Our Upcoming Move

As many of you already know, we have a lot going on in our lives this summer... the baby due July 21, the move to Germany, selling our home, my becoming a full time stay at home mom, and Don changing jobs as well. And all the things in between there that are somehow part of our crazy lives these days.

We are getting down to the wire now and have been talking to realtors, trying to get some things organized and done around the house, etc. Some days are crazier than others. Today, Don has the day off. We spent some time today getting things together for our passports as well as ready for our upcoming trip to Virginia Beach. Somehow things will come together!

Back in April, Don traveled to Germany and was able to gather quite a bit of information on where we will be living and what it will be like there. We actually traveled to Heidelberg, Germany way back in 1997 before we were married. However, we didn't really check into the on post family housing at the time. So, during Don's more recent trip he was able to send home some photos of a couple of on post houses he looked at. It will really depend on what's available during the time frame we arrive as to where we actually end up. However, I'm posting a few photos of what the living quarters will be like for us there.

I was pleasantly surprised by how modern and clean the places actually seem. They were built during the 1950s but have been renovated recently. Most are one level and with our family of (soon to be) five, we will be approved for a four bedroom, 2 bathroom... but it will probably only be about 1600 square feet total.

When we first arrive, we will be in guest housing there for up to 30 days and it will take some time for us to get the majority of our housing goods. (Guest housing is basically a hotel on base that will also allow us to keep our dogs with us).

So, when do we leave? Well, there are a lot of factors that will play into that so we don't actually have an exact date pinned down yet. We do have dates schedules for stuff to be put in storage, another date for the packers to come for our large shipment to Germany, then another date for when we will have some things flown over that we might need sooner (clothes, linens, crib, some toys, etc). A lot will depend on when our new baby decides to actually arrive. The baby is due July 21 and we will have to have a passport for the baby before we can leave the US. We also have to have a birth certificate in order to get the baby's passport ordered. So, we plan on heading to Illinois in the middle of August and see what happens from there. (Although, if the baby arrives late that could change things a bit!). Don's report date is September 15 so hopefully we will all be settled in together there by then.

Right now, Don, Benjamin and our dog, Campbell are off at the pet store picking out crates that are appropriate to ship our two furry four-legged family members. They suggested purchasing them a couple months out so the dogs have some time to get used to them. We don't foresee any issues with Loudoun... she is currently crated when we are not home and actually enjoys spending time in her crate when we are home (she's in there right now... sleeping away!) But Campbell does NOT like to be confined and will probably need some serious coaxing to become acclimated to some time in a crate. Poor lil doggies... I think I dread the flight to Germany more for them than for me!

Okay, now onto some laundry and packing for our beach trip...