R.O.M

When COVID really got real, we had already accepted the job in Iwakuni, Japan to work as a therapist on a U.S Marine base.  We were told that the process would be "delayed indefinitely". We didn't know exactly what that meant, but felt good about the fact that it wasn't "cancelled permanently".  So we waited.  We did what everyone else did: school at home, stay home, do nothing, try not to spread "the virus". 

FINALLLLYYYY in the end of May we were told that we were to be in Japan (we being Andrew....) July 1.  AGH! Stress!  We had a house to sell, cars to sell, a house to pack up, people we wanted to visit, passports for the children to apply for.  Let's go there:

PASSPORTS: guys, as soon as we had OFFICIAL orders from the government of Andrew's employment we went to apply for passports.  We KNEW the process was delayed but were confident that because we were supposed to be moving across the world, they would somehow have a magical exception for us.  They did not.  We were told the kids passports could take anywhere from 1 to 6 months.  Ummm.....

So we waited. We prayed. We fasted. We waited. And my dear sweet grandmother suggested we call our local congressman.  We did, we emailed, we were told they would look into it. We needed these passports by June 15 in order for everything to be how it needed to be so we could all fly over together.

June 13 rolls around, we had been in contact with the congressman's office regularly, they couldn't find our documents, they couldn't get a hold of anyone, we were stuck.  In the afternoon on the 13th we got an email from the office saying "HEY! We found them, processed them, and they are being sent express to you!"  We got those passports on.....June 15th exactly.  I believe in miracles guys.  Even silly ones that have to do with passports. 

With all of this going on in the background, we were told the prepare to do 2 weeks of ROM-Restriction Of Movement (the military is full of so many acronyms, this one means....quarantine.  You stay in your room and don't leave for any reason at all). 

We prepared. We had games, toys, movies, books, crafts, play-doh, tablets.  We prepared.  And still...you can never truly be prepared to spend 14 full days in a 600 sq. ft. hotel room with your 5 family members. But i'm getting ahead of myself...

SO...we prepped some more, we sold we scrambled some more, and then we were off.  We were fortunate enough to spend a lot of time with both sides of the family before we left, and then, we were off, the 6 of us, and our 11 suitcases, 4 car seats and a stroller. And ya'll, I never thought moving across the world would require me to acquire and orgnanize so many face masks for so many faces, but..here we are. And bless the lovely people in my life who made us masks, we have used them alllllllll!!! (someone in 20 years is going to read this and be like...What the heck is she talking about? What is all this mask talk?)

Sometimes we had a little extra time and space during a layover.  My kids are so competative with each other all I had to say was, "I wonder who can run around this baggage claim carousel the most times?" nonchalantly, and they kept themselves busy for 20 minutes.  I'm probably not helping them by encouraging this but sometimes it's useful to me.

We flew directly to Iwakuni on a flight chartered by the military because of COVID (long, boring story).  The flight was....freezing.  So cold.  In fact...

Finally, a million years later, we arrived, right onto the base.  We were escorted, in a very sterile way, to our hotel, up to our room, and left there...for the next 14 days...

Don't get me wrong, I love my family, but the claustrophobia was intense after we realized we were stuck on the 3rd floor, couldn't open a window or door or ANYTHING.

Food? How did we get it? We submitted a shopping list to a volunteer group here who goes, shops for you and then calls you for payment method.

We spent a lot of time listening to other children run up and down the hallway, laughing, screaming, enjoying their freedom.

Then we would meander to the other side of the room and watch people from our unopenable window.  Riding their bikes, walking, driving (on the WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD!), having bbq's in their backyards.  We swore we would never squander or take for granted our time out of doors again.

Did I mention playdoh? Legos? Origami? So much screen time? Exercise time? Fort building class?

And guys, on Thursday, August 6, I woke up at 5 am, on purpose, so I could go outside. OUT. SIDE. Since then we have been busy. Crazy busy! Trying to figure out schools, cars, homes, work, and, well, Japan.

More on that next time.