I'm showing my age but I loved the song from my childhood, "Leaving on a Jet Plane". My first plane ride was when I was 17 and my parents let me go on a school trip to Hawaii. Today's trip is a bit more complicated; my husband is boarding a plane with two suitcases and our dog and cat. We've never done a big move with pets. We've learned it's not easy or cheap! Getting ready for this trip has included:
1. finding a new home for our little black cat since you can only bring two pets on a plane, and she wouldn't adjust to the cold, snowy climate
2. vet trips to get special health certificates which included a flea scare- turns out the cat rolled in the dirt out back (see digging up the septic system story...)
3. buying special pads & bowls for their crates, and printing off new address tags
4. finding a great boarding place on the other end so they can live there until our moving van shows up
5. trying to keep Tigger the cat from bolting out the door
6. giving the dog sedation meds so in hopes that she'll sleep through the trauma of the plane ride
I know I should gain courage by thinking of the hassles Noah faced; he had to build the ark, face ridicule, then convince all of God's animals to board two by two! I've seen the way the baggage handlers treat suitcases. I certainly hope they are gentler with lived animals! Mike just called- the crates had to be searched (really, we aren't smuggling drugs sir) and the flight has been delayed an hour. Oh, the adventure continues. Surely this temporary hassle will be worth it once we're all settled into our new home... In the meantime, I'll try to do what the bumper sticker says; "wag more, bark less"!
Blessings, Jane
Jane, I have been reading your blog because I can't tell you how so many of the feelings and emotions you are going through I have also gone through, beginning with our move from our hometown in Texas in 2000 out to the great Northwest. The memories come flooding back! When we moved from Gig Harbor to Springfield, IL (see we moved just a few hours south of where you are heading), we went through all of the "good-byes", the sale of a house that we loved, the logistics of moving our dog(we DROVE to Illinois and had the tranquilizer pills for Maggie, the dog, so the 3-4 day car ride would be easier for her), and the excitement of a new town and a new home. You are right when you say you never leave your old friends, but new friendships are just waiting for you in Illinois. God always brings the right people into our lives at the right time. :) Hope you don't mind that I am following your blog-- Rhonda
ReplyDelete