TUKWILA, Wash. -- A family of 11's stopover near SouthCenter deteriorated into a nightmare when their red Ford Econo-Van vanished from the parking lot at the Double Tree Hotel.

"I don't even know how to begin to describe walking out and seeing the vehicle gone," said Mike Goecker, a chaplain with the U.S. Air Force.

The Goeckers are now holed up in their hotel. They were moving to Japan Tuesday for Dad's new job, but now Dad must go alone.

The children's birth certificates and passports disappeared with the van.

"I am trying to apply for birth certificates because before we can apply for passports we have to get new birth certificates," said De'Etta Goecker.

It could take up to three months for the paperwork to join their father.

"It's not the sendoff we planned," Mike Goecker said.

The older children rode along just to say goodbye.

"I traveled up front to send family off, but now head back to Texas and they're stranded here," said Josiah Goecker.

The family is stranded without the comforts of home the kids packed.

"My teddy bear is still in the van," said Stacia Goecker.

For Arielle, she lost some books and brand new clothes. While Alex lost his wallet.

"All my identification stuff was in the van," he said.

Krista's stolen credit cards have been used at gas stations in Burien and Des Moines.

"Because of somebody's selfish desire to take something big work and pain," she said.

The red 15-person van with Alaska plates and stick figures of 11 people plastered in the rear window is hard to miss.

As a chaplain, Mike Goecker is used to consoling people.

"I'm used to holding people and now I am there right in the middle," he said.

It's just the latest on a rough road trip for the family. On their trip here, their family pet of 15 years was accidentally killed.

If you have any information about the missing red Econo-van, contact Tukwila police.