Getting ready for departure

We received Visas in the mail 12/24, so our departures for New Zealand are approved. Steve leaves on 12/28/07 for Wiamate, NZ, with stops in Dunedin and Christchurch for orientation. Sandi will follow on 1/10/08. We are enjoying time at home in Spokane with Tyler and Jill before our departure. Jill leaves for Vienna, Austria for her semester abroad on 1/8/08, and Tyler returns to work at Seattle Childrens Hospital on 12/26/07. There is a lot of planning and preparation to do for leaving the country for 5 months. The house and cat will have a sitter, Jordan. Now to get down to the serious final packing for 5 months in 2 suitcases.