Overwhelmed or Overboard

Wow... I can understand why people say it is so difficult to get off the dock.  I am so overwhelmed and at times filled with so much anxiety that I feel like crying almost everyday. Don't get me wrong.  I am so excited about our trip and getting under way... its just the process of getting to that point that is too much to wrap my head around.  I'm spinning :@)

What have I been working on lately besides eating my Bon Bons? ... I have been getting the house ready to rent...Packing up the items we will not need, and also getting rid of most of what we never use.  Also,  painting the inside rooms and ceilings and we redid our front bathroom, added new can lighting in our back bedroom. We need to fix our bathroom and change out the carpets then I think we will be done.  I have been organizing medical files, and making sure all our immunizations are up to date including ones we may need IF we go to certain countries... Poor kids are getting poked right and left.  Then of course a diesel mechanics class, and an all day offshore class at the boat show.  Then I have been getting the homeschooling together, studying for my Ham Radio License, and getting the financing our our new boat,  the ups and downs and complications of buying the boat out of country and trying to get it here in time for us to fix up and use prior to leaving just to name a few... I don't know... I definitely have never drank more that I have recently, along with eating.  It is called stress and I am looking forward to leaving it at the dock on the bay when we sail off into the sunset.

This weekend is the strictly sail boat show in Oakland and it is always such a treat for Chris and I to attend.  Today I feel, after going thru many of the free seminars the last few years on sailing techniques, trip planning, relationships at sea, cruising with kids, how to provision, weather.... that I am definitely way more prepared and ready for our trip than I have been in the past.  It was very reassuring that I felt I know and understand much of what the experts where saying.  Don't get me wrong... I know there is still so much to learn but I definitely feel more confident and reassured about our trip.

The one thing they say is to make sure to start early in planning and preparing for a trip like this.  Chris and I have talked about doing this for 10 years now... and really started planning and looking into accomplishing this trip 3 years ago.  We thought we were ahead of the game and I am now realizing we waited to long to get many of the classes done that we need.  Wilderness first aide, sailing classes, offshore sailing, radio license tests, captains license tests..... ugh!  I know chris has way more pressure on his plate in terms of completing his Captains License and buying and selling our old BOATS>>. ugh... and maintaining his current job in good standing.  He is also traveling a ton with work and also for buying the new boat... I really don't know how he keeps sane through this process.  I feel like I have completely lost my mind most of the time and if you ask my what my name is... I may or may not be able to tell you depending on how my day is going.

Maybe the memory thing is a good sign, I can see why they say in sailing you are constantly learning something new, from navigation, to weather, to mechanics, to electronics to organization...   For me it is exhausting..... but in a good way.  Im tired already and haven't even really started.  Kudos to all the cruisers out there.  They are an amazing or crazy bunch, which ever way you look at it and I am excited to be included in this group soon.