Smell The Roses, Blow Out The Birthday Candles

We leave in a week. Exactly one week.

I've been telling you all about how much stuff needs to get done in order to make this move happen, and now that we're just days away from hopping on an airplane, I'm beginning to feel overwhelmed. 

I'm emotionally ready to go - hmm maybe I should clarify that - I'm ready to move into our apartment, into our own space and start our lives and routines. My current living situation is...well, perhaps the best word to describe it is "odd." 

I'll paint you a picture with words so you can understand why "odd" is a fantastic assessment of the situation. 

My younger brother moved home from college 2 days before the wedding. He took over my room, which meant that anything that belonged to me no longer belonged in that room. Naturally, with the wedding happening within hours of his move, none of my stuff was sorted or organized and is currently in my grandmother's backyard. Some of my stuff is in a huge box at my parents' house (a very random collection of things), more of my stuff is in a suitcase under my grandma's bed, and still more of my stuff is mixed up with Stian's stuff in other suitcases in other places. 

Needless to say, I cannot find anything. Ever. 

I admit that's an exaggeration, but it does take me quite awhile to find a clean shirt. I may have hit my limit when I got out of the shower today because I had to walk through grandma's backyard in a towel only to get dressed in the tent that houses my belongings. Get me outta here!!! I long for a closet, and well, the apartment that is awaiting our arrival in Bergen. 

I've grown tired of people everywhere, constantly. I need some space. I've also grown tired of the well-intended advice that I seem to be getting lately - when did everyone become experts on moving overseas? Did I miss that seminar? I'm going to be honest: I've stopped listening. In my head I'm screaming shut up shut up shut up when people tell me what or what not to bring, and I'm pretty sure my eyes have started glazing over right before I decide to walk away so as not to flip out. It's terrible, this is not who I am. My thoughts have never been so rude. I'm actively going to try to stop the ugly personality I'm fostering by taking long walks and possibly a few yoga classes. Maybe I'll start meditating? I don't want my last week in the states to be like this. I want to enjoy the company of friends and family while I still can, because it'll be awhile before I'm able to see them again. 

I just have to take plenty of deep breaths - in through the nose, out through the mouth...or as I used to tell the kids in my class when they were upset: "smell the roses and blow out the birthday candles." Works like charm most of time.