We got this!

Above is PART of what we are taking back to the States with us.  It includes:

5 big suitcases
2 carry-on size suitcases
1 large duffle bag
1 military duffle bag
1 small duffle bag
1 kid-sized suitcase
2 backpacks
2 dog crates
and my purse.

It does not show:
2 large car seats
1 pack n play in a stroller bag
1 double stroller plus bag

Of what is listed above, we are taking our backpacks, my purse, Abbie's carry-on suitcase, 1 small red suitcase and the small duffle bag, plus the stroller and one of the carseats on the plane as carry-ons.  It'll be interesting for sure.

I wouldn't wish an overseas move on anyone.  They are a pain in the butt!  Especially when you add multiple young kids and dogs into the mix.  It's just not fun!  And to add to my stress, I was pretty sick yesterday.  Fever, body aches, chills, stomach issues, etc.  Just felt really "blah".  But I'm back up to about 80% today.  I don't have a fever any more, which is great.  My stomach still feels a little funky, but doesn't hurt as of right now, so that's good.  I think it's a combination of stress and not eating all that well the past week.  It'll be SO nice to be back in the States and have more food (specifically fast food) options.  I think I probably feel better because I feel like the hardest part is behind us.  Although when we're trying to fit 18 bags into a rental car once we get to Phoenix, I might be re-thinking that thought...

My mom emailed me yesterday asking if I was making lists of everything I have to get once we get into our house in Phoenix.  I had to laugh.  And then I told Mark and he laughed too.  Unless you've done it, you don't realize how hard it is, and how much is involved with moving overseas, and specifically moving out of Aviano.  I feel like we've both been going non-stop for the past 2 weeks with selling stuff and shipping stuff and getting out of the house and saying goodbye to friends and out-processing from this base and getting dogs health certificates and returning library books and doing final outs with home fuels and FMO and housing and finance and cleaning out the tlf's and pre-checking in bags and everything else we've been running around doing, when I'm not flat out on the couch trying not to puke and trying to stop shivering.  So no, we aren't thinking about what's going to happen 5 days from now.   And everything seems so easy in the States anyway.  We can just run to Target (which will be less than 5 mins away) and grab whatever we need!!!  Or we can run to Wal-Mart (which is like 6 mins away) ANY TIME OF THE DAY and get whatever we need.  Seriously, we're so excited we can hardly stand it.  It just seems like everything is easier in the States and we can't wait to be back!!  Mark asked if we wanted to go camp in the PAX terminal tonight, just so we're there in the morning for sure.  =)

The weird thing about this move is that my mom is right - I am normally a chronic list maker.  I make lists of the lists I have, but since the end of December, I haven't made one single list.  I didn't make any list for the move in to TLF's or the move back to the States.  I don't know why really.  I just haven't been in the mood to make lists.  Something must be wrong with me.

So this will probably be my last post from Italy.  It's been fun.  We're glad we got to experience living overseas and do all the traveling we did and meet all the people we've met, but we are SO excited to be going HOME!  See you on the flip side!