So I’m packing up my family once again. This time it is somewhere in between “moving” packing and “trip” packing. This will be the longest “trip” we’ve ever been on while paying rent for an unoccupied house still full of our STUFF. Also, we will be living in our own little place and so we need more things than the usual trip. Did I mention this is a LONG trip. Friends and family, we are leaving the comforts of our home for a good two months or longer. I am sad. This place I titled “Gloomington” has grown on me and I am sad to be leaving my friends (those who aren’t moving too!), my comfort zone, my home and my backyard! Mostly I hate packing... and if I can just get out of this slump and ignore my growing to-do-list, I will leave, have our summer and be back before I know it.
But how much do I pack? I’ve got it down to 7 t-shirts for the boys... but what if it’s cold... how many sweaters do I need? We need dress shoes for church, running shoes, sandals... do we need rain boots and rain jackets? We will be camping a lot... so on top of the tent, sleeping bags, cooler, coleman stove I need warmer PJs in case it’s chilly (we are going to Canada!)... How many toys do I let them bring? I’m supposed to be getting Julia ready for kindergarten this summer... do I bring learning activities, her favourite books? As for myself, how many outfits do I bring for Sundays? Realistically I think one... but I know I’ll get sick of it and how many people will be wondering if I really just have that one skirt? Do I bring a framed family picture to add some decor to our dorm room? Oh, and should I dust my home before I go? Will it make that much difference for when I return? Should I put all my photo albums on the top floor so that if a disaster strikes and floods hit, my scrapbooking efforts and memories are saved?
I could never have been a pioneer... never a military wife... and obviously I’m struggling with my present role of “packer”. Do you have any suggestions?
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4 comments:
You are hilarious. Why are you going to be gone for so long? Does Greg have some internship thing going on?
My best advice would be to dive on in, baby! The WORST feeling in the world is procrastination - I should know this because I am expecting BOTH sets of our parents today for Peter's graduation. Both are staying in OUR house, and I procrastinated getting ready for them all week. Now I am in up to my ears with laundry, bed-making, etc. etc. and WHAT AM I DOING?? Checking blogs, of course! My new addiction! I know you are a fellow "planner" like me - you probably have 50 lists right now of what you SHOULD be doing, am I right? So let's jump in together and tackle our jobs - we'll be sooo much happier when it's done! :)
Michelle -
I hate diving too!
Greg does consulting for a company up in Toronto and will be working for them this summer. I'm glad to be near family too, so it should be fun. Good luck with all your family and try to enjoy the moments. Thanks for your advice... it's always nice to know I'm not alone (in my planning, procrastination, and blog addiction!)
What a FUN adventure! I hope you take lots of pictures and write lots of blog entries, because I'm so happy to be so in touch with the Gilpins once again. Hooray for the Internet! :-)
I'm with you girl - I hate packing. I either pack too much, or the wrong things. I've gotten to the point now that as long as I pack less than my MIL for all five of us... I'll purchase what ever we forgot/decide we MUST have along the way or when we get there.
NO K&GR trip is complete without atleast one stop at WalMart and usually once we get where ever we're going I make a stop at the children resale shop or the outlet mall to purchase the opposite seasoned clothing I packed because of course the weather is totally different than I expected.
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