Wednesday, December 29, 2010

The times they are a changin'

Ho ho ho......you know the rest!
Well, Christmas has come and gone. Hope it was a great one for you and yours! I spent my Christmas........ in the Intensive Care Unit.
(Dramatic Pause)
Don't worry, I was working. Phew, were you worried? I'm not actually sure when my family and I celebrated Christmas on Dec. 25th last. Probably sometime in college. Ah, Christmas break. Those were the days!
Anyway, I had a delightful time celebrating Christmas with my fam.
Now that Christmas is over, it is full steam ahead in my plans for moving to Sierra Leone!
First things first. I moved back in with my parents. My roommates finally had enough of me and kicked me out! Or maybe our lease ran out at the end of December. It was one of those. Maybe a combination. :)
So I have taken everything I own......and put it in my mom's living room. Merry Christmas Mom!!
I will soon start the scintillating process of unpacking everything so that I can repack it after I've decided what few precious items t I want to try and cram into my 2 bag, 50lb limit of luggage! I'm envisioning hauling the ridiculously heavy textbooks I want to bring in my carry-on.
Ha ha United Airlines! Look who's fooled you now! (Side note: will most likely be looking for a chiropractor in Sierra Leone upon my arrival.)
So. The great thing about moving across the world, is that even though Christmas is over, I still keep getting sweet looking packages like these at my door!


Low and behold it's my mosquito net!! Looks very luxurious!

I've also received my own personalized security system. This means that I just bought some pepper spray and little alarms off the Internet. I'm not sure how much protection it will provide....but it might make me sleep a little better at night. That, along with the ferocious dog I'm hoping to get when I arrive! Don't mess with me man!

And finally.....the one package I was most hoping would not get lost in the mail....my VISA!!! That's right folks, it's official. I'm not going to have to sweet talk or sneak into the country. Phew!

So there you go. The countdown has begun!

Now it's off to work to finish kicking Sallie Mae to the curb before I leave!

Monday, December 6, 2010

These are a few of my favorite things....

As I think about my move to Sierra Leone, I get really excited!! But I've also started thinking about all the things I'll miss.......
Like my brother "smiling" patiently as I attempt the perfect self-portrait!



Almost got it!

Or my sister and brother-in-law. I think he needs some more "hazing." He's never had a big sister before!!! Oooooaaaaaaahhhhhhhh. (That was my internet scary laugh.)




Oh also that snow!!!!! Wow!

And what about my precious roommates???





Especially when we are sleep deprived and decide that things like this...


And this......

Oh dear.... Don't even get me started on our Quote Wall.....

Y.O.U.N.G. L.I.F.E. !!!!

Decorated Toilet.....Fundraiser......Long Story.....


(Yes I'm the only one that dressed up...and yes, I'm a Whoopie Cushion)

What will my family do without me???


Literally...I'm a little scared. (This is my mom being carried to her own room after she took her first ever sleeping pill and took BOTH of them instead of just the one she was supposed to.) Needless to say she had no memory of this in the morning. Love you mom! (And you're welcome for posting this for all to see) :)
OH!! And I definitely can't forget my FAVORITE!!!


Think there's any chance I'll find one there?? Don't bother. I've looked. There's not.


Oh my goodness I've been blessed so much!! How can I leave???

Well....................

There's her....

And him........

And her...........

And them...... :)

I've been so blessed! I am SO excited about God's next step for me, but I'm also mourning everyone I'll be leaving behind.
"My grace is sufficient for you. For My power is made perfect in weakness."
LOVE THAT!!!! :)





Saturday, December 4, 2010

Leeeeeeavin'.....On A Jet Plane.......

Well, I did it. After years and years and months and days and many minutes of waiting, I bought my one-way ticket to Sierra Leone. :) Of course I had to document my experience!


Since my date is now set in stone.....it was time to do some shopping! After months of saving, Black Friday was upon me!I convinced my mom to go with me..... as any seasoned Black Friday shopper knows that you need a buddy to stand in with you!So 4am comes and we are ready for our Shopping Extravaganza!! Sure, I needed pots, pans, towels, etc but what was it that inspired me to wake up at that horrific hour, fight the crowds and stand in line for over an hour??????? What could it possibly be????
Why FIVE seasons of "The Office" of course!! I'll need a little something to remind me of home won't I??? And who could resist the deal?? Not me! Well worth standing in the wrong line for quite a while before we found out...and were subsequently moved to the back of a different line. Oh Black Friday.....