I am was in the middle of a chaotic, logistically challenging move to Hawaii, and I just don’t remember previous moves being this stressful.

HOWEVER,  This is my current view…

 

I operate with these thoughts/guidelines/procedures when it comes to moving:

1.  If it can go wrong, it will.  * Murphy’s Law always makes an appearance. ALWAYS.*

2. Hurry up & wait.

3. Accept that It just won’t make much sense when it comes to military policy & procedures.

4. Agencies & their agents don’t care about you, your move, your stuff. “It’s not my problem.”

We received orders 35 days before his Report No Later Than Date (RNLTD) for an overseas move.  The Transportation Management Office (TMO) assured us that scheduling our 3 shipments* under deadline would be no problem.

Naively, I believed them.  [Insert patronizing “oh honey, what were you thinking?” right now.  It’s ok, I deserve it.]

*  3 shipments:

1. Household Goods – Our stuff, blissfully accumulated during our marriage.
2. Non-temp storage – More stuff, which we could probably do without but can’t bear to part with just yet. We do know we don’t need or have the space in Hawaii for these things, but presumably we will want to reunite and use these things down the road, whenever that may be.
3. Unaccompanied Baggage – The essentials to survive while waiting for the blissfully accumulated stuff. Limited to 1,000 lbs.

The disclaimer from TMO, especially when it’s high volume season, is we should be flexible with our dates.   See Operating Procedures #4 above.

Y’all, I was stressing big time, and now I’m here and it doesn’t matter much.  We eventually will get our stuff and our car.  We eventually will move into a home.

Everything is going to be alright.  Life is good!

Aloha!

Valerie

 

p.s.  I will eventually post a few helpful hints & lessons learned, just not today.