 pounds.  Ryan and I did a happy dance.  At least there was enough weight left over that if our air shipment was too heavy, items could be placed on the sea shipment.  

At this point, we are not super clear on what was actually put on the sea shipment.  We discovered along the way items meant for storage ended up in the sea freight, and items meant for sea either got left behind or ended up in storage.  Either way, when we open up that massive container and see our possessions, our new home will begin to take shape.  I imagine I will be glad to sit on my couch and sleep in my old bed.  These things, these items, these possessions I was so sure made our house a home, will now be in Belgium.  In our new home; transforming an empty home, OUR home, for the next three years. 

As this whole process of moving out began, we moved our family and luggage to a hotel.  We spent the first week in one hotel room with a king bed, little pull out couch, seven pieces of HUGE luggage, two adults, and three children. We quickly decided this was NOT going to work.  Ryan added a room and we were able to have an adjoining room.  While this gave us more space, we quickly filled it up with the rest of our luggage, carry-ons, work bags, and some snacks. With Ryan's flight status, we are each able to take three pieces of luggage each weighing 70 pounds, a carry on, and a personal item.  Needless to say, our hotel rooms became a little tight! On a positive note, we are getting a great deal of close family time in.  Is there such a thing as too close? How did our families 100 years ago even manage in one room houses?

Moving day (moving DAYS) was very emotional for me.  The possessions that filled the home we designed and built had meanings and memories.  Everything from prescriptions to family pictures, to scratches on tables, to hand prints on the stairway,  and paint on the walls told a story.  In our hearts, this was our forever home.  We were going to grow old here.  Have prom pictures, get drivers licenses, play ball, ride bikes, have cookouts with our neighbors.  I mourned the memories I had yet to create and grieved the ones I had already made.  Cleaning and preparing the home for the next family who will make memories where I thought we were  supposed to be was very difficult.  So while I cried, I prayed for peace.  As a wash of calm came over me I was reminded of a t-shirt I recently saw which read, "Rather than cry for what I have lost, I will smile for the fact I had."  My time here is just a blink of an eye.  These possessions were just things.  Items I cannot take with me forever.  One day, I will leave it all behind for eternity.  Memories are mine to keep.  They travel with me no matter where I go.  I will always have those.   This process has been far from easy, but I know in my heart it is right and good.   Even through all these ups and downs, tears and laughter, frustrations and encouragements we have had a great and exhausting time.  Next step, getting to Belgium and seeing what our movers sent us.  

Sleeping in our tiny hotel room