Heather in Neverland Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 Tomorrow my dh will load up about 50 huge rubbermaid bins and take them to the warehouse that will ship them to Malaysia. We have to send them about a month ahead of us to get them somewhat in time. A. Those bins contain most of our earthly goods minus furniture which is staying in the states. So I am having a meltdown thinking of all the awful things that could happen. What if the boat sinks? What if it gets hijacked by pirates? What if my boxes fall off the ship (like in Madagascar)? OK, I know I am being melodramatic but still. B. Shipping those bins tomorrow is the POINT OF NO RETURN. I am so excited about this new adventure. I can't wait to get there. So why am I hyperventilating??? Please. Talk me off the ledge. :willy_nilly: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WTMCassandra Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 (((Heather))) It's scary anytime your possessions are all in one place. I've experienced it both in a DIY move and a move with professionals. The overseas thing just adds to the scariness. Sometimes if I acknowledge something IS scary it actually helps because then I'm not beating myself up ON TOP OF the scariness. It's scary! But likely it will be OK. God has led you this far--He will be faithful. Those container ship people know their business and their whole job is making sure things get where they need to go. Try to think about the excitement that awaits you when you get there! This is an awesome adventure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danestress Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 we were having an argument and he said that he just felt like every time we argued, I might walk out. So I asked him, "When are you going to stop thinking that and believe that I'm not leaving" and he answered, "When all of your stuff and all of my stuff in the back of a moving truck together." He was active duty, so it didn't take very long for that to happen. I remember that feeling of having all of your possessions driving off down the road. I found it sort of liberating, though. On one hand, it was always a pleasant reminder that we are married and we are in it together and that my "stuff" is forever mixed with his. But also, it just was a nice reminder that when your stuff drives off, everything that is really important is going to be in the car or plane with you. Your spouse, your kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in Neverland Posted June 16, 2009 Author Share Posted June 16, 2009 But also, it just was a nice reminder that when your stuff drives off, everything that is really important is going to be in the car or plane with you. Your spouse, your kids. That seriously brought tears to my eyes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 There is nothing like sending all your stuff away to realize that the move is real. A little anxiety would be normal about now. :D We'll pray you through it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in Neverland Posted June 16, 2009 Author Share Posted June 16, 2009 There is nothing like sending all your stuff away to realize that the move is real. A little anxiety would be normal about now. :D We'll pray you through it. Thank you for your prayers. Ithought the point of no return was when I gave my notice at work...then when dh gave his notice...but now I REALLY know this is it. We won't see our belongings for at least a month and it is far too expensive to have them shipped back so we are going! No turning back! I feel a little faint... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BikeBookBread Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 We move so much (every 3 years at the least) that I've become quite detached from my stuff. If it is super important, we have it in our car (obviously not feasible on a trip to Malaysia!). In fact, I had a secret wish last move that our truck was hijacked and we got to start from scratch...if that were the case, I'd cut our stuff down by HALF at least! God bless you, Heather, it's going to be a great adventure! Besides, Rubbermaid totes probably float, huh? :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 We lived for seven years in a very small place and I could not unpack most of our "things". It's truly amazing how little one needs! Even if the boat sinks, gets hijacked or all your bins are stolen - you will find out it's just stuff. Nothing more. Like Danestress said, everything that is important is still with you. Well, okay, perhaps you could pack your photo album(s) in your personal suitcase so you have a few pics left from when the kids were little! :lol: Happy Moving and keep your blog updated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
readwithem Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 We've done three international moves, and aside from a little water damage when we moved to Australia (which insurance covered) we were fine! As mentioned by others, it's just "stuff" and you really will be amazed how little you need day to day. And when you DO get your shipment (ours were more like 2 months), it feels like Christmas! ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colleen in NS Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 What if the boat sinks? What if it gets hijacked by pirates? What if my boxes fall off the ship (like in Madagascar)? :lol::lol::lol: I'm sorry, but this just sounded so funny to me! I'm sure that no matter what mishaps happen along the way, you'll figure out how to adjust (remember that great "God's will" book you rec'd on another thread?). Hey, I just clicked on your blog to read, and saw that you are going to the Dalat school!!!! I just read about that school in a book! It's called Walking Miracle by Art Sanborn, published by YWAM Publishing - it's part of their International Adventures series. Anyway, this book is basically about the Sanborn family's adventures working with YWAM since 1979, and then when he breaks his neck and gets paralyzed and how he is healed over the next 10 years (he wrote the book last year - his accident was in 1998). But anyway, in chapters 25 and onwards, he describes their years of living in Malaysia and the miracles that occurred so that they could move to Penang and send their kids to the Dalat school, and what a great reputation it has, and how their kids flourished there and what their kids did when they finished high school at Dalat. Very inspiring. You know, in your free time the next few weeks, you might want to read it (ha ha about free time)! It's a great story anyway, about their family, and he's a funny writer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5KidzRUs Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 We have moved about 20 times - all over the US and Europe - in the last 20 years. I am still learning with each move!! Here is what never changes for me: 1) Photo negatives and photos on thumb drives fit very nicely into your carry-on or purse. 