It would be easy to think this move is all fun and games and exciting and… it is. For the most part. But there has been a lot to do (and still do) in a very condensed period of time.
The past two weekends have been spent moving furniture to storage, taking pictures for Craigslist postings (all while trying not to show the disarray of my house in the background of the photos), trying to figure out what to pack, what I still need for work now and therefore can’t pack or give away yet, worrying about starting a new venture and whether or not someone will take a chance on me (a new business feels very similar to trying to break out of a slump– I just need that one hit).
Gah.
It’s all very exciting and nerve-racking at the same time.
So Saturday, Dave and I were packing up the furniture at my house for storage. I saw all this upside-down-ness around me and tried to keep it straight in my brain…which pile was going where, which piles I haven’t even gone through yet.
Sigh.
Finally, I went to get us some lunch because all we’d consumed all morning was coffee and we were starting to get the shakes. I drove to a new burger place in town (apparently I turn to beef when I stress…interesting, right?) Meanwhile, Dave finished staging the furniture in my parking spot so all we had to do was load it in the truck. I returned with lunch and as I passed out the meal from the bag I was holding, I realized they had shorted me my French fries.
Tears started to well up in my eyes.
I walked to the bathroom and closed the door behind me and had a full-blown sobbing meltdown.
It was spectacular.
Dave, the ever-patient and level-headed one of us, knocked softly between my sniffs.
“Babe….I’ll go get you more fries if you want…?” He ventured in, as I sat there, red-faced and puffy.
“What if I don’t work at all while I’m there? What will I do? And how will I communicate?” I sniffed again. “I can’t even speak enough French to order a cup of coffee!”
He did exactly what I needed him to…he put his arms around me, let me cry all over his t-shirt and told me it was going to be ok and that we’d get through all of it together. Even if I never worked at all while I was there, we’d be fine and I would find something to do anyway, so it was all going to work out. And I have a Google translate app on my phone, so there was that.
Some more words of encouragement later, I wiped my eyes and hugged him really tight then we shared his onion rings while we finished lunch.
Yes, moving is stressful, but we’ll be all right. As long as I get my French fries.
It’s going to be such a great experience! Dave is a keeper, BTW. Remember, life is much too short, just enjoy the exciting ride.
Every now & then a girl just needs a good cry! This is going to be such an amazing adventure for the two of you – looking forward to Facebook updates!
You would have gotten your fries if you’d gone to another certain restaurant! 😉 Hang in there, you’re going to have a blast over there. Keep in mind, most everybody is taught English over there, and likely speak it better than we do! 🙂
Take cooking classes! And anyone who admires Alex P. Keaton when they are 5 will be just fine. You’ll have the language down in no time Ms. Smarty-pants!
The good news is France has french fries. The best ones I had came from street vendors who make them fresh for you. AMAZING!