Can I collapse again, please?

Seriously–lately it has been a challenge to “keep it simple,” and a bigger challenge to keep from feeling overwhelmed.

Today, I returned to our home in Atlanta with my two younger kids. Our goal was to “complete” the packing of the house–everything in the pods that goes in the pods, and everything else in boxes to move with us up to the mountains.

Not so much.

I did manage to load and lock the pods–tomorrow morning, they will transport off to storage for the next year. And I did get the van as loaded as it could be with all sorts of boxes and bags.

But there’s still more stuff.

And the basement, while much improved, still needs a solid half-day’s effort before the house is ready for realtors.

So here I am, back in the mountains… and guess who is going back to Atlanta next weekend?

OK, OK… you get the idea. Much as I know that this move to the mountains will provide all sorts of opportunities to simplify our lives and slow down our pace, right now I still feel like I’m moving at breakneck speed in multiple directions–and getting nowhere.

So when I started to unload boxes and bags out of the car tonight, I noted to myself: time to unload some of the emotional luggage as well.

It’s been a high stress period no doubt–between my father-in-law’s passing and this family move, there’s a lot of change going on.

But there’s no need to carry that stress any longer than necessary, right?

And how long is “necessary” anyway?