The Packing, etc.

I haven't been mentally counting down the days until we leave. That's Greg's job, and he's very good at it.  He's been in charge of any official countdown since our first trip to Disney World was booked in 1996 before we got married and in the pre-child era. I discovered he was so good at it, I let him do the counting and I focus on the packing, etc.

Charlotte and Luisa Wilson's First Communion
Sunday, August 10, 2014.

We have been enjoying our time with family over the last several days, and Charlotte's and Luisa's First Communion was the culmination of our summer in Parry Sound.  It was such a special day for everyone, especially the girls, and we are so grateful to God, to our family and to Father Vic at St. Peter's Church in Parry Sound, for helping things to run so smoothly and for our girls to be so abundantly blessed.  Charlotte and Luisa are not only cousins who are 5 months apart, they are also great friends, and have enjoyed spending summers together at 'Camp Gramma and Grampa' for the last five years.  Brian is Greg's brother and he is married to Laura.  They have three children: Luisa (9), Jack (days from 7) and Tommy (16 months).  They all live in Mexico City.  We see each other every summer and at Christmastime.  Greg and I are Godparents to Luisa, and Brian and Laura in turn are Godparents to Charlotte.  It worked out beautifully that not only were we able to have a whole pile of family together for the girls' First Communion, but both sets of parents were able to be there for a) their own daughter's FC; b) their niece's FC; and c) their God-daughter's FC.  How nifty is that?  Anyway, the girls had a very special day with lots of participation in the mass, and the most important part was that they have now received the Eucharist for the first time.  Our communal prayer for the girls is that God will continue to bless them abundantly and that they will always remember that they were able to share their special day with each other.

With the FC out of the way, Greg and I got down to final packing and stuffing the stow'n'go of our van with all the various trappings and paraphernalia that Wilsons will require in Tuktoyaktuk.  Now,  it is 3:38 a.m. the day we leave, and I can't sleep.  As I look around me I see suitcases and laundry baskets stuffed with all kinds of interesting items.  There is a basket of shoes and boots, and one with extra stuff to do in the van to shake things up a bit on our drive, one with afghans and a sweater each, and there is a closed bin with our basic kitchen and bathroom needs that will come with us too.  Our moving company has scheduled delivery of our 2,600 lbs of belongings some time between August 14th and August 26th, but we were told to more than likely expect delivery closer to the 26th.  Since we are arriving on the 22nd, it is more than likely that we are going to require a few days of basic necessities, thus the bin of basic kitchen and bathroom.  The afghans, fitted sheets and pillows will also get stuffed into suitcases (in the place of dirty laundry, which can come up with the van on the barge)  so we can sleep in relative comfort too.  In a way I am rather looking forward to these days of relative simplicity.  It will give us a chance to get to know the people our new community, for us to see the school and register the kids, and get used to life as we will soon to know it.  The planning for this time, however, does require some deep thought and strategizing, and I hope I have done things correctly.  After packing for this cross-country journey where there will be a pretty drastic season change toward the end, as well as accounting for our basic needs, it has been quite a process.  Our stuff can be broken into three different categories: the goods that are currently en route to Tuk; our things that we need to come with us but will stay in the van while it is on the barge, set to arrive in Tuk on August 29, and our basic belongings and necessities, which will fly in to Tuk with us on the 22nd. Now you know what I've been up to during the packing process!

So....here it is all around me.  This important 'stuff'...what we need to keep us warm, comfortable, clean, rested and amused for the next few weeks until we are reunited with the remainder of our belongings. All this packing, etc. sure can make a girl tired!  I will look forward to the day when everything is in its new proper place and I can look around me and smile at a job well done.