The Fields are White to Harvest

While I visiting my family, I am also helping with the wheat harvest. Growing up, my dad regularly reminded me of two, true stories his dad told him.

One farmer moved his combine and truck to the field. It was late and he decided to go home and harvest it the next day. The next morning the farmer came to start and the entire field had been hailed out.

Another farmer moved his equipment to the field. As with the first story, it was late and he decided to go home get rested and start harvest the next day. The next morning, when he arrived at the field, he found that someone had used his combine and truck to harvest his field and stole the grain.

Joys of Small Towns

For the many visas I will be getting over the next couple of years, it was recommended that I have a few official birth certificates on hand. I was at the County Clerks office doing this when their phone rang. Then they handed me their phone. On the other line was a friend I hadn't talk to in a while. Apparently the lady at the County Clerks Office recognized me and knowing I was Mary's friend, text her to tell her I was in town, at which point she called. So next week Mary and I will have lunch.

There is a large difference in living in a city and living in the country. I used to be half a mile away from Wal-mart, but now I am two miles from pavement. The largest benefits to living out in the country would have to be the calm quiet, the sunrises and sunsets, and a sky filled with countless starts. Some artwork just won't fit into a studio.

Step five to moving is loading and hauling

Before the movers took what I wanted to crate, I packed everything I wanted to take into the three suitcases I plan on traveling with. So I still have those items, plus a few items that need to be left in a safe place, such as my cedar chest and family items. Yesterday my dad and I moved them to his house. Returning my keys for my town house, they said it was already rented out to someone else.

I am done with moving, in the next few years I will be doing a lot of traveling. Even though I will make myself at home at each place I visit, those moves will not take as much work.

I will stay with my family until I go to VA.

Step four to moving is crating your items.

This morning I learned that everything I own would fit into a 200 cubic foot crate. (Everything except the car.) I was required to be present and watch them crate everything. They wrapped several of the items in brown paper, even boxing and plastic wrapping my mattresses, to protect them from moisture damage as they travel by ship. If I get to Chile around March 2012, unwrapping everything will be like getting a birthday present. This will be the largest birthday present I have ever received.

I won't receive this crate until I arrive in Chile. It was difficult to decide whether or not to crate anything at all. When I arrive in Chile, I will need to furnish the apartment I will be staying in. Being new to the area it will be hard to get around and being a new country and culture I wouldn't know where to shop. With that said, I crated items that I would need immediately, dishes, a camping chair, towels and bathroom items, and bed with bedding, so that I will not be unnecessarily stressed. With the extra space, I chose to pack items that I would want with me or that I thought might be beneficial to other families in my city such as, books and games. I constantly asked for wisdom throughout this process and am confident that this was a good choice and will end up being beneficial to me and others.

Step three to moving is quit current job

Yesterday was my last day at work. I am going to miss my ex-coworkers. I don't think it has sunk in that I am not going back. Not only have I gained several life long friends from there, but I have always based a lot of my identity in what I do and my job performance. (I don't recommend the latter.) My job has completely changed from something extremely objective with closely defined tasks and deadlines, to something that is more goal and strategy oriented. I do not yet fully comprehend what it will look like, but I am getting used to the idea of not working in an office for the next 18 to 22 months.

This morning the crating company came and picked up everything I am crating to Chile. No more bed, rugs, towels, etc. An hour after they left I went to make toast. I put my bread in the toaster and pulled out the butter. When the toast popped up, I opened the drawer to grab a knife to put the butter on the bread. The drawer was empty. My silverware has already begun the journey to Chile.

It is at moments like that, which make me realized that, yes, this is really going to happen. Sometimes the thought makes me really excited, other times overwhelmed, and sometimes sad that I am leaving so many awesome people. It is a lot like Donkey's freak-out moment on the first Shrek movie. They are crossing a bridge over hot lava and Shrek tells him not to look down because Donkey is scared. This works until one of the planks breaks and Donkey yells, "I am lookin' down, Shrek! I am lookin' down!"

There is definitely a peace that transcends all understanding when I have an upward focus.