...with two revelations. One, I have a take-home test due tomorrow, and *gasp* I have actually been working on it all week! More than 24 hours before it is due, it is officially complete! (well, with the exception of the 10 times I will read over it tomorrow, to be sure that there is nothing else I need to add before printing & closing - it is not due until midnight, but I will take it to class with me so that I can stop obsessing over it at that point.) Of course, it has really helped that Nathan has been working on his own schoolwork in the evenings, and the television has been off/neither of us has done pleasure-reading. Truth be told? It's been rather boring at our house in the evenings. Guess boring translates into productive for me! :)

And the second thing: I am also finished with our preliminary packing list! A day before I said I would have it done!! Now...before you go dissect it, let me make a few disclaimers. First, this list is the offspring of our "normal" packing list (yes, I have one of those, no laughing) and adaptations of other people's "Russia" packing lists. Some people pack things that I can't imagine needing - and others leave out things that I absolutely, without a doubt, must have.

Second disclaimer: I have imagined what we will carry in our carry-on luggage...and what we will actually check. The carry-on list is actually longer than the checked list - BUT keep in mind that I gave space to each individual thing I needed to be sure to remember. For instance, a lot of stuff can be consolidated and I don't *think* it will be too bulky. Afterall, when I traveled to Germany last summer, I (by myself, b/c I met N in Germany) took much of the same stuff, and was not loaded down (and I went to Germany with probably 7 or 8 changes of clothes and 4 different pair of shoes - and ONE small suitcase). I guess I'll find out, once I actually START packing.

Any thoughts, input, additions, subtractions......feel free to let me know what you think and any experiences you've had! Oh, and I edited to add this: remember, this is our FIRST trip...so we're not factoring in baby-stuff for our second trip yet. Let us get home, first, and then we'll start really formulating that list for the second trip!

Maybe my un-procrastination this week is the beginning of a whole new world for me!! One can hope! :)