That’s what I have started calling our departure date. We have a lot to do between now and then, a factor of many things…..like our life doesn’t ever stop, ever. Work, school and activities must go on, holidays and homework and weekend plans continue to consume free time, we still have to exercise, grocery shop and buy birthday gifts and celebrate our friends. All time well-spent.
Molly’s Spice Fastpitch team
So many M’s games to see!
David batting for his City team
Birthday lunch at the Roanoke!
Dirty Girl Mud Run with the Dirty Deeds team from Magnolia
Jon and Maggie exercising to Just Dance
Still, I find myself trying to carve out time at night or in the quiet morning hours to research a country and book accommodations, or even post on my shiny-new blog.
At times, I’ve likened this trip to a pregnancy; there is this DATE way far off in the future, MONTHS away.
Anticipating Baby David
It’s so fun to dream and talk and brainstorm about what life will be like after that date. You and your spouse are united on this dream, in fact, you CONCEIVED it together, gave it life, and imagined all its possibilities. Friends excitedly offer advice and share wisdom with you. You read books, you meet with professionals, and everything you do in your “normal” day to day life is tinged with the hues of this mysterious future. And then suddenly, you realize that you are referring to the arrival of that DATE in weeks, not months. You break into a cold sweat (I have done this with all my pregnancies AND this trip), and you realize that you are never going to be ready in time.
It’s painful for me to share this publicly, but here is my to do list.
- Finish booking accommodations/trains in Europe
- Book tours with Global Basecamps
- Purchase RTW airline tickets for first 6 months (finalize part 1 of itinerary)
- Research and purchase camera
- Get ‘tech lessons’ on MacBook Air at Apple Store
- Get iPads for kids
- Travel Vaccines
Edgar is looking for a new home
- International Drivers Permit at AAA
- Travel Insurance
- Purchase Travel purse/laptop bag for Macbook Air
- Investigate international data plans for phones
- Put guidebooks on Kindle
- Find a home for Edgar (our pet budgie)
- Sell cars
- Book gatherings for family/friends
Now, here is my preemptive answer to the question you are all thinking: taking a year off from your life to travel with a family of six is more difficult than planning for the arrival of a baby. At least it is for me, and maybe that is because my babies came one at a time. There are simply more logistics and details to sort out when planning for six people traveling together vs. the arrival of a tiny (albeit completely uncharted) baby. That is four different school curricula; six sets of belongings, clothing and gear; six times the financial considerations; and numerous destinations and all the variables of those destinations (accommodations, transport, language, currency, weather, recreation, food/picky palates); and all the hatches you have to batten down at home. And six times the anxieties about what the future after D-day will be like!
Just this morning, one of my sweet girls had a little blow up about clothing. Actually, it was the suggestion that we would be occasionally washing some things in sinks and hoping they would dry overnight. She fumed about why we could possibly think that was a good idea….(see post about You’ve Ruined my LIfe!). Sound familiar? Isn’t that sometimes how an older sibling reacts to the reality of a new baby in the family? So, the D-day is coming, ready or not; the only question is how ready will we be?
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2 comments
Michelle Hebden
August 7, 2013 at 5:22 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
I’ve just started reading! I’m thrilled to keep up with you on this blog. What an amazing adventure! Can I ask why you sold your cars? Just wondering…
Gretchen
August 9, 2013 at 6:52 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Subject of much debate in our household. Cars don’t do great sitting around for a year, and we don’t really need 3. The years of our cars are 94, 02 and 07. We kept the 02 (hooked up to a battery keeper in the garage) as a just in case car, but probably not necessary as we could quickly rent or lease if we came home emergently. We are looking at all-electric cars when we return in 2014.