Over the years, my husband and I have traveled all over the world. Moving to Germany proved to be the most arduous moves of all time. We had moved several times in the nine years we lived in California including a cross-country move from Ohio to California.
I thought I knew all there was to know about moving but this time, there would be an international mover and a language barrier. Speaking fluent Italian would not help in Germany, or so I thought. But I digress.
When my husband lost his job at the end of 2007 and couldn’t find work, his job became looking for work but there were few positions in his field. We knew we’d have to move at some point but neither of us dreamed we’d be moving out of the country.
After praying for months for a position, the sale of our home was on the horizon. When the house sold, we placed the bulk of our furniture and household goods in storage and moved to a small apartment near the house we sold. I continued to work my part-time job, and he continued to look for work. One job kept presenting itself and included a move to Germany for what would be five years or longer. Neither of us wanted to move to Germany. But when every opportunity fluttered away except the German position, we knew the solution was clear.
We had two things in our favor: we didn’t have a house to sell and our passports were current. But we needed to sell our cars and put more things in storage. In the space of a few weeks, we considered what was important to ship because we could only ship five thousand pounds. Sounds like a lot but it’s really not. Basic household goods and clothing add up real fast.
The international movers explained our possessions would be in transit for three months. Three months? Now I had another dilemma. We were moving in March which meant we technically were still in winter and would be well into summer before our possessions reached us. Thus, we packed our suitcases with clothing for two seasons.
Since we had already pared down our possessions to two storage pods, I went through our apartment and determined once again, what I could take with us, what we could sell or pitch and what needed to go into storage. Another daunting task.
Next, I realized I needed a whole slew of documents to take with me and luckily I had time to track down all the documents. Planning an international or even a national move? This is a must-have list.
- Passports
- Travel documents
- Birth certificate
- Marriage certificate
- Divorce papers
- Child custody papers
- Adoption papers
- Driver’s licenses
- Medical records
- School/university transcripts
- Insurance policies and your insurance agent’s contact information
- Be sure to research international health care coverage at least three months before departure
- Tax records and your accountant’s contact information
- Power of attorney, last will and testament and your attorney’s contact information
- Bank statements and your banker’s telephone number
- Shipping company documents and contact information
- Storage facility documents and contact information
Download copies of moving checklists if you know your move is soon and work through the checklist. Some items on checklists that movers provide will be not applicable to your family but the lists are invaluable.
If you have planned or have moved across the nation or across continents, what are some things you wish you’d have known to make your move go smoother?
While I’ve been to Nashville several times, I never stayed at the Gaylord Opryland Resort. To say that it is spectacular is an understatement! The lobby alone is worth seeing even if you don’t stay there!
I attended a writing conference, so I didn’t have time to tour anything but no big deal because I’d been there before. And it’s only an eight-hour drive so I can go back to do the “touristy” thing some other time. Simple.
They have an astounding 2,880 rooms. I can’t even imagine the logistics of cleaning the rooms not to mention checking people in and out.
My husband and I are part of a group of couples who pray for the needs of our church. We get together with the Pastor on Wednesday evenings to pray for one another, the church body, the community, and the world. We’ve been part of this prayer ministry almost from the first time we attended this church when we moved to North Carolina three years ago.
We now know God had a plan for us to share our job loss moments with those who are suffering the same fate. But more than that, we realized God showed up at that moment and put the right people in Scott’s path.
My father served (pictured on the left) in the Navy in World War II and my husband served in the Air Force at the tail end of the Vietnam War. Friends and classmates have served. I have always been in awe of their service and for those who served in the United States Armed Forces throughout these past 200+ years. 
For a time, some years ago, my husband worked for a company that had contracts with the military and we lived in Germany. We had the distinct privilege to see first hand the military bases used by the Germans during the second world war. Military bases that are now American military bases.
The soldiers aren’t the only ones sacrificing for our freedoms, their families do too. Birthdays, holidays, special occasions all missed by the parent who is deployed. The children miss out. The spouse misses out. And the soldier misses out. All to keep our freedoms.
On the opposite wall, a bronze plaque in five languages reads, Never Again.
hing drink. Adding a little honey or sugar makes an impact in transforming unpalatable fruit into tasty lemonade, refreshing and oh, so delicious.
One hundred and ten years ago, Anne Jarvis held a memorial for her mother at St. Andrew’s Methodist church in Grafton, Virginia. She abhorred the commercialization of the holiday and attempted to have it removed from the calendar in her later years.