Moving 6 times in 7 years, I’ve come to pick up a thing or two. And every freakin’ time we have to move again I think, “there’s got to be an easier way”.

[This is where a good spiral notebook comes in handy - small & portable.]

The first step to figuring out just what that easier way is, is to break it down in chunks – think through every step of the journey. So for example, here’s how our move back to the States is gonna work:

1. Getting ready to move
2. Getting Maggie on a cargo plane
3. Our flight back home with Kitten (the howler)
4. Arriving at DFW & picking up Maggie
5. Staying in a hotel in DFW with pets
6. Fixing up Eric’s Jimmy that’s sat for 3 years
7. The road trip to our next base (wherever that is)
8. Staying in a hotel with pets while we hunt housing
9. Moving into our new place without a lick of our stuff

Fudge, that’s a lot of steps for this move.

But once you’ve got the steps listed – written down one step per page in your spiral notebook – start imaging yourself in the middle of that step.

What has to be done before this happens? What has to wait until the last minute? What could be done in advance? What would make this portion of the journey easier on me, on Eric, on Maggie & Kitten? How am I going to feel by this point – exhausted? Frustrated? Ready to scream? What am I going to be responsible for?…and if the PCS Fairy granted me one wish, what would I ask for?

So rather than go through each & every step…let me just give you an example using the “hotel in DFW” segment of our trip.

At this point everything is still high-level – you don’t have to get into the absolute details of everything – just a good overview.

So #5 – staying in a hotel in DFW with pets.

• We’ll need to find a hotel that takes pets close to my mom’s
• We’ll probably need it a minimum of 3 days – more likely a whole week while we fix up the Jimmy
• The room will need at the very least a mini fridge & microwave – this way we can save money on food
• We’re going to be really tired, so let’s spring for a room with a king size bed
• The earlier we book, the better deal we’ll get – especially considering we’re moving in December
• Kitten will need a litter box (w/ litter & scoop), food & bowls – on arrival
• Maggie will need food & bowls – on arrival
• Kitten will do better if she has her hidie-hole to sleep in (it will remind her of home)
• Maggie will do better if she has her pillow & blanket (to remind her of home)
• I will do better if I have my feather pillow, a good book & my sound machine : )
• We’ll need wireless internet
• Need to decide if Maggie stays in the hotel with us the whole time or if we find a kennel to put her in.
• We could do our laundry at mom’s
• We’ll need to set aside time to spend with friends & family before we hit the road
• We’ll both need prepaid cell phones until we get settled in our new base.

And that’s just step number 5!

By this point it can look really overwhelming – and that’s ok – because for me, I’ve figured out how to keep from feeling too stressed out. I make a wish.

[ahem]

Oh Great & Powerful PCS Fairy! If I could have one wish during this time it would be…

…to have an over-flowing gourmet gift basket of fruit & cheese & chocolate & bread and all other kinds of amazing you-can-only-get-this-in-America foods waiting for us in our hotel room as we check in

…with a travel candle & maybe a potted orchid to take to our new home

…with a litter box & food waiting for Kitten & food for Maggie, too

…and a pre-arranged appointment for a massage at a nearby spa the following day.

In U-Haul’s name I pray, amen.

Ok…so it’s a little more than one wish. But the thing is, by thinking of it I can now figure out a way to make it happen – especially this far in advance.

So what needs to get added to my list?

• Order a gift basket from Central Market to be delivered to the hotel
• See if they’ll throw in an orchid
• I can bring a small travel candle…add that to the packing list
• Order a complete set-up for Maggie & Kitten from Petsmart & have it delivered to the hotel the day before we arrive
• Find a nearby spa that offers a reasonably priced 30 minute massage & book an appointment

The massage trick is something I picked up in the move from Virginia to Oklahoma – courtesy of my sister. Well, that and the gourmet chocolates.

[pick a road trip, any road trip]

She got me a gift certificate to a local spa & I decided to use it the day before I hit the road to Oklahoma – with then 3 cats in the car.

Having that opportunity to relax after so much stress (I had sold our house by owner) – still knowing there would be more to face once I got to Oklahoma, made the whole process easier. It also didn’t hurt to hit the Williamsburg Chocolaterie on the way out of town. They made the best swirled mint liqueur chocolate truffles.

And just those two little steps in the midst of all that Army life chaos made the trip that much brighter.

So here me now all you Army wives!

Only you & I know how much work & stress & pain & turmoil it is to move time and time again & I don’t even have kids to drag around in the process!

Find your PCS Fairy, make your wish & then find a way to make it come true. Find someway to take care of yourself, to reward yourself – DURING THE MIDDLE OF IT ALL – to help keep your sanity intact.

Trust me – you’ll thank me later & you’ll never skip this step from here on out.