The Countdown Begins

Today is July 17.  If all goes as planned, we will all be on a plane to Belgium one month from today.

We are in the process of selling our blue minivan.  Buster is having a hard time letting it go.  We've had that car his whole life.  I hope he gets better at coping with change.

I tried to get him to smile for one last picture

with the blue van.  He wouldn't.  Abel did!

Yesterday Ben scheduled our appointment with the Belgian Consulate in Los Angeles for us to apply for our visas.  Today I booked flights and a rental car for our whirlwind trip there and back in one day.

We got almost all the clothes clean yesterday, so today the kids separated their clothes.  We put them in either their suitcase or a box to store.  Next they'll pick a few select toys and books, so we can pack everything else.  Yikes!  This is getting all the more real every day.

Work Permit Received!

Today Ben was notified that his work permit was approved.  He will be going back to Belgium tomorrow.  I now have about a month to get everything done.  He can't apply for the visas until his FBI background check comes back.  He also has to wait until the person who can fill in for him can go back to Belgium, which won't be until early August.  I'm glad we have reached another milestone, but I will miss Ben a lot.  I don't know how I'll manage to get everything done, but I will somehow!