Packing, packing, and more packing..

We have been packing for months...I'm not exaggerating.  As soon as we decided that we were definitely moving, we started packing.  We did this to prevent a series of chaotic moving episodes we've had in the past...I won't go into detail...but we wanted to finally do it right the 4th time around.  So, we have basically packed everything we don't need (i.e. most of our stuff) except for kitchen supplies, clothes, linens, cleaning supplies, some of Ella's toys, and staple pieces of furniture.  Ironically, once you get down to it, there are not that many things in life that you actually "need."  

This weekend was no exception, we packed and organized our way through the second largest St. Patrick's Day celebration in the U.S.  While many people we out enjoying the gorgeous weather and green beer...we were inside packing.  We decided not to take Ella to the parade after much debate.  It was during her all important nap time, we knew parking would be a nightmare, and Brent was on call and needed easy access to our car in case he had to go in.  So we made the decision to have our Saturday morning breakfast @ Clary's...we all wore green of course...work on packing and laundry, and Brent took Ella for a nice long walk and to the park.  My sciatic nerve was out of control that day, so I had to lay on the couch while they enjoyed the beautiful weather.  Needless to say,  our St. Patrick's Day was very tame and uneventful...but hey what can you really expect from a pregnant woman,  a one year old, and a man on call??  We decided that we are going to come back when the kids are older and I'm not pregnant, get a hotel room right downtown, and enjoy the festivities with our Savannah friends!  That sounds like a great plan to me.

Back to packing...What makes packing for our latest move challenging is that we have to divide our belongings into two categories: things that will go into storage and things we will need to live at my mom's house in the basement.  Additionally, we had to sort through and pack all the newborn baby stuff and make sure that made it to my Mom's house as well.  We've had to be highly organized in this process.  Organization is a struggle for Brent and for me...but we have managed quite nicely.  Most everything in the house is (somehow) packed and we did it while having Ella here the whole time.  I have to say I'm pretty proud of us!!  Ella in herself is a full time job...packing + Ella = an amazing feat if you ask me!

In this process we have gotten rid of A TON of "stuff"...this ranges from close to 40 pairs of shoes, old clothes, home decor we are no longer into, furniture from college and the first year of our marriage, and tons of papers we no longer need.  I made a promise to myself that the next time settle somewhere, we will have everything in it's place and nothing we do not want or need.  So, we have done A LOT of purging of the old in anticipation of the new to come.  It's liberating...it really is!  We've had some sad moments like..."I remember this was the first piece of furniture we bought after we got married" or "wow. I can't believe we no longer have your old TV.  I remember coming over to your apartment in college after class and watching Sports Center on in" {Brent}.  But hey, time marches on and living with things from the past because you're afraid you'll lose the memory is no way to live.  We'll always have wonderful memories of our time in college and the first couple of years of marriage...we just won't have the water stained coffee table to go with it!

So onward we press...just counting down the days until the move is over and done with.   The anticipation alone is exhausting.  I feel like once we have the move under our belt, we will be be able to figure our permanent life plan.  After that, I hope to avoid seeing boxes again for a VERY LONG TIME!!

But, all the anticipation and wanting everything to come together perfectly aside, the take home message that is becoming more and more clear is that all the stuff of life isn't what really matters.  What matters is that we are all together-- happy and healthy.  That is the true measure of happiness and being blessed!   And we managed to have a little fun while packing too...see some pics of Bells below:

Out back enjoying the gorgeous weather
and chasing the doggies!

Helping Mommy with dinner

Daddy taking a break...Ella piling all her toys
on him...such a a little sharer!

Asking us to put on "dee" aka the Wiggles video
"You Making Me Feel Like Dancing"....
She walks up to us and says "dee, dee" and starts
dancing so we'll put the video on!  She has a limit of
two times a day...so sometimes she gets a little mad
when we won't put it on!!  It's so cute!