Moving Logistics

The Booz Allen Relocation Team has contacted me and the move is being planned out...finally! I learned that Booz Allen will take care of transporting one car, the packing, loading and unloading of our stuff, as well as reimburse us for our gas, lodging, and food costs as we drive across the country. We will also be reimbursed for our miscellaneous costs like the fees associated with registering our cars, getting Alabama driver's licenses, etc.

The moving company informed me that since we're moving cross-country and our household items will not fill the moving truck completely, our driver may have other smaller moves in the states between California and Alabama. They only execute the physical labor (packing, loading, and loading) during the weekdays, and the drivers are only allowed to drive 500 miles per day. Consequently, it will take a minimum of 4 days for the driver to make the trip from our San Jose, CA apartment to our Huntsville, AL apartment. Depending on the plan for our truck, there may be mini-moves performed along the way to Huntsville, so we could not see our stuff for an additional week. For example, if we have them pick up our stuff on the 23rd of January, the soonest we'd get our stuff would be the 28th of January. The latest would be around the 4th of the February. Given this information, John and I are thinking about having the movers pick up our stuff on the 20th or 21st of January. This way, the earliest they would make it to Huntsville would be the 26th and the latest would be around the 30th of January. This way, we have a better chance of having our furniture before I begin work. Obviously, the cats, the cats' necessary items, our clothing, air mattress, and sleeping bags will be coming with us in the car. These items will be handy while we're waiting for our stuff to arrive.

We plan to set out on our journey on the 24th of January. We are allowed to get a hotel every 500 miles, and I get two days' paid for relocating. We hope to get there as soon as possible, though. We will have the cats with us, and the trip will be traumatic enough for them. We may stop and a get a hotel once or twice along the way, but I'd really like to be in Huntsville by the 26th of January.

The wedding details are coming together too. My dress came in at the beginning of this week. I'll be picking it up tonight and my first fitting appointment is on the 4th of January. I have my hair and make-up trial run scheduled for tomorrow morning. The Bridal Shower is scheduled for the 11th of January. We've purchased everything except the Bridal Party gifts. We also tacked on some more dance lessons between now and the time we are leaving.

Next week is busy with Christmas visits and appointments. I will be flying to Florida the day after Christmas and staying till December 31. John and I are taking a trip up to Sacramento so that we can visit my grandmother on January 1. Between bowling, dance lessons, and appointments for the wedding, our move date will be here before we know it! Very exciting time!