Have orders, will travel...but how?

It's a real mindjob to be moving cross-country not knowing the details of how it is all going to pan out.  I won't be able to plan the moving of my household goods until I get to Ft Sill...or possibly even Ft Sam.  This means that I'm probably going to come home to Fresno after OBC to an empty house unless the movers are available EXACTLY on the week that I will be home before we set out on the road.  Hubby and kiddos have been invited to bunk up with some friends, but then we have the pets to consider (we have two dogs, three cats, and two rats).  Then there's the actual trip.  It's looking like we're going to have about 7-8 days on the road, realistically.  When we came out to California from Florida the trip only took 5-6 days, but then we only had two kids and no pets.  I've been looking at options and it seems like it might be a cost-effective and fun option to camp our way cross-country.  Apparently KOA campgrounds have military discounts, and with the right equipment it could be a good time, and a good way to let the littles and beasties stretch their legs.  Of course, it could be a real bummer.  Haha!  But hopefully not.  An RV isn't really an option, and we could plan to say in a hotel one or two nights if needed (they'd have to be pet-friendly).  We'll see how it pans out.  We'll have to plan everything out before I go or while I'm gone to OBC.

I've also been trying to figure out what I need to have done ahead of time.  Setting an appointment with my OB to have an exam/pap done so I don't have to do it there.  Looks like the dental exam has to be done by the Army?  I'll find out more about that soon...that's just the way I understand it now.  I've also been trying to get my student loan situation squared away.  There's a mandatory forbearance form that has to be filled out initially and then yearly while the Army is paying off your loans.  I had a guy on the phone with FedLoan be a real butthead and say that only people who are deployed qualify, etc. and I had to argue with him.  In the end, I was right (of course) and he helped me with a short-term forbearance until the paperwork from the Army is situated (they have to fax the form that I signed and they signed stating that they will be paying off my loans to FedLoan).  I am going to get a nice file folder together to put multiple copies of all of my paperwork into until everything is in the system.  According to my recruiter, we should be able to get my ID and my hubby and kiddo's IDs before I leave, as well as get all of our info into DEERS (Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System - for Tricare eligibility).  That would be really helpful.  I'd rather be over-prepared than under-prepared!

Meanwhile I still need to lose about 10 lbs and finish getting my situps...they are my weakness right now.  Running I've got, pushups I've got...only about halfway there on my situps.  I'll keep plugging away!