Many preparations....

We originally planned to take the Alaska Marine Highway, but now that we're definitely driving in the new motor-home, we have changed our mind for a number of reasons.  I have made it my priority to make sure that our move goes as smoothly as possible.  And there are many aspects of our move that share equal importance as we plan our travel.

1)  Naturally, I have to out-process my current assignment as a Soldier assigned to Fort Wainwright, AK.  While out-processing is mostly contained in the last ten working days before my "Final Out," I have to start planning it now.  For example, yesterday, I scheduled the movers to come to my house, load up my goods and ship them to Texas.  Today, I gave a 30-day notice to housing so they'll be ready to clear my residence and get it ready for the next tenant.  And so on.  The list of things I need to do for the Army is so vast that they provide a checklist to make sure I don't miss anything.

2)  Before the movers come to pack up our belongings, we need to be ready to move out.  We've really been doing this all summer beginning with the first garage sale of the season several months ago.  But things have really swung into overdrive lately.  Jenny's gone through all the kids clothing (and especially our baby gear), getting rid of what we don't need, either selling it to Once Upon a Child or giving it to friends or to charity.  We're working to collect and consolidate all the toys, finding out what we don't need or no longer want.  This process is so extensive, partly because we've lived here so long and we are determined to mitigate items in our shipment to Texas that are no longer relevant to our family's needs.

2b) As a sub-note here:  A friend of ours is ready to pickup our piano and just need to coordinate the delivery, but we are still trying to sell our minivan.  We have a 2009 Blue Grand Caravan with just shy of 60,000 miles.  A full set of Blizzaks are included that were only used for about 3/4 of last winter, but it is NOT winterized.  We are asking $14,000.  If someone in Alaska would like to buy it, the van is currently on the Lemon Lot on Fort Wainwright, but I could probably drive it to Anchorage, if necessary, in a couple of weeks.

Our 2009 Dodge Grand Caravan

3)  Of course, we have to say good-bye to our many friends we've met while we've been up here.  Rebekah has a sleepover this weekend, in conjunction with her birthday.  I have two more trips to Anchorage, in which I hope to see many of the friends I have there and in Mat-Su Valley.  We've been to picnics and social gatherings with lots of hugs, tears and memories.

4)  It's been my chief responsibility to plan the great concourse of a trip we will be embarking on beginning September 20, after the Army clears us from Fort Wainwright.  The Army gives us twelve travel days in order to travel from Fairbanks, AK to Killeen, TX.  That's based on 350 miles per day and 4,000-something miles between here and there.  As you will see in the upcoming months, we plan on taking an indirect route, first visiting family in California, stopping by a few local playgrounds along the way, and going places for the educational benefit of our children.  According to my current calendar and calculations, it will take us thirty days to accomplish this adventure.

As you can see, we have been planning this journey to a strange an exotic place called Texas.  But in the words of our family's theme song, no matter where our journey takes us, so long as we are together and with the Lord, "This Is Home...."