countdown to Paris

I've decided that the hardest thing about getting ready to leave the country for several months is that life gets in the way. Everything doesn't come to a stop so that we can get down to the business of preparation -- I still have to contend with cello lessons, piano lessons, YW lessons and activities, visiting teaching, laundry, grocery shopping, dishes, etc. etc... So I have to try to knock things off my pre-Paris to-do lists on top of all the normal life stuff, and that can be quite stressful.

Here's where I stand at T-15 days.

My list from July 16 (bolded items completed)

• clean out the abominable garage!! (AGAIN)
• get to the bottom of the water leak that we have somewhere, causing our meter to run constantly
• dentist appointments
• doctor appointment
• get my car fixed
• either get the sprinklers fixed or become hose-draggers again
• figure out a way to get 3 months worth of prescriptions, when the insurance company is not entirely cooperative
• get the house organized and ready for a new tenant (our neighbor's daughter is going to live here and take care of the dog for us)
• put my studio back together (still a post-flood disaster)
• pack up and store stuff we're not taking so that said tenant will have room for her own stuff (this does NOT include furniture, thank goodness!)
• help Lucas finish all the Bear requirements for Cub Scouts
• plan Lucas's birthday party, gifts, etc.
• figure out how to get Max's school requirements taken care of (we're trying to do electronic high school, but it is nearly impossible to get into any classes! -- this one is stressing me out)
• get seminary manual for Max
• get new shoes for me
• find and download some iPod Touch apps to keep Eva busy on the plane
  
• thoroughly clean the whole house
• pack

My current list: (edited 8/25)

• Find new jeans for Max (not easy to do, as he wears a 28x32!)
• Find camera bag for Max
• Buy book club books
• Buy books for Max's English class
• Find someone to talk to about Electronic High School so that Max can get his remaining classes squared away
• Buy medicines for the children
• Pack up clothes we are not taking with us
• Empty out closet and dresser space for new tenants
• Resolve the FSA documentation problem
• Return items to a couple of stores
• Check to see if our suitcases are in suitably good condition
• Make a tulle skirt for Eva?? (probably no time)
• Make a sample apron for YW and teach the girls how to do it over the next 2 activities
• Take a package to the UPS store
• Buy new shoes for Lucas
• Clean out pantry
• Clean out fridge
• Clean shutters
• Get the vacuum repaired
• Get a pedicure! (maybe not enough time)
• Clean entire house
• Pack everything we need for 3 months in 2 suitcases apiece

I'm sure I've forgotten something. I keep adding new things to my list just about as fast as I'm crossing them off. Why are we doing this again??

**Edited to add: I also have to prepare a talk for sacrament meeting next week on -- wait for it -- HOME TEACHING! Good grief.

red alert!

Today was not a great day.

Everyone has a cold, Eva was whiny and wanting to be held all day, and basically I felt all of the good feelings of the last couple of days slipping away.

Panic ensued.

And, the worse part is: I don't have my passport. I have been in communication with the State Department all week, they were expediting our applications, and the kids' all arrived by FedEx this morning. Not mine. I finally got in touch with our contact about an hour ago and discovered that, somehow, incredibly, he didn't know about my application.

He is estimating that it will arrive Tuesday afternoon. Our flight leaves Tuesday morning. $#%@!!!