Patience is the new black

With each item we check off our massive to do list, we get a little bit closer to the goal, and it gets a little bit more real. One that that we'll have to check off everyday and perhaps setup a reward system for is patience. For me anyway, Shayne is pretty chill.

We UPS'ed our passports to the San Francisco Consulate General of Portugal on Wednesday, June 1, after hearing the day before that we were approved. We were told in the email it would take 2-3 days plus shipping time to get the visas in there and back to us. Cool.

They arrived after UPS taking a bit of time on Friday around 1pm, so we figured they wouldn't begin work on them until Monday. So by calculations that'd be a Monday-ish start, 2-3 days and an overnight back to us via FedEx. So maybe a week.

I emailed just to make sure they received them about a week ago and didn't hear anything, I just emailed again this morning. What I'm trying to figure out is the math on when to worry versus when to be chill.

There have been a few holidays in the mix - apparently June is the month of Saints' Festivals, which I learned over the last week so there's been some down days within this time frame.

In my little freaked out lizard brain that is asking all manner of questions like 1. did we send to the wrong place? (no) 2. did they email us by mistake and we aren't actually approved? (hopefully not) to 3. maybe the signatures on our passports aren't legible enough (we've used them through customs with no issues), I'm trying to just remain chill and wait. IT IS SO HARD.

This is almost as difficult as waiting for the approval. There's something terrifying about giving up your passport into the ether of a system. I'm trying to come up with ways to keep occupied every time I start to worry as we both celebrate in getting things done and empty out our lives without a means to make the next step.

So, with learning patience I'm getting a lot done on the list. I'm mentally kicking around the calendar on what day I'll do what up to three weeks into the future. I have my to do lists synched with my calendar, I've started designated floor space in our increasingly empty apartment for the "to do" zone, the "to pack" zone, the "get rid of" zone.

Ultimately, I just have to learn to be a little anxious, use that energy elsewhere like in calling a friend, taking a walk, hydrating, enjoying a coffee. Start the slower lifestyle early and just chill out.

I know this patience will be the hardest part for me. It fits like a wet pair of jeans right now. I just need to hold still long enough to let them dry to my form and stop running through sprinklers of worry. Curl up so when they dry they fit just right, get comfortable in the discomfort, make it work for me.