We Made it to Fairfax

We spent a week in two hotel rooms at the Springhill Suites. It had free breakfast, enough beds, and was clean, so I can't really complain...but I'll say it was a stressful week. We had to get seven children to three different schools that had three very different start times each day, plus get DS1 & DS2 to seminary before that. So, our day started at 5:15 a.m. DH drove the seminary run (it started at 5:55 a.m.), and luckily someone there was willing to get them to school for us. I drove the middle school run. It started at 7:40 a.m. Then, we went together to get the elementary kids to school by 9:15 a.m. On the first day, we picked up the high-schoolers at 2:50 and the middle-schoolers at 3:20. We had the elementary kids get used to the bus right off the bat, and picked them up by the apartment at 3:55 (although it was really 4:20 by the time it got there). We got bus schedules and tried to get the five younger kids to their bus stops the latter half of the week, but it never worked out for all of them until Friday. The elementary bus was always late going both directions, but that middle school bus was on time each morning...so they were the ones we always had to drive. DS1 & DS2 started Cross Country practice on Wednesday, so we had to pick them up at 5:45 p.m. each day, extending our pick-up times from 3:00-5:45 p.m. daily. Since the hotel was about 15-20 minutes away from the general area of the apartment and high school, we didn't like going back and forth between the trips, so it was a lot of sitting and waiting. 

DH and I ran errands during the days. We picked up school supplies that the kids found out about after school started. We got familiar with the neighborhood and walked the path the high-schoolers will be walking home from school. We got an oil change on the van, and a serpentine belt, as well, as we found out ours was cracking. (We would have changed the blinker fluid if they had recommended it, just to make sure our only car kept running properly.) The evening before the oil change, our battery died. DH had thought the van had a separate auxiliary battery, and had kept his components plugged into the charger several times while we waited for children at bus stops that day, Unfortunately, when we tried starting it after we stopped at a store, it didn't have enough charge to turn over all the way. That vehicle doesn't have a separate auxiliary battery. Oops. We got a jump start and drove it until we felt like it was charged enough, and we were fine the next day. 

On Friday, there was an after-school party for the elementary kids from our bus stop. They played at the neighborhood playground and we all brought treats. The kids did really well adjusting to school. There are still a little quirks, like the older kids not being able to get into Blackboard online. But all in all, it has gone well. They got into good classes, and met other kids from church in their classes. Church, by the way, was amazing. We called on Monday to find out about seminary, and by Tuesday, we had been emailed by every auxiliary leader to get information about the kids and let us know the schedules for the youth activities. By Thursday, our records had been transferred in and we could see everyone's contact information in our LDS Tools apps. We were even brought dinner one night. We have felt very welcomed to the area. 

Sunday was the big day! We went to church at 9 a.m., then checked out of the apartment at 1 p.m. We picked up our keys to our apartment and brought our luggage in. There were only a couple of minor issues. Mostly, I am really happy with it. I'll make a little list of the good and the not-so-good. 

The good: 

Comfortable beds & bedding 

Convenient location: The bus stop is directly outside my kitchen deck, and being on the lower level on the corner next to the stairwell, we only share one short wall with neighbors, and haven't heard a peep from those above us. 

The metro rail line is a 5-10 minute walk from here, so DH can easily jump on a train in the mornings.

Granite countertops, new fixtures New stainless steel appliances 

Attractive, functional furniture 

Lots of cupboards and closets 

Close, secure parking (the garage is underground, and we can park right by our apartment and walk a short flight of stairs from it) 

Washer and dryer have surprisingly large capacities 

Friendly neighbors 

The not-so-good: 

While having this location is convenient to the bus stop, there is a sidewalk right in front of it. People walk it all night long, and DS3 & DS4 had a little bit of trouble sleeping with the windows open last night. It wasn't a problem the first night, with the A/C on, so we may have to go back to that. 

The sunroom that is listed on our lease and was in the floorplan doesn't exist. In its place is a second deck, which isn't even the size the sunroom was supposed to be. Not like the size matters, because if it isn't enclosed, we can't exactly have someone sleep in it, can we? As the sunroom wasn't there, neither was the extra bed. However, there is a love seat, which is where DS6 has been sleeping. 

The dining table has four chairs, but could fit six. I may ask for two more as a concession for not having the sunroom and bed we were promised. 

The sofa is in the spot where I was planning to put bar stools. I am going to see if I can do some re-arranging today. 

The floating wood laminate floor is a bit loose in places. When walking over those places, one can feel the floor move. Not a huge problem, but it would have been nice if that wasn't the case. 

The keyed entry to the lobby is by a FOB, not a normal key. We only have two FOBs, so we will probably have to give DH's to DS3. If lost, it will cost $200 to replace it. Ouch! 

All in all, I think the good outweighs the not-so-good. We are in close quarters, but not too close for comfort. And, it is temporary. October 11th is Flag Day, and then we'll know how long we will be here. (BTW, I may have said October 4th at one time, but that turned out to be bad information, which was corrected a week or two ago.) 