2) Original birth certificates and documents in 3-ring binder. 3) Irreplaceable small items; small heirlooms and original (antique) art. These will go into my purse of carry-on before (or wrapped in) clothes. Also, I agree that the ultimate irreplaceables are the family - Amen! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in Neverland Posted June 16, 2009 Author Share Posted June 16, 2009 :lol::lol::lol: I'm sorry, but this just sounded so funny to me! I'm sure that no matter what mishaps happen along the way, you'll figure out how to adjust (remember that great "God's will" book you rec'd on another thread?). Hey, I just clicked on your blog to read, and saw that you are going to the Dalat school!!!! I just read about that school in a book! It's called Walking Miracle by Art Sanborn, published by YWAM Publishing - it's part of their International Adventures series. Anyway, this book is basically about the Sanborn family's adventures working with YWAM since 1979, and then when he breaks his neck and gets paralyzed and how he is healed over the next 10 years (he wrote the book last year - his accident was in 1998). But anyway, in chapters 25 and onwards, he describes their years of living in Malaysia and the miracles that occurred so that they could move to Penang and send their kids to the Dalat school, and what a great reputation it has, and how their kids flourished there and what their kids did when they finished high school at Dalat. Very inspiring. You know, in your free time the next few weeks, you might want to read it (ha ha about free time)! It's a great story anyway, about their family, and he's a funny writer. Holy Smokes are you serous???? I had no idea. I will have to get that book asap! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colleen in NS Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 (edited) Holy Smokes are you serous???? I had no idea. I will have to get that book asap! Here are a few quotes from the book. (this was in 1987, when they were praying about what to do about their kids' education, as they were missionaries in Thailand. The kids did not want their education to interfere with their family's missions work, and the kids believed God would provide a way to stay in Asia and still get a solid education) p. 228 "We decided to explore the option of moving to Penang, Malaysia, where the kids could attend a missionary school named Dalat. Then it goes on to detail how the parents flew to Penang on cheap tickets and how the hotel just happened to be right next to the school they were looking for and all that fell into place for them to move there. Then on p. 229 "...the staff and students at Dalat School greatly impressed us. Ellen and I became confident that this school, with it's college-preparatory curriculum and family atmosphere, would be an excellent environment for our kids to spread their wings and grow. When we returned to Bangkok and told our kids all these things, they became equally excited." So, they settled into Penang and worked with YWAM there, with their kids at Dalat. Then on p. 249 "During our three years in Malaysia, all of our children finished their high school years having had great experiences and the highest standard of education at Dalat School. The teachers excelled at their jobs, but more important, they were solid role models for our children." Later he goes on to detail his kids' post-secondary education (one became a doctor!!, one a computer guy, and one a theatre guy.) Those quotes are included in chapters about their life in Malaysia - interesting reading - hope you get your hands on it! Check out YWAM Publishing online. Hope it gets you more excited about going! Oh, and the fun thing for me while reading the book is that they know a family I used to know in YWAM. The family that I know works in Bangkok and have been there for years. In fact, the wife started a school in Thailand when she was homeschooling her young children there years ago, that was meant to be a homeschool co-op type of thing for other missionaries there. I read about the school recently, and Vickie (the lady I used to know) wrote a vision statement for the school and it reads almost like the WTM with it's classical bent!! I couldn't believe it. Homeschooling classically in a missionary setting - that's my ideal! :) Edited June 17, 2009 by Colleen in NS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 I don't know anyone personally that has had entire shipments lost, but I do know that it's possible. When I pack my stuff up, I have to remind myself that it is just stuff. It isn't my kids' lives. It isn't my ability to think or love. It isn't friendships. Everything in there can be done without. I've done three trans oceanic moves. It is painful. But you have to remind yourself that it really is just stuff. One thing that has helped is to copy our entire hard drive to an external drive and carry that in baggage or send it to my in laws. If the computer is lost, then we at least haven't lost all our photos. We also scan a lot of our important documents. Some are saved on the harddrive of various computers. Others are emailed to a hotmail or gmail account, which acts as offsite storage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 When we moved to Belgium, we stored most of our stuff. We shipped sixteen big boxes of stuff...mostly books for school. What got me was the dog. Another family agreed to keep our dog for us while we were gone. They came on Sunday afternoon before we were to leave on Monday. All went well, the dog, her crate, and assorted equipment were loaded in their van and they drove off. I had every confidence in their ability to take care of our pup. Three or four hours later, I walked past the place where the dog normally lounged...and she wasn't there. All the sudden it HIT me, we were DOING this crazy thing. Moving across an ocean to a place where we knew no one, in a land where we didn't know the language...I melted into a puddle of sobbing blubber. :D All the stress of storing our stuff, leaving family, no sleep...all crashed on me. Dh and I sat on the floor because all the furniture was gone and he rocked me while I cried. Once that was done, I was exhausted but solid again. The move was an incredibly wonderful thing for our family. It literally changed us forever! But that moment is still a stunning moment in my heart.... Just be aware you may have a few more yikes moments before you get settled in Malaysia. (or not.) Either way, you'll survive and be fine. I'm so excited for your adventure to begin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brigitte Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 That is very exciting and nerve wrecking. I can't believe the time has passed so quickly. You will be fine and so will you stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.