Moving Day(s)!

Or "weeee" as Miranda would say about any fun ride! Oh, to be so young and naive!

Our move back to the US was set into motion when two weeks before our departure, the first set of movers came to pack up 1,000 pounds or less of the "essential" things (but not furniture) that we'll need right away--well, in about 4 to 6 weeks--to be sent by air. This was formerly known as your "Express Shipment," which must have pissed off enough people to the point they changed the name to "Unaccompanied Baggage."

Then phase two included the rest of our worldly (literally) possessions, which were packed up over two days into 6 1/2 huge crates and sent on a boat. Maybe 7,000 pounds worth? (And we can't forget the approximate 5,000 pounds we have had in storage for 3 years! We're allowed a total up to 17,500 lbs...who knew I could have kept shopping?!)

It was a little unnerving at first for Sydney to see things disappearing gradually. But once I explained that we were going to our new home in the United States by plane and her toys were going on a boat and she'll get them back eventually, she was on board with the plan. Really, what choice did she have?

She came to terms with this also because I kept a few key toys, and took her and Miranda out of the house every day doing something fun with friends for the rest of the week, so they didn't get too distraught about living in an empty house.

Three days after all of our things were whisked away, we embarked on our trip, otherwise known as the longest day of our lives--May 30, 2009. Technically, it was no longer than my trip to the States with Sydney in July 2007, and no longer than our trip with both girls in January 2008. But this trip along with two older girls--and all of our 10 bags, 2 car seats, 1 double stroller, and a large dog crate--was so much harder and made us feel the day would never end. And that's even with everything going according to plan and the girls sleeping for about 6 hours on the plane! But alas, it was an 11-hour flight to Chicago, with a 2 1/2 hour connecting flight to Norfolk.

After we cleared customs and rechecked all of our loot in Chicago, we took 5 minutes we didn't have during our quick layover to let Mitch outside to relieve himself. He is such a good dog, he can go 15 hours or more without having to go. Needless to say after the long flight, he peed for at least a continuous 5 minutes, garnering several "thumbs up" and "that's the longest pee we've ever seen" comments from security personnel sitting on the sidelines for a smoke break.

I'm sure it was the longest day of Mitch's life as well. But it could have been worse...good thing for him his crate wasn't big enough for his sisters, too.