We're here! In the UK I mean. It has been a crazy few months. I thought I had fairly reasonable expectations for what an international move with 4 kids and a dog would be like. Then Covid hit. Then I was patient and didn't mind if things were delayed as long as we didn't end up in "limbo" but guess what happened!
I've tried to be really positive about it all on social media because:
1) We clearly are not the only ones affected by Covid and not nearly in the lifelong ways others will be
2) This is still a dream come true, and most importantly
3) It wouldn't have been healthy for me or anyone that follows me for me to turn into a complainer.
I did have a few very good friends who were praying for us that I could trust to listen to me AND always make me turn back to the truth that I knew about how God had a plan and would provide all ours needs if I started to go too far down the pity party path. Good friends are such a blessing.
But now that we're almost out of it all and I can see God's provision I do want to come on here and record a bit of the craziness while I can remember it. My own Ebenezer stone of sorts. And really, this isn't all the craziness, just the highlights!
End of June - We have movers scheduled. Start to worry because visa office hasn't reopened and we need visas to leave on our July 21th flight. We're told it will "open shortly." Pretty skeptical but we aren't in charge of scheduling so press on.
July 10th - Movers come and start emptying our house.
July 12th - Move into a hotel. Are told visa offices are opening but website isn't letting us book an appointment.
July 14th - Heard "through the grapevine" (this grapevine will be very important this summer as almost no information is given officially, its just word of mouth and people sharing via text and reddit) scheduling for visa biometrics online opens a week before that site's office does. Instead of waiting for St. Louis to open end of July, Craig spends hours refreshing website to get us dates in Indianapolis. We snag them but they only have one appointment available a day. We need 6 appointments. Grapevine also tells us that because of the official details of the type we need, they SHOULD be able to fit us into one day as long as we all have appointments booked, even if not for that date.
July 15- 20th - Finish house stuff so its ready for renters August 1st. Except the Septic tank. We've been on the waiting list to get a new septic tank installed since February I think. We told it would definitely happened by end of July....still no word.
July 20th - Road trip to Indianapolis.
July 21st - Go to visa biometric office. All we need is fingerprints/headshots. Show up, told everyone has to leave building because we are 20 minutes early then Norah and one guardian can return but no one else. This is NOT what we were told previously. Leave building, text friends to pray. C looks for paperwork while kids and I sit in grass and pray they change their mind so we don't have to spend a week in Indianapolis as a hotel for 6 daily 20 minute appointments. Someone comes down out of building to say they were wrong, we can all come in through security now and they should be able to fit us in today. Go through security to desk. Told only Norah would be processed. Confused again. Someone else comes out and says, "oh wait, no, we can process you"....30 minutes later and we're done! See a bit of Indianapolis.
July 22nd - Back to St. Louis. Try to think up a plan on where to live while we wait for visas because hotel life with all 7 of us is not working. Timeline - indefinite.
July 24th - My dad's rearranged things so we can live in his spare house is Kansas city for a few days while we come up with a plan. Information trickling in from grapevine about how long it is taking to process visas is very inconsistent. Pre-covid was pretty regularly 15 business days. Someone we know got his back in 8. Do we stick close to town in a hotel because its only going to be a week? Do we head out to a nicer place to stay that is much farther from our departure city? Decisions, decisions.
Also, get word that work on septic tank has begun. Good news! Followed quickly by bad news! Pipes are worse than expected. Add a week and four thousand dollars to estimate! Also, half your front deck is gone. Hope you don't mind. Good news - renters are okay with pushing back move in by a few days.
August 3rd - Head to my aunt and uncles' cabin in Colorado. It's a long drive through not much but kids are super troopers. We listen to the entire Story of the World Volume 1, all of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and about half of Heidi.
August 4th - Arrive in Colorado on Jude's birthday. We celebrate with family a few days later. No presents but pretty tasty strawberry shortcake and he got to blow out a scented candle they had lying around. He loved it and clapped and clapped so big kids sang all over again! Breathe a sigh of relief that we aren't in hotels anymore. Kids actually get some sleep which means we actually get some sleep. And the surrounding nature starts to reduce our stress a bit.
August 13th - Dog gets really sick. Not sure why but she's pretty lethargic so we rush her to ER. She's got a fever so spends a couple hours there. I'm worried because she's supposed to fly (soon?).
Speaking of the dog, Heathrow Airport is getting backed up with pets so flights are being cancelled. You can't book a dog flight more than 14 days in advance but when we try to book, we're getting bumped farther than that. Really, really appreciate our dog shipper and her hard work keeping us informed on options and so thankful that we, normally pretty frugal and DIY people, decided to pay for help with this earlier this spring. Finally get September 14th flight for her. Clock is ticking now.
All of August and first week of September - expecting visas "any day now." Were told they were delayed, then that they were on their way, on wait, no they aren't.
In the midst of this, try and give kids a "fun vacation." C is teleworking but we find time to hike and paddleboard, play in the river, and try some tasty take-out.
September 7th - No official word but its d-day. We've got to either commit to leaving the nice house and yard we've so graciously been given the opportunity to use to get back for Lizzie's September 14th flight, assuming visas will come in time. Or push it back, not knowing how long it will be before we can get another schedule and stay here until we have the visas in hand. Another pray request sent out for C and I to agree and be at peace with our decision. C finds a long stay hotel that fits us all and I decide we can do it. We look at schedule and know that as long as we get word visas are in mail by Thursday, they should arrive by Friday and we can get dog to flight by Monday and fly on Tuesday ourselves.
