Cat is out of the bag

We're coming home on February 17th.

So far we have an apartment waiting for us in Arlington. It's furnished, has 3 bedrooms and falls under per diem. Whee!
We've sold our big TV and VCR. The camcorder was the first to go. The Jeep is gone. We're still trying to sell our van. PLEASE cross your fingers that someone buys the van before we leave here. Please Please Please.
Still to do? Too many things to count, but here's a quick rundown:
*Find a car in NoVA. That's a last minute thing since unless we buy new (which makes little sense for us) it all depends on what's available. If the current USed Lot findings are any indication though, we should be able to find a nice and affordable used Highlander without too much trouble. Hopefully.
*Enroll the kids in school. They'll be attending the Arlington Science Focus School. The default school is Key Elem. It's a Spanish immersion school a couple blocks away from the apt building. Great school, but we're going to a French speaking country and I don't think it would do anyone any good to have the kids come home saying "Hablo Espanol". So Science Focus it is, and I'm excited. Of course, this is done the day after we land in VA, so another thing I've already started (get the forms, talk to the school) but cant't finish yet.
*Sell the van. Any day now, really!
*Set up separate UAB shipments. We're going to a fully furnished apt in the States right outside DC and near my parents, what do we need to bring tennis rackets for? But items like tennis rackets, art supplies, movies, toilet scrubbers, bath mats, flashlights, tool kit, soccer balls, quilts, will all be -very- welcome ASAP in Togo. So we're getting things together to have our UAB split.
*Then of course, we need to actually pull all this stuff together. I get the itch to do it N-O-W, but I know it would bug me to have a big pile of stuff sitting around for 5 weeks. And if I need something in the meantime, I'll have to pull it out but my brain will think it's already in the pile and... you can see I'm overthinking this.
*Find the cats new homes. We were a good foster family, but are looking for a nice Manila residence for our nice Manila cats.
*Sell the van! Have I mentioned that already?
*Throw out, toss, and clean up. Again, so much for the last minute. I want to go through all the tupperware, all the silverware, all the kids' clothes and the toys (again). I can do this! But not today.
*Get a rental car at the airport. I'll be doing that tonight.
Well, that's the short list. What have I forgotten?
Oh yeah, throw a party on the 5th. Right.