The Grand Arrival

48 days ago















I miss my bed. Futons, air mattresses, hotel beds and rental beds just are not the same. I miss my books. Okay, I haven't really been reading but just being able to see all my books has a strange calming effect. I miss my kitchen stuff. One is really limited to what they can do with a few pans, a few bowls and no baking pans. I think Matt is excited about the bed even more than I am. Plus his toolbox full of tools, nuts, bolts and spring plungers that will not have any use over here. (such a man)

Tomorrow, as of 2 pm Japan time, our stuff is supposed to be delivered. They will unload what they can and then will finish Tuesday. We almost had a hold up at customs (just for your future reference, apparently 17 boxes marked food tends to red flag custom officials -- oops) but they managed to get it worked out. Otherwise it could have been weeks.

I cannot wait to take our stuff and really start making this a home. Not just any home, but our home.

Flyby Post

I had an awesome time Tuesday. It was fun, relaxing and I enjoyed spending some extra time with my buddy and wonderful friend Keri. I know that night I will treasure forever. (Even if we did get a few raised eyebrows for staying in a hotel, with a local home address and changing the name on the reservation for "work purposes". )

Matt made it home safe and sound Thursday after a 9.5 hour flight to San Fransisco, a 7 hour layover, a 4 hour flight to Chicago, an 8 hour layover and finally a 90 minute flight to Raleigh. Shewwww... I am tired just typing it out. The kids were more than happy to see him, as was I.

As I type I am surrounded by boxes and a crew of 3 super friendly men. The only thing left in my kitchen is the kitchen faucets, and appliances. The packers are here and hope to finish before starting to load the sea carton tomorrow. Apparently the sea carton will be delivered to our door tomorrow and it will be a giant jigsaw puzzle to get it packed just right.

Emily asked me today (yes us bad parents let her stay home while they packed our stuff) if I was sad watching them load everything into boxes. To be honest, it still doesn't feel like I am moving to Japan. Maybe it is because we are keeping our house here, maybe it is because we are still going to be here another month. I am not sure. Matt says it will probably hit me when I am at the airport. Lord help the poor people on the airplane if that is the case.

Should it stay or should it go?

Sounds like a Clash song in the making, huh? However it is nothing as cool as that. Rather it is going through every closet, drawer, box, shelf and nook and cranny to decide what to take with us to Japan and what to either leave here in storage or to give away.

When we first got back from our home finding trip in September Matt and I went through all the boxes in the attic and then each room to decide which furniture to take. At that point I thought we were done. Oh so wrong. While we are not leaving for another 57 days, all our belongings will be packed and on their way to Japan in 25 days. So I really need to spend the next few weeks getting everything sorted through. And that is no easy task.

Weeding through clothing that hasn't been worn in years (my husband is very guilty of this) or ditching clothing that does not fit is simple. But what about toys, items in closets that are "just in case" or seasonal, personal collections? How does one determine what should be boxed away to sit in a warehouse and pray nothing happens to need a home insurance claim or what should be given to Goodwill? Is it worth taking something that may be used for 6 months, when we will be gone 3 years? What memories do you take with you, what do you store? What about those few boxes that while opening them brings tears and heartache, just knowing they are close brings comfort?

How would you decide?

Luggage Lowdown

Wednesday night our family went shopping for new luggage. Sounds like a fairly easy task. No trying on needed. No worrying "do they have this in my size". Just pick it out, roll it up to the register and pay. Maybe for your family it is easy, however for this picky family of five it turned into a three hour journey.

Our first problem was we had not yet decided exactly what we needed. Since we will be doing alot of traveling over the next three years we obviously needed something decent that will withstand the massive beatings airline give it. But how many and what size? Heck if we knew. Our biggest issues are our initial move, home leave and when we return stateside.

Since we will not have all our stuff for over a month when we get to Japan or get back to the states, we need enough clothing and items to last us several weeks. Plus we also will want room to carry some food (Caterpillar won't ship food with our belongings and there will be things we are unable to get while in Japan) and to bring back our "must-have" items from the US. (Mainly health and beauty items as I have this fear of thinking I am buying shampoo and instead it is some Japanese face cream with bleach) Then you have the shopping we will do when on home leave to think about.

With our Northwest tickets, unless the policy changes, we are allowed three pieces of checked luggage (plus Cat will pay for one more per person when we initially leave and then when we return stateside). But as Matt pointed out, can you imagine me traveling next summer with the kids by myself with 12 pieces of luggage? I can't stop laughing at that picture. I have a hard enough time taking my one suitcase and hooking my laptop bag to it, let alone 12 pieces.

