Preface (to the 'ORDEAL')

Preface (to the 'ORDEAL')

My family and I moved to Kansas last year with very little of our ‘stuff.’ We moved on a three- bag allotment per person. It was not ideal, but there was reasoning for moving with only part of our household goods, and with our vehicle left parked in another state. The timing of when we found out we would need to be out of the home we were renting was not conducive with all four of us getting passport books or cards, especially in consideration to the fact that we had only recently had to cancel all four passport cards and report them stolen from when the vehicle had been broken into in Anchorage. Also, we knew that we were headed to the Lower 48 for work, however knew little else. Although I was still taking interviews in Alaska and elsewhere, what we knew at the time was that I had accepted a good job offer in Arizona and had a second interview scheduled in Garden City, Kansas, at the same school I had nearly accepted a job at four years previously when we initially moved to Alaska.

We were flying to Denver and from there we would drive to Kansas. I would take my interview and we would either stay in Kansas or continue on to Arizona, or elsewhere if that is where the wind took us. That’s how it seemed at the time. As though everything were up in the air and where we landed was all a matter of whichever way the wind blew us. This was a bit scary for me. It’s not the way I normally do things. I’m a planner. Always have been. Not knowing was difficult. Especially when deciding what to pack to bring with us for an, as of yet, undetermined amount of time. There were ‘necessities’ to be packed, guns and cats. Seems strange maybe, but as these items are significantly difficult or impossible to transport through Canada, it was necessary to do this on a flight. That took seven (of 12) bags that were to come with us. The other bags needed to be carefully packed to be under 50 pounds each and contain electronics including the computers, PS3, some games and movies to last up to a year; interview paperwork, clothes and shoes, and general job necessities; clothes for all four family members for daily life and on the road; kitchen aid (which somehow still didn’t make it); and essentials such as glasses, contacts, medications, and so forth. We would be on the road and living out of suitcases for at least a week and then who knows?!? Turns out that week was much closer to two months of living out of suitcases until we finally had a place to stay and could begin our lives again. That sure is how it seems at least, with each progressive move, beginning our lives again.