Crunch time

The weeks leading up to us leaving were and still to this day are a ball of haze. Luckily I had my family and friends helping in any way they could. From my sister and mom watching the kids for appointments or so, I could paint, friends listening to me vent, and that glass of wine in the driveway on those long days. So if you want to see who cares about you, create an unnecessary crazy in your life like moving to another country. Just kidding, don't do that. Honestly, though, I love having a circle as I do!

We were running till the day we got on the plane, from wrapping up construction literally till the day before. I had packed the house up of things we weren't taking with us. There was a disagreement between Chris and me about the house staying furnished. I thought everything must go! On the other hand, Chris felt a family renting a four-bedroom home wouldn't already have their own shit. As far as packing for Iceland, I hadn't started packing because I couldn't get my shit together on what we needed. Before we left, my mom and sister came to pack with me. I know they were ready to kill me at this point! Packing meant we were definitely moving. I wanted to take this next step but was still dragging my feet because it was a lot of change. I'm a creature of habit. I like what I know and am open to new experiences. I know it isn't evident. I'm confusing. That night my friend across the street came over to see how I was doing and have that last drink together for at least a year. She doesn't know, but that meant the world to me, to know someone thought of me not just to send a text but to check on me. Everyone that came to my house that week to see how I was doing meant so much. The morning of the move, another friend went to a gluten-free bakery to get donuts and a coffee.

That morning my family was there again to load us up. It was a fog. I ensured all the bags were loaded in the cars, that kids had their carry-ons (and stayed out of them), and that I had passports and covid test results. Leaving was so hectic that my sister took off with her little ones, and we didn't even say bye to each other. We were on autopilot, not thinking we wouldn't see each other for a year.

Once at the airport, with tickets in hand and all ten bags checked, we walked through the ghost town of the airport to start the following chapter of our life.

This was the first time it felt real to me...