Less than 24 hours!

I can hardly believe it, but I will be on a plane to Europe in less than 24 hours! The past week has been productive, exhausting, emotional, and exciting - all at the same time. Liz and Linsey put together an amazing going away party for me on Saturday! It was so fun to be surrounded by almost all of my favorite people at the same time. Meredith, one of my old roommates, made a surprise visit which made the weekend even better. It was so wonderful to see family, old friends, new friends, and co-workers meeting one another - I feel so lucky for all of the amazing people I have in my life.

I had a great dinner with Liz and Linsey last night at one of our favorite places - City o' City. Along with fantastic food and conversation, they gave me some great gifts. My favorite had to be the best friend heart necklaces (yes - they still make them!) that Lauren, Liz, Linsey, and I will be sharing. I know I'm putting off the inevitable, but I won't be saying goodbye to those two until tomorrow . . . .

After weeks (months?) of preparing for this trip, eating and drinking way more than necessary, saying goodbye too many times to count, and a night of sleeping on couch cushions at my parents' place, I must admit that I'm ready to go. I'm tired of anticipating the adventure - I'm ready to begin it! And in less than 24 hours, I will . . .

packed and ready to go . . . well, almost!

With the help of my BF Liz, I feel much closer to being prepared to leave in a week! Liz helped me decide which items were worth taking, as well as what could go together to look a bit more "professional." As expected, she was full of ideas! This whole concept of dressing up for work is a bit foreign to me - I've really enjoyed the more comfortable dress code of elementary teaching! At least I now have a few ideas for what items I need to pick up before leaving. The big question is whether or not all of the things we picked out will actually fit into a backpack and a suitcase . . . Thanks for your help, Liz!

10 more days . . .

Wow - I can hardly believe it, but in just ten days, I will be leaving for Spain!! Luckily, the excitement I was feeling at home has continued since being back in Denver. I've been having so much fun (see 4th of July and fourteener pics), but still feel so ready for this adventure to start.

Emily left today for Switzerland - I can't wait to hear about the start of her adventure. Megan is moving out tomorrow, so it will soon be just Indy and I at 365 S. Williams. As I look around our house that is full of boxes and in a state of disarray, it's definitely evident that a change is coming!

My to-do list is slowly shrinking and my pile of things to take with me is quickly growing. I'm looking forward to my parents arriving on Thursday - I know they'll be a huge help!

Back Home Again in Indiana

As I spend my last day in Indiana, amid thunderstorms, humidity, and my fantastic family, I must say that this trip was exactly what I needed. Although I had been anxious about leaving Denver because of the one million things I felt I needed to get done, being here has actually made me feel really productive.

I've made a number of phone calls (without using my daytime minutes) regarding insurance, loans, and bank accounts - who knew actually leaving the country was so difficult?! My parents have been so great about helping me to prioritize and think about what else I need to do - they are truly amazing. I now feel much more ready to get back to Denver and get things taken care of. (Although the thought of packing up an entire house is still a tad overwhelming!)

Most importantly, I think spending a few days away from Denver has actually helped me to feel excited about this adventure again. I've been having so much fun with friends and enjoying Colorado so much these past few weeks that the majority of my emotions have centered around feeling really sad about leaving everything I love . . . After a few days away and discussing so many of my plans with my family, I've been reminded of why I decided to take this step in the first place. Although it's still bittersweet, the excitement is definitely outweighing the sadness. Let's hope that continues when I get back to Denver!