Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Goodbye Misawa

The time has come to say goodbye to our home of the last three years. It is a bittersweet goodbye. We have thoroughly enjoyed our time here and have made many memories and life long friends. Many we will be sure to see again at future assignments.

We have experienced so much here with our friends; starting and expanding our families, making new friends, reuniting with old friends, as well as experiencing the passing of mutual friends. Living away from family is hard, so we are blessed to be able to have formed a family with our fellow squadron members and will miss seeing them all everyday.

Living overseas is a unique experience, one that we are happy to have been given. Knowing that while you husbands is working crazy long or extremely odd hours, and being away for months at a time we have someone who is walking the same path and sharing those experiences right along side you. Taking part in Karaoke nights, getting together for dinner just so you don't have to cook for yourself, exploring the surrounding areas to find the best places to eat, shop or take the kids for entertainment are just a few of the things I will miss about Misawa.

We are happy to be moving back to the USA, being closer to family is going to be amazing as well. More time to spend with grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings and more friends is something we have been looking forward to for a long time. Even though we will still be several hours away, traveling back and forth will not be as daunting.

This week has been full of selling our cars, lining up an apartment for Cydney and I, researching cell phone companies and plans, informing all necessary companies we are moving and getting services canceled, getting the pack out dates scheduled and finalized, and sorting our household goods into four separate shipments. Stuff to pack in luggage, stuff to be sent by mail to our new location (things we will want right away but don't want to pack in luggage), items to be shipped that are too big or too much to be mailed ( anything we will want to have for the next 6 months, but can live without for a couple months as they make it back to the US), and any items to go to storage for the next 6+ months (this is probably the easiest group since it will be all the large furniture, pictures, etc.)

The movers come for the first round of packing tomorrow. The next two days will be a whirlwind of packing boxes, loading a truck and cleaning the house to prepare for our final out inspection.

Here are a few pictures from the past couple of weeks:

Riding on the carousel with Elmo

Eating a popsicle. "It's cold!"

Don't worry I got this!

Some pictures of the stranger things around Misawa:

No matter where you are on the road, you can find a vending machine filled with food, beverages, beer, or even cigarettes!

Need Eggs and the stores are closed? No problem, you can find them in a vending machine

Transformers? on the side of the road

Stores with names such as Hard Off, Off House and Wonder Goo


Goodbye Misawa, next stop Vegas!!

Until next time,
Lindsay