The Joys of Moving to Japan

Unpacking Tally thus far...

Broken:  1 polka-dotted Ikea juice glass

Lost:  1 black Ikea bed knob for our queen size bed frame  

(Why it was even removed is a mystery)

Included:   5 practically empty bags of tortilla chips, 1 empty cereal box, an enormous amount of dust, 1 box of Cream of Wheat dispersed over an entire box of kitchen wares, and a lot of "stuff" (read: crap) that we should have left in storage.  (At least I managed to get the laundry done so I didn't have to unpack dirty clothes!)

All things considered, it was a successful move.  (Aside from the "3 weeks late" thing.)

...But if that bed knob doesn't turn up, I'm going to have an obsessive-compulsive fit the likes of which this country has never seen!!!

On The Move

It’s the beginning of the end. This is our last 'real' week in Rhode Island. Yesterday we went strawberry picking one last time, today we're headed to Costco (it's in Massachusetts) to exchange our vacuum, and tomorrow I have 500 Snickerdoodles to make. (Cross your fingers for a nice, cold day!) Saturday we’ll get in one last trip to the Spray Park at the Y, and Sunday will be our last week at church. (In Rhode Island, anyway.)

Next week is when things start to get really crazy. Doug will be working as usual, and I will be left to deal with the movers. Three entirely different sets of movers who will come on different days and be packing things to be sent to different locations.

My job will be to supervise, but I can’t, for liability reasons, help pack or move anything.
That’s right. We're moving half way around the world and I don’t have to lift a finger. I should be happy, but instead I’m getting a little panicky.

Usually, this close to a move, we’re pretty organized. Most of our stuff has been packed and only the dregs are left. There is always last minute shoving into anonymous boxes, but for the most part, things are carefully packed and well labeled at least a little bit in advance. This time, I was told the movers had to do all the packing. So even things I would have liked to have packed away are still sitting un-touched on their shelves. Labels that would have been typed on the computer and printed, do not exist.

All of this I can handle. But there is one thing I worry about. I mentioned above that we have three different movers coming. This is because one shipment will be sent to “non-temp storage”. This is stuff that will stay here in the US that we wont need in Japan. (Some people store large appliances, etc. I’m just leaving some of my 10,000 books.) Next is the “slow boat” shipment. This is for the majority of your stuff but also big items like furniture. Finally there is the last (fast boat?) shipment. This needs to encompass everything you’ll need right away. Some bedding, dishes, a crib for the baby, toiletries etc.

All these shipments are independent (obviously) from the stuff we need for the month of July. (Doug will be at COT in Alabama, me and the boys will be at my friend's house in Florida.) My biggest worry is how to sort everything out!

I can just imagine what it will be like when the movers arrive:

Fast Shipment Packers: “So, Mrs. Dub, you said to pack these books, right?”

Me: “No, not all the books. Can you please just take the ones appropriate for beginning readers and… SAM! STOP WASTING THAT PACKING TAPE!!!! Sorry. Just the books for grades K-3. And I guess maybe of few ‘older’ books for read-aloud's. MAX! PUT DOWN THAT BOX CUTTER!!! And WHERE is Gabey? You were supposed to be watching him! Is the baby gate still up? SAM PUT THE BABY GATE UP BEFORE GABE FALLS TO HIS DEATH!!! Okay, so the books. Just take them all. In fact, just pack all the books in all the rooms.. I’ll sort ‘em out later. Excuse me, I have to save my child’s life now.”

--Two months later in Japan--

Doug: “Emily, how come we have all the leather bound classics you were supposed to leave in storage and we don’t have any sheets, towels or underwear?”

Me: “Um, what are you say...?? Hey! Look over there!!!”



Wish me luck!!!