Eve of Departure

Midnight, and I couldn't resist providing an oh so brief update of the state of the o-g household. We have spent three days packing, and I think we're pretty much done at this point. It comes down to 3 fifty-ish pound bags, two ten pound carry-ons, a stroller, two car seats, and a computer bag. That's what we're bringing on the boat (yes, Rob, "Liner," I know). Then we're shipping four 30-50 pound boxes to Barcelona at a cost of about three million dollars. Stuff, stuff, stuff, stuff, stuff! I keep telling myself we have so much to bring because we have little kids. But the truth is Rob and I are both clothes horses - there, I said it before anyone else could. Jill, who has been witnessing the packing process has been wonderfully diplomatic, but is clearly nothing less than appalled at the amount of clothes Rob and I have, and snickers every time we ask if we have enough of something.

That's the physical state. Mentally, we are doing okay. I felt a sense of calm come over me at about 10pm tonight - I could finally see a light at the end of the tunnel. But the truth is that I have been a bit of a stress monster. I hate packing. I hate it. Rob has been generally calm and thoughtful, and his mother Jill has been nothing less than a Godsend. The kids get that something very big is happening, and they are freaking out. Cory (and Addy to a lesser extent) is really beginning to feel all the good-byes, and he is expressing sadness about not seeing folks. His wonderful teachers at school - Judith and Rose - made an absolutely fantastic goodbye photo album for him. He insisted on reviewing the pictures and telling me about each friend tonight instead of the typical reading of the same 5 airplane books. If that's not profound, I don't know what is. The fact that he and Addy don't really know what they're supposed to be looking forward to must be hard for them. A few random meltdowns aside, both kids are doing well under the circumstances - we were even able to eat dinner at a fairly fancy restaurant as our goodbye dinner from Jill.

OK, must go to bed so I can be well rested for this relaxing cruise. You'll probably hear from us next when we get to Cornwall on the 22nd. Thanks to all for the incredibly kind wishes, calls, goodbye parties, and overall support over the last month.