ETA: Germany, Monday, August 9, 2010

The Summer of 2010 has both sped by like a NASCAR driver in the final lap and inched slowly along like molasses in January. Days have been filled with my work as a freelance writer, spending time with my family and preparing to move to Germany.

Daughter, Rachel & her boyfriend, John

In July, my family and I began what I refer to as "The Changing of the Guard." My daughter Rachel and her wonderful boyfriend, John, moved into the house to prepare to take over the home and become the new parents to my menagerie of furry friends. My son, Ethan, lives with them in what used to be my room. With important loose ends tied up, I was able to feel like the plans Mario and I were making were meant to be.

I started counting down the days left until I moved at Day 120. The week before I was to leave finally arrived and with it came all kinds of craziness and chaos. Four days before my flight departed, I came down with the stomach flu or had a case of food poisoning. As I lied in bed with pains worse than any of the three childbirth labors I'd ever experienced, I envisioned myself doubled over and writhing in pain in the airplane bathroom. If you've ever flown long enough to have to make a visit to the bathroom, you know an airplane is not the ideal place for you (or the other travelers) to have stomach issues. My trip, from start to finish, would last eighteen hours and I hoped, prayed and all but offered up a sacrifice to ensure I wouldn't be sick by the time the weekend arrived. Two days later, I was fine. While I'm sure stomach issues during travel would have made for hilarious blogging material (after the fact, not during!), I'm very thankful not to have had to deal with that!

When it comes to detail work, such as packing, I tend to find every excuse to stall and put it off. Not because I'm not good at detail work; but because I'm too thorough for my own good. Though I thought for a brief moment about packing the night before I left, I decided that might not be the best idea since, in effect, I was packing my whole life (or what I could take of it) for a very big move.

The Thursday before departing for Germany, my daughter stayed home from work to help me pack. "Let me try on all my clothes," I said to her, "and you tell me what looks good and what doesn't. Be brutally honest, please."

God forbid, I didn't want to arrive in Germany and have my boyfriend see me looking so horrific that he ran and hid behind the nearest ticket counter. Four and a half hours later, I had tried on every article of clothing I'd owned and gotten rid of two large trash bags full of unwanted clothing. I was so proud of myself for paring down like that and I was sure I'd have no problem putting what was left in my two small suitcases and one carry-on bag.

Brooklyn Bridge

If you believe I was able to fit everything into my luggage than I'd like to know if you're interested in buying the Brooklyn Bridge. I'm selling it for a rather reasonable price due to the economy. My suitcases were stuffed to the gills and half my clothing still sat in neat stacks all over my bed, awaiting its turn to be placed into the suitcases. I still hadn't even begun to pack toiletries or other non-clothing items. Begrudgingly, I went through everything I'd packed, weeded out even more clothing and stashed it away to be sent over later. In the end, I was able to procure a couple larger suitcases from my daughter's wonderful boyfriend. Some of my clothing still sits high on the shelf in the laundry room waiting to be brought or sent over at a later date. Fortunately, I have had two days to come to terms with that and make the decision that I will be able to go forth in life without a few shirts, pants and my favorite pair of fleecy, fluffy socks with the gray and white horizontal stripes.

Despite my still-overstuffed suitcases, I managed to pack a few things that are pretty ridiculous, no matter where you're going or what your length of stay. If I wracked my brain for hours to come up with logical explanations for this stuff, I don't know that I could be successful, so I'm just going to be honest and tell you sometimes I get an idea in my head and I have to stick with it or I get stressed out. With that in mind, here are some of the crazy things I've managed to find room for or squeeze into my suitcases and my logic for why I need them:

• Twenty or so different American magazines I haven't had time to read in the past six to eight months. I'm figuring I'll have more time there and American magazines will be hard to find in Germany.
• My "Barry Manilow's Greatest Hits" CD even though I haven't listened to it in years. I have no reason for this, logical or otherwise. It just seemed like the right thing to do.
• A small tub of wheatgrass juice powder. I'm concerned I will have a hard time finding health food stores in Germany even though my boyfriend assures me they have stores and streets in Germany and eat with a knife and fork, just like we do in America.

• An ice cube tray. Just one. It's blue. Mario doesn't have any ice cube trays and while I'm sure they sell them in Germany, if I want or need to make ice right away, I will be prepared. As a former girl scout leader I know and understand the importance of always being prepared.

It is the night before my flight and I can hardly believe I am leaving for Germany early tomorrow morning. The next couple days mark the beginning of the next leg of this fantastic journey I'm on, called Life. Rather than saying good bye to family and friends, I've chosen to say "I'll see you soon."