Where have you been woman?

Phew. We’re in. The movers came Thursday and (poorly-sorry Grandmother’s China) got our stuff from one house to another. Then we spent the weekend finding our stuff and unpacking here and cleaning and still moving out of there. (It seems the movers didn’t feel like moving all our things.)
Everyone asks, “how do you do it.” I move- a lot, almost with military frequency but without military assistance. I might actually start hiring myself out for it. I have gotten pretty good. I actually amaze myself with the efficiency and organization that come over me with packing. It is not normal. This time, the unpacking was startlingly fast. We are not finished yet, but pretty damn close.
Because everyone asks how, I decided to pay attention to find out the answer.
Here’s what I came up with about how I move and survive it time and time again.
1. I try not to go back to the old place right away. This time, we are only a few blocks away so it has been harder, but traditionally I leave and essentially cut off the limb of the old place. In time, I will drive by and reminisce, but immediately-the place is dead to me. I commit fully to the new home and live there as soon as I can. Needless to say, The Husband did all the last minute stuff at our old place this time.
2. I can not sleep until my kitchen is unpacked. I realized this time I was unpacking while movers were still here. Then I reflected back and realized I always unpack the kitchen with a laser focus that is almost machine-like. I am much more settled, even with boxes all over the rest of the house, if I can make a cup of coffee and feed my children their normal breakfast.
3. Kids get settled first. After the kitchen, the kids’ room and all that is part of their routine is settled within 24 hours. That way they feel home.
4. I eat horribly. Really. Really. Horribly. At one point this weekend I caught myself shoveling fist fulls of peanut butter M&M’s into my mouth in the car as if I had to eat them before the light changed or else the police would arrest me. Scary. I don’t even remember buying the M&Ms. It was as if I went into some sort of trance at the Target and threw them in my cart while unconscious. Scary. And that doesn’t even include the McDs large fries (did you know they are 500 Calories and 25 grams of fat? Oh yeah, they put that on there now!) Juanito’s Taco Salads every other night in between pizza from Gianni’s and some sort of frozen Stouffer’s Dish called Grandma’s Chicken and Rice Bake which contained approximately 4, 672 grams of salt.
We better not move again for a while or I’ll die from clogged arteries or retaining so much water that I actually burst out of my skin.
So today it is back to Kashi and fruit and beginning our new lives in our new house. Let’s hope they let us stay for longer this time. I’m not sure my stomach can take another move.