Settling In

I am pleased to report that Hannah was successful with the reading teacher on Monday. Her excellent work enabled her to go into 1st grade as opposed to Kindergarten where she would have been aligned otherwise. Jen and I are so proud of her. One major selling point is that the school façade looks remarkably similar to the one used in High School Musical.
Abigail started her pre-K classes today as well. In typical Abigail fashion she darted away from Jen, eager to play with her new friends.
I am back in the office today and it is wonderful to see the smiling, familiar faces I have known for years.
Jen awaits the call back on her interview. Fingers crossed.

Move Phase 2

Move Phase 2 is now safely on the archives. It has been an extremely challenging week however and there are signs of exhaustion on the faces of all. This week started with me flying from London on Saturday the 16th to Washington DC. I was really drained after a week of packing in London and took the chance to rest on the entire fight across. Jennifer and the girls arrived on Sunday from West Palm Beach. It was quite a reunion and I was very glad to see them. One I got them at the airport I took them to see the new house and then to get checked into the hotel. There was no rest for the weary as we really needed to go out and buy a bed for us. The London bed was not going to arrive for weeks so it was crucial that we had one so that we could sleep in our new home.
Monday was also an equally exciting day and we made the family trek to Carmax to try to find a car for Jen. We were successful. We also had done some furniture shopping on Monday with the hopes of getting the President's sale discount as well as having it delivered early this week. The rest of the week was equally as charged. On Tuesday, our warehouse storage arrived, our bed was delivered and the cable was installed.
On Wednesday, the air shipment from London arrived which was crucial to making things more liveable. The air shipment continued our clothes and entertainment for the kids. Wednesday was also Jen's interview day at Georgetown hospital. She is very keen on this opportunity. It seemed to go well and we hear back next week.
Thursday was back to work for me and trying to get caught up after being out for three days was quite hard. I had back to back calls set up through the day in addition to preparations for meetings early next week. Great news on Thursday was that there was nominated within BT a person that would backfill my role so that I can begin transitioning into my new responsibilities in the USA.
Friday, was typical mayhem at the office. Too much to do and not enough time to do it. Shabbat could not come fast enough for me.
We now move into Phase 3 of the move which is a bit longer and has different challenges. While Move 2 was hard and funny at the same time, Move phase three requires much more strategic decision making. In Move 2 you sit in your house and determine how to have a bowl of cereal with a plastic fork and a paper cup. You unpack your bedroom and realize the furniture that you have to put things in is half way across the Atlantic Ocean. Phase 3 tackles things like the schools the kids will go to and what our daily routine will be like.
In the coming weeks Abby and Hannah will start school, Jen will start work, I will return to the UK for meetings and at some point. Move Phase 3 will finish when the sea shipment arrives. This is scheduled to be the first week of March.
Sorry the posts have been few and far between lately, this move is now the priority.

Move Phase 1

What can only be described as Phase 1 of the move is now complete. Jennifer and the kids flew out early on Monday morning. It was so hard to say good bye to them as they stumbled into the taxi a bit bleary eyed at 5:30 am. I was on the edge the entire day thinking in my mind the challenges that Jen had to encounter with two very tired kids and me not there to coax or cajole them from taxi to check in to security to plane. Of course I could not rest easily until I knew they were safely on terra firma.
My diversion for the day was the interaction with the movers that arrived promptly at 8:30 am. In one day they had about 85% of the flat wrapped. Today they finished the remainder. Being here alone is the hardest part. Staying at a hotel on the corner means that each day I wake up in my old neighborhood. One that I lived for two years where I watched the kids grow and learn about live in London. My body is still here but my spirit is gone. How I long to be with them at nammies house right now enjoying monster ball soup (as Abby calls it).
Tomorrow the sea container arrives at 9 am. It will be loaded in a few hours and then I am off to the office for an afternoon of meetings. I try to focus on the matter at hand but I am mostly focused on when I can be with Jen and the girls again.
Phase 2 of the move starts tuesday when our warehouse items arrive and are unpacked. During this time we have a number of high priority items to buy including a bed, tv, oh and a car.
The final phase of the move occurs when the sea shipment arrives in 4-6 weeks. By then we'll be safely in our new routines.
I am anxious to see Hannah's new school and settle into our new routine. The best part of each day is when Abby wakes up and knocks on our door to say "Its the morning time".