Last Days
We’re down to the final hours of our second tour of duty in New Mexico, 10th day living out of suitcases with just 45-60 more to go, and exhausted — physically and emotionally for sure — of this whole process.
Moving overseas is so unique from just a regular stateside move. I already talked about our three different moving shipments, but these last days in our empty house, and time living on only exactly what you need is so different. While I kind of miss a chair to sit on while I write this, and oh! I really do miss my bed…there isn’t much else that I truly miss. Life accumulates! Memories, experiences, AND stuff…it’s the stuff I don’t really miss.
Our final shipment of HHG (household goods) wrapped up this past week. The movers were kind, efficient, and skilled. It’s always a process of just surrendering control as you watch everything get boxed and then stacked like Tetris into those large wooden crates. The movers are never happy to see our baby grand piano, but inevitably always say it isn’t so bad to move. It’s actually easier than a regular upright or spinet, but it does require a custom crate when moving it overseas. This time, TMO (traffic management office) told us we would need to keep and store the crates that were made for the piano and for a heavy glass tabletop on my desk. I laughed at how absurd that request seemed because we are moving into an apartment building with a minimal storage space in the basement. I cannot imagine having enough space to store a piano crate! Other military members on our community Facebook groups mentioned repurposing old crates to with hooks and shelfs and just making it work. Others said not to worry about it and that the movers would just take them away. We will see what happens on the other side.
One thing I’ve really noticed, and my kids too, is how much routines make a difference in feeling purpose to our days. Once school was out, we’ve all kind of floundered in feeling a bit lost and bored. We’ve tried to spend as much time with friends as we can, making happy memories and also feeling so sad to leave.
In reality, most of the days for the kids have looked like this:
Lots of feeling bored and sad and talking about how that’s ok and super normal right now.
Our schedule with extra appointments and errands has been wild, and it makes me miss routines all the more — especially meals together, scripture time, exercise. It’s all just felt a bit haphazard, fitting it in where we can.
I love seeing the kids flex though. The littles (my 10 and 7 year olds) get super creative playing with plastic cups and rocks and creating magical stories and worlds in this empty house. My olds (the 18 and 14 years olds) get excited about watching a new series together with their traditional snacks and playing card games. And yes, the video games and movies are passing the time.
Our next steps are to make the 10-hour drive to our “Port of Debarkation” where we will deliver our car to be shipped, drop our sweet dog off to friends until her scheduled flight the week after we fly out, and do those last loads of laundry at the hotel before we are off to Germany.
We’ve said tear-filled goodbyes and felt so loved by our friends here. We hope to come back. New Mexico really is the Land of Enchantment and a place we have grown to love so much. I don’t know what the future holds — it’s always up in the air with the military, but I am open to possibility and believe that God is so aware of us and leading us along to where we are needed and where we need to be.
Also, when I did I grow up and have to take care of such grown up things?!
Next stop, Germany.
xo
