Last Minute Madness?

Our day was a typical Monday.  Jip worked late to make sure things wouldn't fall apart within the first few days of him being gone.  After that, it's anyone's guess whether SRF will survive without him! 

The kids and I ran a couple errands this morning--one successful one, one not so successful.  I learned that the passport office couldn't put the multiple entry stamp in Ryleigh's passport that all of us here on orders get in our passports.  Ryleigh only has a tourist passport--we haven't yet applied for her "no-fee passport" that is supposed to be used for official travel.  Without the no-fee passport, the multiple entry stamp cannot be given.  We've been waiting to get Ryleigh's no fee passport because we thought we had to surrender her tourist passport like we did in the States (both get returned to you) while the State Department processes the application. But, I learned that was not the case when you obtain a no-fee passport while already overseas.  So, when we get back, we need to go ahead and get Ryleigh's no-fee passport rolling.  No stamp=unsuccessful, but I did learn something.  We have to travel with some extra paperwork now to prove we aren't smuggling a baby across international borders, but no big deal. 

The successful errand was finishing the road tax payment process.  The base issued the sticker for our car that proves we have paid our taxes.  At least that is over with.

The thing that didn't happen today was packing.  So, tomorrow, there will be a flurry of activity to get everything packed.  When I say flurry, I mean me taking 10 minutes or so per person to pack everything up.  The real challenge will be loading up the van with two strollers (one is going back to the States permanently to find a new home with our future new niece), 3 rolling duffle bags, 2 carry-ons, and my purse.  Then when we get to the airport, we'll have all of that stuff, plus 2 car seats.  Yikes!  Amber's Pilot will be stuffed to the gills with us and our stuff after she picks us up from the airport.

In addition to packing, I need to give Jip a haircut, Jip needs to mow the lawn, and I'll probably do at least one more load of laundry.  We'll make sure the fridge is clean of anything that will go bad, take the trash out, and shut the heat off.  We won't leave here until 2:30ish, so I hope it isn't last minute craziness in the house--but I still have to plan like it will be complete madness.

No blog post tomorrow night since we'll be somewhere over the Pacific 24 hours from now. 

We look forward to seeing our Colorado peeps and getting out of Dodge!!

Catch ya later from the States!!