Blast-off

I leave my country in 4 hours on a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants adventure home.

Today, I think for reminders' sake, I was aware of "home" feelings for Seattle - ironically the first time I have felt such since moving here almost three years ago. The past week has been a spinny-crazy vortex of packing (some stuff had remained in boxes since the move to Washington State), the ridding of stuff I don't think I'd ever wanted at Good Will, pulling up roots I'd spent two and a half years laying (and admitting that the staggering blessing of Christy and Carrie is now, officially, over) and setting up a potential baby Christmas for myself back in September when, in my new place (yet to be found), I will unpack all the things that made the cut for "keep."

I had all my meals in my freshly packed, sterile-white, made-to-look-like-new-for-my-replacement room. Various friends and I spread newspaper on the don't-soil carpet, and ate tofu curry, or deli sprout/hummus English muffin sandwiches, or mixed-green salads with blueberries and Balsamic. I unloaded the rest of my food on a friend as a rather skimpy-sized thank you for all he made possible for me today.

I got my hair trimmed. He cleaned my room. My landlord came over for an inspection/discussion of the last-original-roommate-to-move-out caliber. My back tightened in unexpressable emotion. My friend prayed. I realized I'd packed my orthotics in a friend's storage unit. He rode his bike down to go get them. I dropped off my cat with another friend. He prayed some more. I divided up the important books/notebooks between carry on and suitcase. He ran to Safeway to make copies of all important documents. I laid on my bed and started to shake. He rubbed my back out, prayed and washed a vat of raspberries.
He's coming over in about 3 hours to move one last piece of furniture and take on the rest of my "random" stuff that I'd either forgotten to pack (for example, I forgot completely to bring my cat's prescription food to the house where he will be vacationing until September) or need to donate. He will give stuff to its respective people and then, while I'm gone, will take care of the few loose ends I have left here. I am so blessed.

Aside from the backache, I am numb to the adventure, but I'm sure when I'm sitting in the Philidelphia airport at 5pm tonight with no phone, about to board the plane for my second trip to Europe - the first to Ireland and the first by myself, I'll feel it. I'll have the last-minute freak out/I don't want to go because it doesn't feel safe feelings trying to strong-arm me out of having the time, probably, of my life. I'll think of all the people I miss here, all those reading this (I'll admit, I'll probably be tempted from time to time to censor myself, but the whole point of this summer is to discover the self God made in me, so I'll resist). What I won't be able to resist, though, is falling in love all over again with Europe.

All fears to my behind, I'm hyped to the power of rad. And, I leave for my summer adventure in less than three hours. Hopefully, I'll know more why I'm going when I'm there. That is also what 16 hours plane rides are for.

More from the other side!