Since deciding to make the move to South Africa for a year, all of the major issues that surround making an international move have been taken care of:
- packing up our apartment and storing our stuff
- selling a car
- organizing a visa
- finalizing a green card
- finding a home for our cats
- quitting our jobs
- booking our flights
So the smaller tasks shouldn’t really be all that bad. BUT WHY ARE THEY SO ANNOYING AND STRESSFUL?
After having a near meltdown my sweet husband suggested I make a check list of things I need to do. So I did, and checked off the easy ones first.
I set up doctors appointments: dentist, check! OBGYN, check! Dermatologist, check! Eye doctor, check! Ordered glasses + contacts, check, check! We made sure to have every body part poked and prodded before we left.
Yet there is still A LOT to do before we leave. My to-do list keeps growing, and my well-meaning mom seems to be added to it… “what are you doing about xyz?” and then there is that dark cloud called PACKING hanging over my head. But the fact of it is, it will all get done eventually, and if it doesn’t then it really wasn’t that important to begin with. Therefore, above all on our to-do list, we are making it a priority to spend time with friends and family who we won’t be seeing for a year.
So yesterday I saw a dear friend of mine, Lillian. We wandered through the our local greenmarket, caught up with the ongoings of each other’s lives (she recently moved to Orlando and is juggling two internships PLUS school and looking for a full time job – p.s. HIRE HER!)
She gave me the most beautiful wedding gift/going away gift. A quilt made from flags that adorned the guest tables at our wedding reception. It is so beautiful and thoughtful that I nearly cried.
There are still plenty of items left on my to do list, but today reminded me that friends and family are truly important. Setting aside a half hour to catch up with a friend, spending time with mom and dad, or stopping in the hall to talk to a co-worker are just as important as making sure that every little box is checked off.
Monday, September 23rd 2013 at 7:10 pm
Somehow I missed this post the first time I read through here! Oh my darling, dear old friend. I am so happy for you and excited for these incredible adventures you have embarked upon. I nearly cried when I read this post. Somehow, even though your worlds away, you still aren’t too far 🙂 thanks for being such a positive, encouraging, supportive light in my life. You are dearly missed.