The Next 48 Hours

Happy Easter all! Hope you've had a wonderful holiday with friends and family. We've had a busy weekend which started with the annual Egg-stravaganza on base. This is an event put on each year by the CDC where Jacob goes to pre-school. They have an egg hunt for the different age groups and games/crafts and photos with the bunny. As usual, it was utter chaos. I am so thankful it's our last base gathering like this. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful that they have events like this for the kids and to boost moral, but . . .The last 2 years it has been outsided, but due to the possibility of rain, they moved it in the gym. Jacob was in the 3-5 year age group and got 3 eggs, he was thrilled! The older kids in his age group were leaving with a basketfull. I'm sure they had at least 10. After almost getting trampled getting out, we made our way to get a picture with the Easter bunny. That at least went well. I'd post pics but they are in my camera packed away safetly in my bag.

Yesterday morning, we got a wonderful phone call. Someone answered our ad in the paper about our couches and Rusty. Tim and I had come to the conclusion that no one wanted Rusty and we were going to send him on a plane this Friday to Miami for my father-in-law to pick up and hold him for us until we were settled. Then our prayers were answered. In the afternoon the ladies came and 1 got the couches, the other took Rusty. I had mixed emotions seeing Rusty go. Sad to see him go as he and I had that special dog/human bond but happy knowing he wasn't going to have to endure that long flight and stranger on the other end and not seeing us until who knows when, and sad for Jacob as this is the dog he has basically grown up with. Star is still in the states waiting for us but Jacob thinks of Star as grandma and grandpa's. He has asked a few times were Rusty is but then goes on to the next thing. I haven't had the heart to say he has a new home quite yet. Tim dropped some things off last evening at Rusty's new home and all seemed to be going well. So, I hope Rusty is happy and that his new owners treat him well and love him as we did.

Which leads me to today, Easter Sunday. Tim did his changeover with his replacement and he was home by the time Jacob and I woke up! The Easter bunny did a great job hiding eggs. Jacob had a fun time finding all of them. We did very simple baskets this year of some chocolate, books and Pinocchio movie. The rest of the day has been spent organizing, packing clothes, packing items for the next 2 weeks that will then go in our express shipment. The movers come on Tuesday morning and I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed. I'm better then I was almost 3 years ago when we had our packout coming here. At least I know that if I forget something, I'm going back to the states where they have everything I need. We have boxes, sticky labels, tape, markers, . . .I keep thinking I'm going to forget something. The weather has been so wacky here and from what my parents say it's not any better in North Carolina. Hot one day, cold the next. So, I'm trying to pack with that in mind but also knowing I'm going to the South and it will get hot as h@!! in no time. You'd think after moving 4 times I'd be good with it. However, I've learned it never gets easier. I'm faced with the same question: Why have we accummulated so much junk? Do we really need this or that? And when that moving truck comes on Tuesday morning that weird feeling will come over me as I watch all our personal possessions get handled by strangers and packed into boxes and crates knowing we won't see them again until July and hoping everything makes it there safely. I know they are just material possessions but it's still weird to see everything you own go into several large wooden crates.

I'll pop in later in the week with probably my last blog from Sicily. Have a wonderful week!