Final preparations

I guess it's really happening. We're really moving to Japan. The Navy movers came and packaged up all of our stuff on Thursday and Friday. After our condo was emptied of the majority of its contents, we had a massive cleaning and painting party over the weekend. My aunts Donna and Jeanine and Charlie's dad Gary helped out; otherwise there would've been no way we'd have been able to get the job done in the limited time we've got left in The States. After killing our backs on Saturday, Charlie and I went skinny dipping in our complex's hot tub after dark to ease our aching muscles (we forgot our swim suits). The place looks mighty good now. Unfortunately we haven't had potential renters express any interest yet. I'm fast loosing confidence in our chosen property management company.

Late Friday night we got a lead from my sister-in-law Christine (thank you Christine!) about a co-worker who was interested providing foster care for our cats while we're abroad, and then Charlie's parents drove the cats to their new home Saturday morning. This means that my mom won't have to make an extra road trip down from Seattle to get the cats and that the cats won't have to make that potentially traumatic drive.

Between now and Thursday, we'll be staying at Charlie's parents' house in Torrance. Last night they babysat so Charlie and I could go to The Melting Pot to celebrate our 3rd anniversary. I figured since cheese in general is rare in Japan, fondue places would likely be non-existent. We had a very romantic dinner. Then, that night, as if he wanted to give us an anniversary gift as well, Nathan slept for a solid 6 hours for the first time ever!

We were about to drive up to the Navy base in Ventura for some last minute paperwork today when Charlie's dad realized it was Columbus Day and the offices on the base would likely be closed. Thank goodness we didn't make the drive for nothing. I guess we'll have to go at the crack of dawn tomorrow.

Charlie's been on the phone making a zillion logistical and administrative phone calls today.

I hope we'll be able to continue this blog after we get to Japan. It may be difficult at first because we'll have very limited internet access for the first month (as our computers are being shipped). It's going to be weird to be without computers and a TV but perhaps we'll be so busy and overwhelmed that we won't notice.

We're certainly going to miss everyone!