Got your attention by the title, huh?

Tomorrow the kids and I are headed to Singapore!  We have been counting down the days, and it’s finally here!   Kind of odd that we will be visiting this country for the first time, and we won’t be seeing things through “tourist eyes” but as “residents” .  Trent is so excited for us to get there, and to introduce us to our new homeland.   We have a busy agenda for the week:  find housing,   tours & orientation at Singapore American School, check out a couple of swim teams,  and see if we can find any of these monkeys that we keep hearing about.   Seeing the monkeys is a priority!

Our flight departs Minneapolis 3:00 in the afternoon, and 22 hours later we will arrive in our new host country.  And this includes only a one hour layover in Tokyo.  We will arrive at 1:30 am Monday morning.

TWENTY ONE hours in a plane!  OMGosh!  So many concerns, first being how on earth will I sit still that long?   And second,  do they serve cereal on international flights, because my twin boys need their cereal, and lots of it,  at least every 3 hours.

Hubby and I are going to do our best to hide our anxieties, fears, and worries as we introduce the kids to what will soon be their new home. The kids are extremely excited for this adventure, and we are going to make this next week as positive as possible so that they continue to embrace this change in our lives.

As far as housing is concerned, I really have no idea what to expect.  At this point, all I know is that we are expected to find a furnished place home.  Our assignment is for 2 years, and my husbands company considers that to be “short term” .  We won’t be sending a shipment, literally by ship, that the longer assignees get.  Instead we get two 4x4x4 air crates.

WHAT???  I get only two 4x4x4 crates?  For all of us???  OMGosh, yes, I will need a fully furnished house, with everything except mattresses, blankets, and pillows.

I better get myself scheduled for some therapy, because not only is it difficult to think about leaving all my stuff at home for two years, but also I am not crazy about the idea of using kitchen items, couches, desks, lamps, everything else in a house, that someone else has used.  Yes, I will need therapy, and lots of it.   I’m going to drop this subject for now … not a good way to start out my adventure week, right?  We will get back to this later.  Much later.

Anyhow, at least a dozen people have talked to me in the last month or so about HGTV’s hit series “House Hunters International”,  and  I thought, why not us?  So I contacted HGTV, and at their request,  I sent in our information:  a quick bio,  some photos, where we are moving too, what kind of housing we will be looking for, and the dates we will be checking out places in our new location.   THey made it clear that they needed an “interesting” family … lots of personality and drama, you know, makes for good tv.

Personality?  check.  Drama?  check.  (I’m talking about the kids, not me, for Pete’s sake)

Unfortunately, they needed more time to schedule out the taping, and as you know, we  don’t have more time.  We are on a tight schedule, and couldn’t rearrange it, not even for HGTV.  So we won’t be on TV, but we will do our best to document our own version of International House Hunters.  Stay tuned!!

Thank you to all the teachers of 6th grade Raider Blue and 8th grade Windsor at the Hudson Middle School who have been so flexible with  homework and studies for the kids,  Scott D. who will be helping with our pool opening while we are away, and to my friend Kathy H, who will be taking care of my furry babies, Jazz & Jayda.  We are incredibly blessed to have so many great people in our lives!!

Please say a prayer for safe traveling for us, lots of energy, good vibes and positive experiences for the kids as the reality of moving becomes more concrete.  And monkeys.  Lots of monkeys!