We Like to Move It, Move It (Not!)

We are all about packing to move this week. Friends are graciously bringing meals so I can even pack the kitchen. Little by little, the clutter is clearing, and I can see light at the end of the box, I mean, tunnel. I also found these as I was packing . . .

which led to this . . .

In all of our moving (this is our 5th in 7 1/2 years), Nathanael and I have only had two arguments while packing. The first heated discussion occurred as we prepared to move from the U.S. to Brazil. I wanted to pack a glass hurricane candle cover with brass stand, and Nathanael thought I was being ridiculous. I won by pulling the emotional "you're-taking-me-away-from-my-family-to-a-foreign-land" card. Once we arrived in Brazil and received our shipment, the ONLY item that was damaged in the intercontinental move was . . . that's right, my candle cover. It was completely shattered. Nathanael felt vindicated.

The second fight, centering on a certain rather heavy stack of Martha Stewart Living magazines, has been a recurring theme for all four moves. He caved in to shipping them to Brazil the first time, bit his tongue the second time, muttered under his breath the third time, grit his teeth and popped a temple vein the fourth time, and refused to do it this time. So, I've been tearing out the pages I want to keep from four years' worth of magazines. We'll still be moving the magazines, but now they'll be in loose leaf form and scattered throughout the boxes. He'll be none the wiser! (Insert evil laugh and maniacal hand-rubbing here.)

After this many moves, we've gotten it down to a workable system: I pack; he hauls; kids watch movies for days on end. We fall into bed exhausted and dream of owning a home and never moving again.