We've moved lots of times, but this particular move proved to be the most complicated of them all thanks to COVID. All the things we thought we knew went out the window in these strange times and what we thought would be the usual 30 day turnaround on a relocation turned into nearly half a year before we finally found a place to call home.
The first issue concerned packing. Normally we would have a definitive time line on when our belongings would reach us on the other end. Due to slowed ocean freight movements and rigorous inspection and sanitation processes, they were not able to give us an estimation on when we might have possession of our things back in the US. So, we packed our suitcases as best we could. What we didn't know at time is that the contents of these suitcases would be all we would have for nearly 5 months. That information would have most definitely caused adjustments to my selection process, but hindsight is 20/20.
Next, the normal journey home would have looked similar to our arrival, with a non-stop international flight directly from Edinburgh to New York. Due to COVID, nearly all commercial travel across the Atlantic was suspended and flights were very limited and constantly getting canceled! Since it does take some time to coordinator moving companies and freight carriers, we had two planned flight itineraries canceled prior to our actual departure. Within the final week we were able to coordinate a plan that resulted in an extra-long return journey where we flew from Edinburgh to London, with an overnight stay at the hotel inside Hearthrow for an early morning departure.
Then there was all goodbyes, which seemed to be extra hard this time. We were blessed with some amazing friends while we were here and it was especially devastating for Brenna to say goodbye to her crew of girls. She had an incredible group that took such great care of each other, especially in the weird times we experienced.
It was an eerie feeling to walk through a nearly empty airport. And there were strange adjustments, like face masks dispensers and weirdly worded signs on the bathroom mirrors encouraging thorough hand washing. But after a short flight, a sleepless night, a long flight, some tense moments waiting to receive clearance into the USA, and one Mississippi State Customs guy who was happy to welcome us back, we finally made it home to America!
We quickly discovered that the US COVID experience was much different from the UK COVID experience. Everything was open, shelves weren't empty, most weren't wearing masking, and the choir sang in church. This all felt completely foreign compared to our previous 10 months, but we were oh so happy to be a part of it! We got eat our favorite foods that we had missed so much (yes, after nearly two years abroad, Waffle House was amazing). Brenna had her second first day of 8th grade without a uniform. And, since we only had a rental Kia Soul to get Jacob to and from work, Brenna to and from school, and me around my long to-do list to set up a new living arrangement, then we had to quickly purchase two vehicles. One of which literally stoped working the day after we bought it and had to have it towed from the apartment to get it reprogrammed, FUN!
We settled into a corporate apartment for what was expected to be no more than a 30-day stay. However, thanks to COVID the housing market was bonkers and after multiple bids, a biding war, and basically zero new homes entering the market, we were in the apartment for 5 months. We did eventually buy Castle McAlister, complete with turret (it kinda reminded me of Scotland) the very first day it hit the market. Home sweet home, until the next move!
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