2 weeks

As time has gotten closer for me to move, I have not been counting down how many days I have left.  I love happy countdowns (birthdays, babies, weddings, last day of school, etc) but when stressful things are going on, I hate countdowns and will stop anyone who is doing one around me!  So I have decided to enjoy the time I have left instead of stressing over the little time left.  But today as I was getting fro yo with Brooke, it hit me that I move to Tunisia two weeks from today and I thought this called for a blog post!  These past two months have been so much fun and so much stress at the same time!  Trying to pack, get things I need, finialize everything, etc has taken its toll.  But I am so grateful for the many lunch and dinner dates I have had with friends, the countless hours I have spent babysitting for my sweets, and laughs with my family.  I will take these memories I have made this summer with me to Tunisia and will always remember them!

Today I took the Smith children to the North Wake Landfill park (love it there!) and I loved that we got to do it together!  It was 94 degrees and you could feel it!  We were so hot but had such a great time together!

 I thought I would share more information about my move and me living in Tunisia.  I fly out on Wednesday, August 7 and arrive in Tunisia on Thursday, August 8.  When I land, I will be taken to my apartment which the school provides and furnishes for me.  I will be living in Les Berges du Lac 2 which is an area less than 1 km from ACST (American Cooperative School of Tunis).  From what I can tell and from what I have been told, it is a new area that has apartments and shopping.  I will also be living near the water (not sure which body of water but I think it is somehow connected to the Mediterranean Sea) so I am excited about the views. 

Here is a sketch of what the apartments in the area I am living in look like.  I am not sure if these are what my apartment will look like but it gives you some idea. 

Here is what my view may possibly look like (the site I found it on is in French so I am not positive).

The other question I get a lot is how I am getting all of my things over to Tunisia.  I am able to take some of my things with me on the plane (about 4 suitcases).  The rest of my belongings will be shipped to me.  BUT... items are not shipped until I get my work visa which doesn't happen until September.  My items will more than likely by shipped by boat so they will not get there until November/December.  So my things will be my Christmas present!

 

Apprehensive

Growing up my favorite show was "Full House".  In the episode when Uncle Jesse found out he was having twins with Aunt Becky, he told Michelle he was "apprehensive".  Well that is currently how I am feeling about my upcoming move.  This summer has been so different than my past summers.  I feel like I should be finishing up my second week of school with my first graders.  Instead I am spending my days babysitting and preparing for my move.  While it has been great babysitting and spending time with my friends, it feels so weird to not be doing what I used to doing.  Lately as the time to me leaving is becoming more closer and therefore more real, it is a whole lot harder to face reality.  Mom reminded me that when things get closer it's harder.  Reality is setting in and for a girl that hates change... this is very scary!  At this point, I have more nerves than I do excitement.  Now that does not mean that I am not excited to go... it just means I am super nervous.  I am at the point where I feel like everything is a "last" for me... last time I will eat at Serendipity, last time I will see a movie with my mom, last time I will babysit overnight for the Smiths, last time I will tuck Justin and Graham into bed, and the list goes on.  Last Saturday, I said goodbye to my cousin and it was really hard!  It was my first official goodbye I have had (outside of school) and it was gut-wrenching!  I am typing in tears as I think about.  Chrissy and I have been very tight friends since she was born.  There is a bond I cannot explain and while we have not always lived near each other, for some reason this move is hard!  I cried crocodile tears last weekend but I was so grateful to have a friend who I can be so open with.  She was so encouraging and I cannot wait to see her at Christmas.  But it just solidified how hard saying goodbye is going to be.  But my mom keeps reminding me that I am not gone forever and all of these "lasts" are not final!  I will be back at Christmas and every summer!  I will continue to have these memories and make lots of new ones.  So what I have decided to do from here until I leave August 7 is to enjoy all the things I get to do... really and truly enjoy them.  I want to work on cherishing the moment and not thinking that it is a last.  I am very grateful for the friendships I have and I look forward to continuing them while I am abroad!

Thank you for letting me "vomit" tonight!  I have had a lot of feelings swarming, especially today and I felt they needed to be recorded.

I love my Grandpa!

***Update on Grandpa on July 19: Grandpa is making amazing progress!  Less than a month ago, Hospice was a huge possibility and now they have a possible coming home date for Grandpa!  He is now eating much more (still pureed because he has a hard time swallowing larger items), talking in two word segments that can be understood, and he is even walking a couple of steps with help!  Grandpa is a fighter and I am so encouraged with his process!  As I told him on Father's Day: "I will see you at Christmas and you will be there!".  (Yes, I am even bossy to my grandpa but it is always out of pure love!)***

My grandparents hold a very special place in my heart and I love them dearly!  My grandpa is 92 years old but he continues to remain strong!  He is one tough cookie.  But on June 21, he had a stroke which really affected his speech and swallowing abilities.  Please pray for him as he is struggling to eat and speak.  Pray for him to be at peace and pray for my grandma as she tries to help him and make decisions that are best for him.  Please also pray for his 5 children (my dad is in the middle) during this hard time.  

Grandpa, I love you oh so very much!

Grandpa at Father's Day Brunch (June 16)

 

 Grandpa at rehab after his stroke (June 28)

Happy 4th of July!

Nothing says "Happy Independence Day" like watching Monsters University and lighting sparklers in the backyard!

Sold!

Today was a very bittersweet day for me!  I sold my first home that I bought!  I loved this townhome so much because I bought it with my own money and no one had to co-sign with me (Oh the college days)!  This was all my house... all my responsibility and for me to take care of!  I felt like the such a big girl when I bought it!  Now get me wrong, my parents and brother did so much to help me paint it, repair it, keep it clean, prepare to sell it, and move out!  I was completely fine selling it (or so I thought) because I knew I would not have to worry about it while I was in Tunisia.  I wasn't sad as I prepared to clean it out and get it "show ready" for potential buyers to see.  But when it came time to pack up all my stuff and turn it over to its new owners... now that is where the hard part set in! I had a very hard time packing things up!  It was like denial had set in (or stubborness) and there was NO way I was moving out of MY home! I am very very very very very very grateful to my mom (and her friends she recruited) who helped me pack up and move out.  If it wasn't for my mom and friends, there is no way I would have ever moved out.  But as of today my townhome now belongs to someone else.  I left my bamboo for the new owners and left a sign that said "I hope this home brings you as much luck as it brought me."

Here are pictures of each room in my townhome (this is more for me to look back on and remember):