I suppose some of you may want to know how DH's first day went. He said it was boring. They met at Main State in D.C., got their security badges, found out how to read a security badge, had a benefits meeting, and listened to a lot of dos and don'ts. The A-100 class was combined with the specialists class and security personnel who were starting at the same time, so they didn't even meet all of their classmates. The only time they met people was when they were standing in lines together. Today they get to go to A-100 for the first time. I'll update you again after I hear how it went. One last thing - DS1's Eagle Application was approved at the end of last week, so we are in the process of setting up a board of review. They are going to do it via Skype. Yay!

Adversity

Everything had even going so smoothly before we set off. The house was sold, our stuff miraculously fit in our vehicles, and we had pretty good weather as we set off. Something was likely to go wrong, right?

First, we had major issues getting around Chicago. The bypass was stop and go all the way. There were thunderstorms, and we even got hit by some hail. It took 3 hours to travel what should have taken 45 minutes. Finally, we reached Indiana and were crossing into Ohio when DS1 ran into us at a toll booth. He looked down at something in the cup holder and misjudged how far ahead of us we were. The damage looked minimal - the grate of the Jetta had a hole in it and the license plate was messed up, and the Econoline's bumper was a bit dented, but nothing looked too bad, so we went on our way. 

After a couple of miles, DS1 called. The radiator warning light on the Jetta was flashing, so we thought we would find the nearest exit. The Jetta didn't make it that far. It started smoking and DS1 had to pull off the road. We hadn't removed the trailer hitch from the van after transporting the trailer last week for his Eagle project, and it had punched through the grate of the Jetta, pushing the radiator into the engine. Thus, the damage looked slim, but it was pretty bad.

AAA came to the rescue. We got a tow to a service station in Holiday City, OH, where we left the car overnight, and checked into a Holiday in just down the road. Marriott kindly let us out of our reservation for Cleveland. We found a U-Haul nearby with a tow dolly, and secured it for today. We are now trying to get a dead car loaded onto the dolly properly. DS and the tow truck driver pushed it up the dolly, but it was a little too far to the left, so the tow truck driver is going to jack it up a bit in a few minutes and push it into place for us. Then, we will be on our way. It will be a long drive today, as we head all the way to Fairfax.

What doesn't kill us makes us stronger, right?

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While we were moving luggage around, I managed to fall into a hole made by a pipe going to some drain tile and scrape all of the skin off of my left ankle. Luckily, we weren't checked out yet, so we were able to go soak it and get all the dirt out. I am grateful it wasn't my right ankle, or Aaron wouldn't get a break driving today.

If anyone out there is superstitious, you can quit worrying about us now, as everything comes in threes. ;-)

Proceeding to Close

The inspection report had no surprises on it; just a lot of little stuff one would expect to see with a 20-year-old house. The buyers did want to travel down the road of having the furnace and A/C replaced, but we quickly squelched that, as they are both working. Our thought is that if they want a new house, they should buy a new house. Ours has had every appliance other than the HVAC replaced in the last 5 years - several in the last 2 years - as well as the siding, too and driveway. Our price is lower than anything comparable at this point, so we are done dealing. So, when they asked to have their inspection contingency extended until Sept. 3rd to get quotes on new units, we said no; if they want to do that, they can let us put the house back on the market and risk losing it to someone else, because we aren't negotiating in new ones anyway, and anyone can price those out on the Internet within a pretty good ballpark in just a few clicks.

They withdrew their request and are proceeding to close! So, the house is now empty, we got vacant home insurance (did you know most policies won't cover a house that is vacant for more than 30 days if anything happens) and we turned down the utilities and turned off the water. Today, we pre-sign paperwork for close and assign power of attorney to my dad so we don't have to come back on October 23rd. Tomorrow we leave for Fairfax. This week has been so long, but it is almost over, and we can start our new adventure!

Sold!

We sold the house yesterday, contingent on a good inspection, which is scheduled for Monday. I don't know of any issues, so I am hopeful that it will go smoothly. 

Today we did a little around the house, and then started gathering materials for DS1's Eagle project. The movers come tomorrow, and we move into the Residence Inn after that. Friday evening we will start on Tristin's project, and we will continue it on Saturday morning. Busy, busy!

