Checklists for Wrapping Up One Life and Moving On to Another

It's cold outside today.  My husband and I groan as we roll out of bed, the 6:30 a.m. phone alarm by my ear ringing too cheerfully.  Out from under the covers my arms and feet are chilled from the cold night air that has settled over the house.  It's time to get moving.

My kids head off to school in pants and long sleeves and jacket, low clouds and a cool mist settling over us on this June morning in Washington State.  But we force ourselves to enjoy it, knowing that we will soon be gone.  We've been doing that a lot lately; forcing ourselves into enjoyment.  Knowing that things are often overlooked and under appreciated until you no longer have them, we are trying our hardest to soak up all of what makes Washington Washington.  So we are trying to love the cold drizzle.  We are drinking in the sights of our beloved Douglas Fir and cedar trees, the snow-capped mountains and the inlets of Puget Sound.  We are wearing our wool socks, and our fleece jackets.  Trying to fit in hikes up the mountains in our hiking boots and Patagonia jackets, engraining the beauty of this place firmly into our children's beings so that they may remember it when we leave this place.

On one hand we are dipping our toes into the Singaporean water.  Regularly eating various Asian dishes, listening to Singlish phrases, studying Chinese characters and searching out Singapore adventures through Google searches.  We want to be somewhat prepared.  We don't want our children  (or ourselves) to be so overwhelmed with culture shock, but we don't want to waste the American opportunities that are still available to us during this last month we have here in our homeland.

So, amongst the finding property managers for our home, gathering up everybody's medical records, making copies of all legal documents, preparing the house for tenants and our household goods for transport, here is what I still want to do before we go:

- Hike up Hurricane Ridge one last time.
- Return to the Hoh Rainforest
- Hike the caves of Mt St Helen
- Fly kites at Long Beach
- Ferry to Pike's Place Market for fresh salmon

What would you want to do if you had one month left in your home?