What a weekend, and then some!

My parents arrived late on Tuesday night and got right to work on Wednesday while I was at school. Over the course of the rest of the week and into the weekend, we got the major pieces of furniture I want to keep into storage. Several load went to the thrift shop and another couple to the “Convenience Center” or what is more simply known as the “Swap Shop” at the local landfill. Some items went before we even left the premises! I feel like huge progress was made and I took my parents to the airport VERY early this morning! They made it home safely. 

In addition to my parents, over the Memorial Day weekend I had the pleasure of my brother, Daniel’s family with us. Plus my daughter and her boyfriend were here too. Thank goodness for air beds!! So Saturday and Sunday were fairly laid back. We’ll try to get the house on the market by the end of next week!

Meanwhile I’m also sorting at school and beginning to make more progress there. It is hard to know where the focus needs to be sometimes, so I’m trying to focus on one small place until it is done and then move on. I finished going through my file cabinet at school today! Next.

Tomorrow my class has their recorder concert with the other 4th grade classes. It should be fun and they sounded good today (for recorders). Ah, and then I have report cards to do. 

It feels like something I can accomplish now that my parents got me started. Hooray!

Good grief!

Time is flying! One of my American School of Kuwait colleagues emailed to say “67 days” and I nearly lost it! 

The house is all repaired (outside) and painted! Yay! I’m glad that is done and I hope that will make people want to offer more than the asking price. ha. It will be inspected on Wednesday and then we’ll know what kind of “hits” we might have to take on the price.

Last week got a few of the trash items out, but there is still so much here! This weekend I went up to Asheville to cheer on Scott (my daughter’s boyfriend) as he graduated! HOORAY! GO SCOTT! It rained, and apparently for the first time in the history of this institution graduation was moved indoors. The bagpipes to process and recess were spectacular and we had a glorious celebration  in spite of the weather! 

I loved the opportunity for more in depth conversation with my son that being trapped together in the car for hours provides. 🙂 My children have outpaced my ability to feel the pride necessary for such wonderful, creative, and yes, even responsible, human beings. I love them so much and their support of this crazy adventure of mine means more than I can express in words. <<heart bursting>>

Whew! Getting mushy here. Now, my parents arrive late Tuesday evening. I am thrilled to see them and look forward to the support and direction (as well as enormous help) they will provide. I anticipate having quite a sense of accomplishment after they leave on the 30th. We’ll take a wee break to do some touristy stuff on Sat. and Sun. of Memorial Day weekend since my brother’s family and all my kids will be here too! Hmmm, what to do? Prior to everyone’s arrival though, I hope we will have made several major trips to the storage unit with substantial contributions. Then on Monday, I hope to make more progress on that front. 

Meanwhile, high stakes testing begins on Monday for my students. It will be a challenge to make it through these last few weeks of school and get all the purging done that needs doing there! I CAN do it! 

little by little

This weekend began by being stood up by the vent and duct cleaning guy who was supposed to come between 4-6pm. (I rescheduled…again.) On Saturday I went to sign the lease on my storage unit, so I’m officially ready to start hauling stuff there. I plan to wait until Memorial Day so I can begin by getting the bigger items in when I have many hands. I sorted a couple of boxes to make up for not sorting a box a day last week.

I also contacted the NC State Dept. about getting “authenticated.” Once my work visa comes I have to get my Bachelor’s Degree, a police background check, and a medical clearance stamped by the NC State Dept., the US State Dept. and then the Embassy of Kuwait. All this can’t start until my visa comes in June and has to be back in my hands by the time I leave on August 19! 

Repair work has begun on the outside of my house, then it will be power washed and painted. After that inspection and put on the market. The weather has not been very cooperative for these jobs. I suspect it won’t be done for another couple of weeks. It would be nice to not have to worry about showings while family is here, so maybe the last week of May.

I made my prodigal return to the Church of Reconciliation on Sunday. It was nice to see people again. I have realized that I need to be in a place that knows me before I embark on this adventure rather than trying to invest in a making a new community right before leaving. 

Progress.