Prepack Survey, Showings, a Dropped Price and a Firm Travel Date

This week, we had our prepack survey with the movers. Our UAB is estimated to come in pretty close to the allowable weight. We may have to remove a few heavy items and drive them to Fairfax, but we have room. It shouldn't be a problem. Our HHE is at less than half the allowable amount. We have read over and over again on blogs that people regret keeping all the junk they have accumulated over the years - furniture in particular - and having to get rid of it upon separation from the Foreign Service. Our mover said that he has heard that regret reiterated time and again, as well, and said that we are wise. I feel good about how much we have pared out. The movers come on Thursday morning, and we are nearly ready for them. We struggled with understanding our travel orders last week. We heard from the travel order issuer that the Foreign Transfer Allowance: Pre-Departure Subsistence Expense Portion was to be used after training, but the 172nd class (DH's class' mentors) had been telling us that it is for before we leave. We finally heard an official ruling on that. DH's class all got an official email that said that it is for use at the hiring location (here in MN) for non-local (meaning not in the D.C. area) hires. So, after our pack-out on the 22nd, we will be able to stay in a hotel and have our meals covered until we depart for D.C. on the 30th. This will give our friends who have been putting us up a big break! Then, our travel expenses are paid until we arrive in D.C. After that, we will have to pay for a hotel out of pocket until the 8th, when we get into our apartment. Then, lodging and M&IE (meals and incidental expenses) per diem begin. The government is pretty generous with its relocation package. It isn't quite as good as what I have seen some friends get in the private sector, but it is pretty great, nonetheless. For example, those of whom I speak have gotten assistance selling their homes. That isn't happening with our move. We will be paying commissions, and we will have to wait until our house sells, with no silver lining at the end of six months where the company will buy it at a pre-determined price if it doesn't sell for what we are asking. I'm not complaining - I'm just sayin', because if I don't, I can imagine that I will get snarky comments from strangers about how taxpayer money is paying for all of this and it is extravagant. At my husband's level in the private sector, it is not extravagant at all. He is taking a pay cut to take this job, and the benefits make it so that we are willing to take it, but we are missing out on some benefits a V.P. in the private sector might expect to see. Enough said. Back to the topic of selling our house... The market has been slow in our price range all month. A house in the next neighborhood over came on the market this week, with one additional bedroom, an additional garage stall, and 400 additional square feet. They came in so far under market value that we decided we had no choice; we decided to drop our price $15K to come close to matching it. It seems to have had some effect, as we had two showings this morning and have one more this afternoon. We continue to hope that it will sell soon. We have some wiggle room, but we are a little disappointed that the price is nearly as low as we bought it for 10 years ago. That was before the housing boom really hit, and we got a really good deal on it then. At least we have been paying it off all these years, so we will get something out of it.

Home, Sweet Home

Since my last post, we have been feeling a little homeless. We lived with friends a week, then crashed at DH's Aunt and Uncle's in Colorado for a few days, and are now at Many Point Family Camp this week, while some of our boys are at the Scout camp side of the lake. We will return to our friends' house for a night it two, then off to DH's parents' house for a week. DH, his dad, and two of our Ds's will be going to the Boundary Waters for a few days in there.

***

Many Point was great (and also busy, as I never finished my post), and now most of us are at DH's parent's house for the week, while DH, DS1 and DS5 are at the Boundary Waters with my father-in-law.

We found an apartment in Fairfax, so now I am busy trying to enroll the kids in school. We can't get into our apartment until September 8th, so we thought we would get a hotel for a few days so that the kids could be there by the first day of school. At the high school, however, in order to register, they require me to show up in person with the students for individual counseling sessions before they begin. So, it looks like those two won't be starting school on the first day. But at least we know where they are going, right?

Aaron has filled out and returned all of his employment paperwork, and we are ready to start thinking about our pack-out. Our house has had three showings and an open house. We are hoping that the market will start moving again soon, as the vacation season hit right as we put ours on.

Prepping to Sell

I know, I know. I haven't posted in a while. I have been busy prepping the house to sell. We are putting our household stuff into categories: Unaccompanied Baggage (UAB), Household Effects (HHE) and Stuff we are Taking in our Van (VAN). The first two abbreviations are the government's. The third one is mine. Everything going HHE is being put into our storage rooms in our house. Some of the UAB is, as well, as long as we haven't needed it up until now. The rest is just kind of all over.

Most of our furniture has sold. A few pieces remain in our garage. Our food storage is also slowly being sold off. I have a friend who will take whatever is left over when we need it gone.

I have been painting the entire interior of the house, with the help of several friends. I am down to a couple of closets, a small bathroom, the laundry room, and the music room. Then, I will just touch up a few places and it will be done.

There have also been all sorts of repairs and replacements all over the house, and trips to the hardware store and charity and environmental center drop-off sites.

Our piano also went to consignment today. Flylady would be so proud of our poundage lost today.

***

I wrote the above part last week,  and never got to finish it. On Monday or Tuesday, I realized I couldn't

continue to live in the house with the kids while painting and cleaning it out. I decided to take up an amazing friend's offer to move in with them while we finished getting the house ready and on the market. We finished painting the house, emptied it, cleaned it, and have had a showing already, with one more scheduled for today. My friend is amazing for letting us live with her family. I think it is going really well there, so far. They have four children who each have a playmate in our family. I just hope we don't upset their routine too much. I am trying to help out there as much as possible, but also have vacation preparations to do and little things to touch up at our house.

We leave on Tuesday for Denver to see DH's grandparents.  I am sure my friends will enjoy the quiet while we are away.

Oh, and I think we have housing taken care of in D.C. We won't be in Oakwood, but we found an apartment that will take us - for much more money than we would have spent at Oakwood, of course.