The idea of Team Justsix Backpacks was born well over a year ago and now here we are…. just 1 week until all the plans, research and discussions become real!!!

How has it come to this so quickly??? OMG… its a surreal feeling, I’m still not entirely convinced that its really happening but the never ending to-do list begs to differ…. it’s happening and it’s happening soon!!!

Its been a crazy busy week. Packing up the house is a massive task. I thought we had done really well and got rid of a huge amount of our crap but it appears not!!! Around every corner, in every nook and cranny there seems to be more and more stuff that needs packing, throwing or donating. Having lived in this house for the past 7 years and raising 4 children it really must have been bursting at the seams, packed to the brim with all our treasures. It feels somewhat cleansing and refreshing to now be down to our last few boxes, a few essentials that we will need over the next few days. I’m literally writing this while sitting on a port a cot mattress in the middle of a completely empty lounge surrounded by piles of clean washing that I really need to fold. The kids are sound asleep on mattresses on the floor and the bench is heaving under the weight of all the travel documents, books, paperwork and lists as I have no tables to put anything on. Its total “house camping” for the next 6 days.

The standard phone calls to cut off all the amenities were made toady, accompanied by the standard “bloody hells and WTF” as I sat on hold  while trying to talk to a human. One place told us to go to another place which told us to go to another place to get our international drivers licenses…. we sat in the car… did a “bloody hell and WTF”, gave up and came home. That moves to the top of the list for tomorrow now.

So the kids are on the countdown… 6 sleeps, 5 sleeps etc. Excitement is creeping in for them but also with the realization that they are not coming home for a looooong time (12 months really is forever when your 6). They are looking forward to the farewells at school on Friday and also the family Xmas dinner we are having tomorrow. Our little 3 year old bear is still a little bewildered by the whole thing. He has no idea why everything is in boxes and the house is so empty. He knows we are going on holiday in a plane but that’s pretty much the limit of his understanding. A little heartbreaking to think that we are tearing him away from everything he has ever known but comforted in the knowledge that his “everything” is pretty much Mummy, Daddy and the big kids. (And some very special Grandies that we will see again soon)

As much as we are excited our dreams are coming to reality, the real excitment hasn’t quite hit yet. I guess Carl and I are on emotional roller coasters at the moment. Little panic attacks, followed by OMGs, will we ever get this done, whats left to pack, whats left to clean, hows the budget looking, whats left to buy, have you done this, have you done that, stop sitting around, stop nagging me, which ultimately leads to…. what the f are we doing???  An hour later, wow this is awesome, we are getting heaps done, what a great job, thanks for your help, your awesome…. soon looping back around to the start again!!! Fun times!!!

I guess that’s why they say… if it were easy then everyone would be doing it.

So 1 week to go and its not bloody easy but its still awesome!!!