We know when we're moving. May 30. Two humans, two cats, one airplane. It is (thankfully) a nonstop flight that ends with a cab ride to our temporary apartment.
We know what we're doing with our current apartment. We're selling it. After a desperate call to my mom that turned into a three day packing and purging fest, we got the apartment on the market a week ago. Please come buy it immediately.
We know that other people know. Our families know. Most of our friends know. Ironically, it is the people we're closest (both geographically and emotionally) to that don't know. We're not ready to tell work yet, which means we can't tell coworkers (even work boos), and with some other friends celebrating big things in the next few weeks, we're trying not to steal any thunder. But! We have timelines and strategies for telling everyone.
We know we have visas. And we know when the movers are coming to take all our stuff. And we know which stuff they'll take. We know what neighborhoods we're eyeing. We know when we'll get bank accounts and health insurance. We know which restaurants we're excited to try.
We also know how annoying it is to mislead people. We know how stressful it is to be living in your house and trying to sell it. We know how hard it is to not be making Chicago summer plans with everyone. We know how it is to work at a job and know you're not going to be there in seven weeks.
Right now the highlights are:
watching our cats be stoned on the drugs the vet gave us to try for the flight. They aren't actually helpful for when they're in the carriers, but they're pretty hilarious when they're cracked out.
following all the Amsterdam instagram (Amstergram) accounts that are posting pictures of tulips and canal-side patios
throwing away everything. Part of the allure of this move is the opportunity to majorly downsize our lives. With the advent of selling things on facebook, we have been able to turn a tidy profit on things that would have just ended up in the dumpster.
We're still about 90% excited, 90% terrified but feeling just slightly better now that the countdown clock has officially started.
