Air freight gone!!

Yesterday the movers came and packed up the air freight. Mark was here to help decide what was to go. It was very good having him here for that. He was funny. He kept asking if we reached the 1500 lbs ----we're only allowed 450lbs!! I did very well guestamating the weight. We were at 417lbs when all was finally weighed.

I have been fine until the movers finished. Then my anxiety level started going up. I could feel myself getting nervous. Now comes those small details. Canceling phone, cable, making sure Cara knows what needs to be done, making sure I get my bills, getting rid of all the junk in the garage, sell my car, getting health insurance....even though Mark has paid for it, I don't seem to be on the plan....what's that all about??! Medications are getting low! The Christmas tree is soooo dead! gotta take that down soon even though it's so early.

Megan is leaving 6am on the 31st! WOW! That's the day after tomorrow! Where does the time go? Mark leaves on the 1st. Then it will be my turn.

I'm starting to feel the emotions. The tears creep up every now and then. I try to keep them at bay. It's kind of like when I brought the twins to kindergarden for the first time. I was sad to see my little babies going off to school. They were growing so quickly and they were entering the next phase of life and I was tearful. I turned and walked out of the school and did a dance that I finally had 4 hours of freedom! I don't want to leave and say so long to my family and friends as I enter the next phase of my life, yet I can't wait to get there and get started.

Christmas

This Christmas has been wonderful. Mark came home from Jordan and Megan came home from China. We are all together for this brief period and I am relishing it. And we had a white Christmas....something I haven't seen in many years.

Mark leaves on Jan 1st. Megan leaves Dec 31st.

I got my airline ticket. I leave January 8th at 10pm and get into Jordan at 8pm on Jan 9th. Mark was kind enough to get me upgraded to Business Class. This makes me VERY happy. The one way ticket makes things more real.

The movers are coming on Monday to send out the air freight. Now comes the challenge to get the last 450 lbs shipped to Jordan...this is always a big challenge. 2 weeks and I will be there with Mark to start our new life. I'm getting excited!

The movers are here!

It's my job to get house hold effects (HHE) in order and sent to Jordan. I have been sorting, organizing, separating, throwing away, giving away and shredding so many things for what seems to be an eternity. It's been an amazing process to realize the amount of stuff we have accumulated over the years!!

I am a saver! I have been shredding bills and bank info from the 1980's!! yep, that's me! But I will say, it was very well organized.

Then comes the cleaning out of the old stuff we haven't used in years. The question you ask yourself, "if I haven't used it in years, do I really need it?" Now I have a garage full of stuff to get sent to the thrift shop. Some stuff is so old and decrepit I suspect even the poor won't want it.

Sea freight vs air freight. What's important? What do we need upon arrival? What can we do without? What can I buy there? So many questions to ask as you look through each item in your house.

I decided that since I had to decorate for Christmas AND get new carpet for the basement that I would use the porch as a storage area for the sea freight. I gotta say, it's pretty cold outside. Of course all my scrapbooking stuff is in the basement and is a priority for me.

The movers arrived about 10am. The boss looked at my stuff and suspected I would be going over the 2500 lbs that we were allotted. They are packing and weighing everything and it looks like my eye for weight is pretty good. Looks like everything I want to go can go. They are a very nice group of people and they are doing a great job of packing everything.

It all seems so surreal. I've done this moving thing many times....and it always seems to occur at Christmas time. I feel like I am just going through the motions. I haven't experienced too many Strong emotions regarding this move yet. I suspect as the time gets closer it will get harder. Right now the work of getting things organized, the planning of the new carpet and looking forward to seeing my daughter as well as the celebration of Christmas seems to be taking the forefront of my brain.

Mark has left......

Yesterday, November 30th, Mark left for Amman. The rest of the team should be arriving today and tomorrow and the project will officially start.

Early in November, he went to Amman and found the office space and found us an apartment. He posted the pictures on Face book. When I get to Amman, I will take new pictures and post them here. The place looks wonderful- the top 2 floors of an apartment house - 4 BR, wrap around terrace. Nice kitchen. We will get to pick out the furniture when we are there.

Thanksgiving was great. Mom Gallagher, Patty, Kara, Bill, and Alex were here with Mark, Melissa, Cara and me. We were missing Meggie. Mark worked a lot through that week and I had my last day of seeing patients last week. It was very sad. I had one woman write and frame a beautiful poem she wrote for me and another woman gave me a red poncho from Peru. It's warm and beautiful, but her words of gratitude really touched my heart. I may have complained about my patients from time to time, but I really do love them.

Yesterday was my last official day at work. Chart review, staff meeting, finishing the Diabetes numbers, cleaning up the last of the charts and worst of all, saying goodbye to the best group of co-workers anyone could ever ask for. It still feels very surreal. I know that I have been blessed.