During stage one we dreamed and danced and cheered our exciting new adventure. We found a place to live and talked about all the fun our new life would be. We were filled with gratitude, stunned by our good fortune and giddy with excitement.
Knowing the next few months would likely be filled with stress and transition, we celebrated the news and trusted it would all work out.
Stage 2: "We're Moving to Chicago!?! Holy Crap!"
During stage two we panicked a little bit. We came to terms with the fact that our lifestyle was going to be changing a LOT. We realized that we had a ton of stuff and not a ton of room in which to keep it. We wondered what should happen with our little house in Chattanooga. We clung tightly to our daily routines and imagined how they would be altered when our surroundings changed. We spent a whole lot of time praying for strength, wisdom and courage. We sorted, purged, packed and downsized. Unexpected curve balls came our way that kept us from getting too far ahead of just today. I promise that each today provided plenty to navigate.
Taking our first taste of the stress and transition, we cowered a little bit.
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Stage 3: "We're Moving to Chicago. Just not quite yet."
Our house is half empty as I type this post. Many of our things have been gifted, stored, pitched or listed for sale. The hubby is making his way back to Chattanooga after a quick trip to deliver furniture and other sundry items to St. Louis. While we still await an official moving date, the plans seem to be falling into place for sometime late in January. There is a peace about the transition now. No longer frantically doggy paddling against the current; fighting for breath, we find ourselves calmly floating and wondering what we'll find around the next curve. I've let go of control of all of this in countless ways. While that might sound counter-intuitive, it's definitely saving my sanity. "What will be, will be." And until then, we're taking time to enjoy our last days in Chattanooga. Spending time with friends and one another is the highest priority.
Unsure of how many more stages this transition will be, I am at peace with exactly where we are today.
Doesn't it seem like this is shaping up to be the longest move in the history of moves?
What was your most drawn out moving experience?
