My brother-in-law, Mike, once stated the obvious: “Moving day is not packing day.”

Unfortunately, that had not been obvious to David or me. On our major moves to and from Minneapolis and Huntsville, David and I were somehow paralyzed. Or in denial about how much junk, er – belongings, one four-person family could actually collect.

No offense, U-Haul, but after we unload you Friday, I don’t want to see you for a very long time. I’d much rather be running than packing and moving!

But this time we were all over it. Movers are scheduled to come at 9 a.m. to load up the U-Haul in our driveway. (Nothing personal, U-Haul, but you will not be invited back to our next home for a very long time.)

Uncle Mike would be proud of us during this move – our fifth in four years. The boxes are packed and loaded. David worked long into the night to take the beds apart and line everything up beautifully so the process would be as simple and efficient as possible once the movers arrive.

Over the past month, we have been consumed by closing schedules, mortgage requirements and other factors that came into play for this major relocation to a home nine-tenths of a mile south of our current address.

To help maintain my sanity, I have kept running through it all and am set to officially begin my half-marathon training later this month.The Lady’s Speedstick Women’s Half in Nashville on September 22 will come up fast and I want to be ready for that too.

But overall, the move has come first and that state-of-mind has paid off with less chaos and less stress (I didn’t say no stress – just less).

Yesterday a contractor came to finish up the repairs we agreed to make prior to Friday’s closing. Today the guy comes to fix the chimney cap and I’ll be on hand for the movers, ready to pick up any remaining “shrapnel,” as my husband calls it, once they leave. Then I will clean; I’m ready for that, as well.

Tonight, David, Serina, Sophia and I will sleep on air mattresses in an otherwise empty house, the loaded U-Haul in our driveway. A driveway that will only be ours for another 24 hours.

Maybe in between the chimney sweep, the movers and the shrapnel-removal, I can sneak in a run! Now that would be the prize of preparation.