It feels pretty good that things have fallen sweetly into place due to all that hard work.

Sorry. I have been quite neglectful of you lately, dear blog.
In my defense, I have spent these last few weeks running around like a chicken without a head. And, my access to the internet has been minimal. Thanks for staying tuned though.

So, yeah, let’s see…. Here’s a recap of my last couple of weeks.

We finally packed up our home and sold the majority of our possessions. Again, HUGE thank you to everyone that bought furniture and to everyone that is storing our important things. We cannot thank you all enough! You’ve made this transition so much easier.

I realize that some of you might be wondering what qualifies as important enough to store.

Furniture-wise: Katie and Sean are storing the couch that Justin loves and I am sure, misses already. Elaine has my cedar chest that I inherited from my mom. My mom had it when she was in high school, then gave it to me when I was in high school. Mom and Dad have my ten-speed, which is this cool 1980’s Mikado bike that I actually used to ride in the back of as child (in a bike seat, of course!)

Meg and Jess are storing our photo albums. Bob and Bonnie are storing our rugs from India and Morocco. Mom and Dad are storing my school things, in addition to some other personal items, such as some clothes, some shoes, and other invaluable things; like the teapot I bought in South Africa and my Angkor Wat prints from Cambodia.

Here’s what went: all our furniture (save for the items above), our cars, most of our CDs, some DVDs, eight boxes of books, all linens, all of our television sets, all of our food, all dishes, and a ton of clothes (If I had to ballpark it, I’d say we either donated/sold 200 items of clothes/shoes.) It feels like there are a lot of things being stored at my parents’ place. However, I think when we return, we’ll perhaps feel like we have very little. Who knows?

I got my last glimpse of my apartment on July 4th when we left that morning. It wasn’t easy. However, the blow was softened when I had one last glimpse and saw that my former home was completely empty. It was time to move on. Change is never easy.

I should also add that the transition was easier by leaving for a short vacation to Colorado the same morning that I left my apartment. I spent my summers in northern Colorado throughout high school, staying with family, and I’ve obviously been back several times since. Colorado is such a “happy place” for me. It was so good to spend a few days with my mom (she flew out with me), my cousin Kerri, and my Aunt Nan. Good company and amazing scenery does wonders for the soul.

Upon returning from Colorado, Justin and I stayed with Meg and Jess, who live in an inner-ring suburb of Minneapolis. Not only were our hosts and our accommodations oh-so-very warm, but our location was great as well. I feel itchy when I am too far away from the city. It was good to be able to visit some of our old haunts and to be easily able to see friends before leaving.

The emotions of the past two weeks have been very difficult. It’s such a rollercoaster. I find myself crying at the drop of a hat, but the same day, I can also find myself feeling elated. People continually ask me if I am excited. That’s a valid, reasonable question. However, I often wonder if my answer surprises… “Excited” is not the first word that springs to mind when I think of departing. Yes, I am excited, but stronger emotions that I am feeling more than excitement include anxiety, nervousness… fear.

I hate transition. I’m not a big fan of change. Yet, I constantly push myself into facing these fears. I think it’s good for me. I like to think that I am more adaptable to change because of the way I manage these fears. I know in my heart that once we arrive and get settled in, things will be awesome. I just gotta shine on a little longer. This whole period of waiting is nearly over.

The dream of returning to Australia is much bigger than the fear. I feel very proud of the fact that ten years ago, when I left Australia, I did my research throughout the years to find ways to return. I inquired into working. I thought about just saving money and traveling Australia and New Zealand for a year. In the end though, going to school seemed to be the most practical choice. Plus, seeing as I love efficiency, you can imagine how happy I am to be able to complete two goals (living in Australia and obtaining a doctoral degree) at the same time!

It feels pretty good that things have fallen sweetly into place due to all that hard work.