September 9th - Back in St Louis. Being here makes me want to cry because it feels so good to be somewhere familiar - but its not actually home right now and I have to say goodbyes all over again. Have a couple play dates scheduled and take pictures and give hugs. Also pick up leftover luggage and massive dog crate our renters graciously stored in the basement of our house for us.
Thursday September 10th - Take Lizzie to her pre-flight vet appointment. Still no visas.
Friday September 11th 8pm - Visas on their way. But we can't pick them up until Monday morning. And Lizzie is supposed to be dropped off at 10:30am in Chicago to fly. We ponder.
Sunday Septermber 13th - I take Lucy, Norah, Jude, Lizzie and a massive SUV full of dog crate and luggage to Chicago. Craig and Jonah wait for visas in St. Louis.
September 14th 10:30 am - I drop off Lizzie. Happy Flying!
September 14th - 11:00am - Craig and Jonah get visas. Drive to Chicago. Stuck in hours of traffic due to an accident. Arrive at 8pm.
September 15th - Let's fly to England! Jude decided to throw a massive tantrum while we were trying to get 6 people, 3 car seats, 8 check-in bags and 7 carry-ons up to the counter but a special shout out of thanks to the lady who "oh so kindly" kept informing us that it was our turn next (sorry, I try not be sarcastic but it was a bit ridiculous. We were going it was just taking multiple trips and did I mention the toddler screaming and thrashing in my arms trying to get away). Check-in lady says you need to be tested for Covid. No, that's not true. Are you kidding me? Oh wait, never mind she says.
The flight was actually really uneventful. It was only about 1/3 full and I love how there is so much less micro-managing on international flights. People know what to do and they do it. Kids watched movies, ate dinner, and slept. Once we landed, Norah decided she to wanted to go back to sleep and did so on floor in line for the passport check but it was the family line so no judgment occurred and other moms and dads with kids draped over them or piled in strollers just smiled knowingly.
Actually, I have to say more, the kids did awesome! They all had to carry heavy bags (we were told our wagon would be able to be gate checked like a stroller but once we got to gate they said no, so they checked it which meant the carry ons and Jude's Dioni (steel framed, really heavy) car seat, most of which I had expected to wheel, had to be carried by us through passport check to baggage claim. They were exhausted, we got off the plane at 1am St. Louis time, and it was quite a walk because trams were down. Norah and Jonah both fell over from fatigue more than once and I wasn't sure I could get them back up but they rallied and we made it with fairly little complaining. I was super proud of them!
We've been here in the country for about a month now. Quarantine was a loong two weeks but we've been able to get out an about a bit, play at some playgrounds, see some sights. Friday we have to leave this temporary housing place for another temporary housing place and drop off the dog to be boarded nearby because we couldn't find another house that took dogs. This process itself was convoluted as is the process of getting our phones figured out but we're making it! We've got a great permanent home lined up so I hope I'll be back in a few weeks to show it off because we've been able to move in! Pray that actually occurs! I'm beyond ready to be in our own space again. As are the kids. I need to move on or I might cry from homesickness again. Not homesick for our country, just for a home.
Blessings I don't want to forget -
Our renters. We got word of mouth renters. They use Ambleside Online and we have lots of mutual friends. We joked that we're sad we're moving because we could tell we'd be great friends. Having a family we could easily communicate with made the whole septic issue so much less stressful. And knowing that our house is "safe" feels really good too. God was clearly orchestrating that for us both which is so amazing to experience.
Our month in Colorado. Okay, our time there was intense and emotional because we had to keep making decisions but somehow we always made the right ones and it worked out. A lot of prayer was involved. But it was also really good to have that time us all together. Craig was still working out of our house for much of the spring so this was the most together time we have every had and we actually got to enjoy it by hiking and relaxing together. Plus seeing some family. I can't go so far as to call it a vacation but I'm still really glad we had it.
Technology - It's given us fits, its driving us crazy (please confirm this via text even though you don't have that text number anymore but to do that you need to change X which also can't be changed until you update Y - but wait, you have to do via text. Kinda like how you need a UK address to get a bank account but guess what you need to have to rent a house - a bank account! That's been fun) BUT I don't know how we'd do this without it. Keeping in touch with family and friends, ordering groceries to be delivered during quarantine, using GPS to figure out what exit from the roundabout we want, k-dramas for me to binge watch when life is a bit too much, technology is getting a thumbs up from me today.
Friend's van - Super awesome friends just happened to have a mini-van available for our use this summer. This was amazing! That meant we could ship our van as originally scheduled without having to rent a mini-van for months which wouldn't really have been feasible. God provides and I'm so thankful for the generous friends he provides through!
No wait for our stuff - The delay has meant our stuff is here already instead of us having to wait 6+ weeks for it. We picked up our mini-van and I've successfully passed my driver's test and driven it around. Having my own car back felt really nice, like at least one physical spot is familiar and mine. All our goods are also here and waiting for us to have a house to put them in so not having to wait for those next month will be nice.
So, TLDR - turns our, making your dreams come true can be really difficult. But we've all enjoyed takeout fish and chips, Indian, afternoon tea, and then for fun, actually went into a pub and had a Sunday roast. We've seen some pretty landscapes, sat in the gardens and drank tea, and visited a cathedral. Pretty much all the cliche things that I don't even care are cliche because they are also super delightful. As is Norah asking me to put something in the rubbish bin for her. So it's going to be okay.