So we wandered from store to store writing down features, sizes and prices. All while Sami was begging us to let her have a pink suitcase and Emily was informing us that she will not have a black or poop colored suitcase and Chris danced around in circles telling the girls since he gets the one black set we already own and he wants a black suitcase that he is obviously our favorite. We had debated not taking the kids with us to shop, but decided that allowing them to go would help them feel a part of the process. Next time I say screw the process and Matt and I go alone.

After three long hours we finally made our decision. We bought from this Ricardo Santa Cruz line at Kohls. Our deciding factor was the design of the wheels and the "Self-repairing, nylon coil zippers never go off track or tangle." Zippers on suitcases are my downfall as I am always breaking them. We let the girls each pick their color (Sami picked the baby blue and Emily picked purple) and bought three of the 28-inch expandable suitcases and one of the 25-inch expandable (I picked baby blue too). We figure once we get closer to our departure I can always get a few other 25-inch ones. However between what we just bought and the two Chris will be using and then the two Matt will be taking with him should be plenty. We will then use our remaining checked luggage allowance to pack actual boxes and fill those with dry foods and our must-have items.

Who would have thought picking something as simple as luggage would have been such a chore. If you think this was bad you should have seen us when we bought a basement dehumidifiers at our old house.You know with us Jacobs' nothing is ever easy without added drama.

Making a list and checking it twice...

I leave in 36 hours and I do not have a single item packed. Not. One. Item. (Can you sense the panic setting in?)

I just finished making meals for my mom. I decided on: Chicken Delicious, Beef and Broccoli Lo Mein, Sloppy Joes, Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes, Baked Ziti and Three cheese chicken pasta and veggies. I figure those meals, plus leftovers and a trip to the local pizza joint should be good, right? And if not, well I guess they won't starve before the 14th.

United just pulled their flights today for safety checks. Thank goodness it wasn't Friday or we would be in deep doo doo as we can't miss our flight in Chicago or we will miss our flight from Singapore to Thailand.

Have I mentioned that I have not added a single item to the new suitcases that my darling husband bought for me over the weekend? Not. A. Single. Item.

Matt managed to get a really cool phone from work that will allow people to call into his work line and for us to call out via wifi and not use a calling card or any international fees. We tested it this afternoon, so fingers crossed that it works once there. I think I will buy an International calling card just in case.

And work... argh... I have so much to get done. I really do not want to take it with me, but I think I will have to. At least to be able to manage emails and such for some projects I am working on and waiting back information. As Val said in an email yesterday, being in business for yourself sometimes stinks because there is no escaping work. There are no "vacation days". Just like a mail man, come rain or shine, at home or in Thailand, work still needs to be done.

So overall, minus work items, getting the second shot in the hep series that is due (oops) and well of course packing anything (not sure I mentioned that yet), I have worked through my to-do list pretty well. I am contemplating pulling an all-nighter tomorrow so I will sleep on that 19 hour flight. I am not sure how to handle this time difference and flight yet, plus my already there insomnia. Matt loves to sleep on planes so he has no worries about his sleep. Heck he can sleep anywhere -- chairs, platform beds, the ground.

I will have limited computer access and our rooms are supposed to have high speed so hopefully I will be able to stop in a time or two. After all I need to feed my online addiction somehow.

Happy hump day!

"Drive By" Post

Sorry I have been scarce the past few days. I have been trying to get ready for our trip in **gulp** FOUR days. We pick my mom up at the airport tomorrow morning, so today was spent trying to get some last minute things done so I can start packing our luggage. I still have a to-do list a mile long, but I promise to get through my Google Reader before I go and post again when I can.

Have a happy Monday!

Viva Las Vegas

Sorry that I have been such a bad blogger the past few weeks. Between the holidays, school functions, church activities and work I have been swamped. We just got back this evening from a week back in Ohio visiting family and friends. Don't worry I have lots of pictures and entries to share –– soon. I promise.

But right now I have 36 hours to unpack and repack our Samsonite and get ready for Emily's and my big trip to Las Vegas. Yes, it is finally here. So again I will be MIA as I am taking a break and not taking my laptop. (**gasp! I know!) But I will be back Monday and will catch everyone up. And of course share lots of pictures from Emily's and my big adventure.