I'm Gonna Miss You When Your Gone - Packing is Nearing Completion

As you know, Princess Four is leaving to go on a mission for our religion in just over a month. She has an extensive list of items she needs to take and as you can clearly see by my blog, we have been super busy around our house.

Princess Four has typically been a procrastinator as things just come easily for her so she doesn't seem to focus on things until last minute as they just "fall into place." Me, on the other hand, I get extremely stressed when things are done at the last minute and I need to know that everything is taken care of in plenty of time so that I can check the boxes and relax knowing things are done.

Both ways work and the end result is the same but since I have had so many things going, I had a heart-to-heart with Princess Four and shared that I can't wait until last minute to pack her, send in her VISA information, order glasses, contacts, Dr. visits, shots, shopping for the listed items etc.

I have been VERY proud of Princess Four since then as she took heed in the conversation and really listened to what I was saying I needed from her in order for me to help her and we are going great on getting everything on the "list" done in order for her to be ready to head off on her mission to Japan!

Today was spent worshiping at church, she helped me visit some sister from church after that, naps, good food from a dear friend after fasting for the day. After that, we played a game, the girls played me some songs on the guitar and then Princess Four tried on clothes, sorted the clothes and I mended, altered, strengthened buttons and washed all the clothes that needed anything for her mission.

You can clearly see that we had piles and disorganization but had been focused mostly on acquiring the items. Today, we organized the items and loosely packed the items just to figure out space in the suitcases.

I washed 10 wool items today and altered a few. I don't want her to have to wash anything wool in the training center where she will be learning Japanese for nine weeks over the holiday. I want to make sure she has everything she needs to succeed and still be warm when she arrives in the cold and humid Japan in the heart of winter!

I took a video of her singing a song and my camera is getting worse by the day. The grinding noise you can hear in many of my videos is so loud in the one close up video that I didn't even upload it as you can't hear her well. For some reason when I video farther back, you can hear her better so I only uploaded the funny video as she made up some funny words as she gets nervous when I pull the camera out.

I am going to have to use my other camera for videos from now on as several people on my youtube videos think I have a fan on in the background due to the grinding noise it is making in all the videos. I think it has been dropped one to many times. Truly though, I have taken many, many thousands of pictures and use the camera every day and have taken all the photos of my blog the the Lumix Panasonic cameras I won so many years ago. I would say they have done their job well!

I hope you enjoy the video of her singing. It is one of the many things about her I will miss while she is gone. She has a beautiful voice. She obviously has a great sense of humor and we have laughed daily while she has been home getting ready for her mission. I am going to miss her! 

The top pictures were just another sign from God that she is doing the things He wants her to do. I know people think I am crazy when I talk like that but if you read my blog, you know that 111 is something I see when I am on the right path, or doing the right thing or just need to know God is there. 

We used insurance to get her glasses but they will only pay for one or the other so we needed to purchase her contacts ourselves. I knew they were cheaper online so I searched sites online and picked one. We ordered the contacts and when we went to check out and pay, guess what the total was? Yep $111. Princess and I got a good smile out of that.

Imagine our smiles when the box arrived this week and what was on the box!~ Yep, another 111. People can make fun all they like but truly, 111 and coins represent to me that my Father in Heaven watches out for my family and especially when we need it! While Princess Four was helping me visit some of the women of the congregation today, I opened my door and there was a dime on the ground as I got out. I held it up for her to see over the car as she got out. Just another blessing reminding us to Trust in Him!

Princess Four said that many people take a personal blanket with them to the training center so of course I had to get her a Princess blanket to take. She loved it and said it would be "perfect" to use.

We were up all night working on the sewing, packing, trying on, sorting, making final lists of things needed etc. She went straight to an early morning class she is taking and we said "good bye" to Princess Five who headed off to early morning dance and I am blogging before heading to get some sleep for a few hours before working on pruning some more trees today.

We have spent about $1000 on clothes, shoes, boots, coats etc. Every penny is worth it to me to know that she will be warm and prepared for the hot humid weather and the cold humid weather she will have. I have all the vitamins, oils, medication, glasses, contacts, clothes, and shoes she will need.

She leaves in just over a month and it isn't quite real to me yet as we have been so busy but she has rubbed my feet at least once a day. With my broken foot, it has been such a blessing. She has picked apples nearly daily. She has cleaned up all the twigs from my tree pruning. She rubs my back every time she passes me, she helped with the yard sale, she has helped me clean, move furniture etc.

I really am going to miss her help and foot rubs tremendously but I know she is going where she is needed to serve and she is so excited to go. She practices her Japanese every day. She is going to be such an asset to the mission there and I know she will be blessed to learn the language quickly as she has already gotten down many things. I have been really impressed with all she has already learned.


She has informed me that she is planning on becoming a Disney Princess in Japan when she is finished as she will be able to speak to the little girls in Japanese. I think Disney would be lucky to have her!