Our move from Lemoore, California to Gulfport, Mississippi (via Texas) is upon us. As in, the kids and I are leaving California for good in 10 days (maybe 9). I'm going to attempt to share our moving timeline in the most non-confusing way, but prepare to be confused anyway.
Let me first say that every move plays out differently for us, logistically, and this time we chose for the kids and me to leave California before the moving company arrives and puts everything into boxes and onto a moving truck. The kids and I will spend May and June in Texas with my parents while Chet wraps up work in California and attends a 2-week class in Rhode Island. We think we will be moving into our house in Gulfport at the end of June, possibly early July.
Okay:
May 6/7: Chet, the kids, and me drive to Texas.
May 12: Chet flies back to California.
May 17-22: The moving company packs up our house/Chet hopefully finds a place to sleep for the rest of May (HA! but seriously...)
June 1-14: Chet attends a class in Rhode Island.
June 15-ish: Chet flies from Rhode Island to California to retrieve his truck and drive it east (maybe he'll have time to stop and spend time with us in Texas? Maybe he'll have to hightail it to Mississippi? These are details we can't set in stone yet...)
Last week of June: Chet begins his new job in Gulfport, Mississippi.
Moving in general, but definitely military moves, are all about flexibility, because there are always aspects of them that can't be planned (or not until the very last minute). It doesn't matter how organized you are, or how organized you wish to be: parts of your move will be messy and disorganized, and you just have to pray not to lose your mind.
Military families hear this all the time: "But doesn't the Navy/Army/etc. move you? That makes it easy!" If by easy they mean: "Doesn't the Navy/Army/etc. hire a company to put all of your belongings in boxes (except the things they CAN'T pack like food, toiletries, anything liquid, cleaning supplies, plants, etc.) and then unload all 600 boxes at the new house for YOU to unpack?" then...yes!
Don't get me wrong: I am EXTREMELY grateful that we don't have to box everything up and incur the moving costs ourselves (at least, not all of them). It is a HUGE burden lifted. But, honestly, that's the least the Navy/Army/etc. can do for their families, whom they require to move EVERY TWO YEARS. If they didn't take on this burden, no one would serve in the armed forces (at least, no one with children).
Please keep in mind that there are SO many other aspects to moving than simply transferring belongings from one house to another. Here's a snippet of our to-do list every time we move (that has nothing to do with the house itself):
1. Figure out schooling for the children
2. Find a church (and a Sunday school/small group)
3. Find a doctor (for the kids and you)
4. Find a dentist (for the kids and you)
5. Find an orthodontist
6. Find an eye doctor
7. Find a hairdresser
8. Find a vet (not us, but most people we know)
9. Find a babysitter/petsitter
10. Get a library card
11. Update ALL of your address and billing information with everyone/company you can imagine
12. Order new drivers' licenses with your current address (since we are military Florida residents, we currently have Florida drivers' licenses with a California address -- this costs us about $50 each time we move, and we kind of have to do it because you KNOW that the library isn't going to issue us a library card if we don't have 12 different ways to prove our identity and address)
13. Find a (decent) kids' second-hand clothing store
14. Find out where to get your oil changed
15. MAKE NEW FRIENDS
And imagine all of the paperwork and sub-to-do items that go along with these things. The leg work, the phone calls, the research, the joining of and posting on new social media sites to ask for recommendations...all in addition to making sure your family has clean clothes to wear and food to eat. It's best not to think too hard about it (unless you LIKE feeling overwhelmed, HA!).
And the friend/relationship aspect of moving? That's another post for another day. I already know, without a doubt, this move will be the most difficult emotionally.
So, please, think of these things the next time you meet a military family (or any family that has to move frequently!). It's not easy, but it's certainly an adventure!
