The Ship has Left the Harbour (Harbor)

Last week the moving company packed the items we are taking with us to Austin.  They spent one day packing, and then a half day loading 84 boxes into a sea container.  The sea container left Singapore on Friday, estimated arrival in Austin about six weeks.  The picture below is Jack amidst boxes during packing day...

Now we are in a state of "camping" with what is left in our apartment.  We still have all of our beds, all of the kitchen items, and then enough miscellaneous furniture pieces to put together a make-shift living room area.  I took pictures of our "camp site" but unfortunately the camera I used (since my usual camera is somewhere in the Pacific ocean right now) isn't compatible with my pc.  So those photos will have to wait for another post. 

We are actually having fun with our transition.  It has forced us to get creative on ways to entertain the kids and to use a lot of extra space in the half-empty apartment.  We talk to the kids about moving to Texas, and they understand that their bicycles, scooters, and books will eventually reunite with them in Texas.

For Matt and I we have thought a lot about the memories we have in this apartment, as well as the apartment we lived in for the first two years.  So many memories.  So much to reflect upon as we pack boxes and suitcases, and look forward to a new chapter.  It is a staggering reality to us that because our children only know life in Singapore, it is like they are moving to a foreign country.  Which also highlights one of the reasons we are anxious to move back, it pains me that my children do not know yet what it means to be a Texan :-)

Blog posts will be spotty for the next few weeks.  We move out of our apartment mid-March and into temporary housing.  Then lots of bills to settle, accounts to close, household items to sell, friends to see, and lots of packing.  What will I miss most about Singapore?  The trash chute is a top contender, but honestly what I will miss the most is the amazing opportunity we had as a family to learn, grow together, and to adapt in a country that is outside of our comfort zone.  We have met truly incredible people, traveled to seriously cool places, and worked in business environments that challenged us....all while raising three small kids.  We are so grateful for the opportunity and will savor all of our memories as we embark upon the tricky journey of repatriation.