Goodbye Texas

Goodbyes…unpleasant business. They certainly aren’t my favorite thing. But, I know they are necessary from time to time. Sometimes, appreciating what we have right in front of us requires being removed from it for a little while. In the end, it makes coming back, all the better. You can’t have any joyful hellos without any sad goodbyes.

Speaking of sad…I don’t think of myself as an extremely emotional person. But cry in front of me, and it’s over. I’ll be crying too. Floods of tears. Must be contagious for me. Thus, I am extremely grateful that my family and close friends didn’t make a big ta-do about my leaving for four months. No ceremony, no hoopla. I think everyone is getting used to my leaving, it’s starting to feel like routine…or…(gasp)…they could just want to get rid of me? No…I’m sure that it’s just becoming routine… ;)

I probably won’t be posting too many pictures on this site just yet…I forgot the cord to download my photos onto my computer. I knew I’d forget something! Ugh! I will have to acquire some kind of SD card reader…until then, it’s my poor words. Sorry.

The direct flight up to Vancouver, BC (first stop in our journey) is a long one. As I’m writing this, we have about an hour and a half left to go…lots of snowy mountains tops along the way. Despite the fact that I pulled an all-nighter packing, I have really slept too much on this flight. Blah! Good thing the views are nice from my window seat!

That’s enough from me for now! More to come later!

One more week!

Well, I head northwest this Saturday! Procrastinator that I am, I am not finished packing. Surprised? I'm not, that's for sure. I think this quote suits me perfectly this week...

If it weren't for the last minute, I wouldn't get anything done! ~Author Unknown

Yes, it is one of those weeks!

But before I can go to work in Idaho, I am taking a mini vacation to Vancouver, BC, Seattle WA and Spokane, WA with my sis, Melanie. I'm really looking forward to because...

Vancouver looks amazing!!!

And Seattle...

...doesn't look like it will disappoint, either!

And Spokane? That portion of the trip is going to be chill-time with our bestie, Sheila.

It's going to be a good two weeks, starting this Saturday!

Summer 2010

Here I am with a grand new adventure before me. I was recently hired for a summer intern position with North Idaho College in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. I’ll be working in the school’s outdoor pursuits program, so it promises to be a summer filled with action. My departure date in just a few weeks, and there are so many things I have to do before I go. I still have shopping to do, things to ship up there, friends to tell goodbye, etc. Everyone keeps telling me that it will be the summer of a life time, that it will be incredibly fun, that Coeur d’Alene is the most beautiful place to be in the country, and so forth…I am sure they are all correct, but I approach this summer knowing that it will be a challenge. Though I have traveled to other side of the world and back, lived alone, etc., I have never spent multiple months away from familiarity. I know I will be fine. But I also know I’m going to have my moments of missing my family, missing my friends, and missing Texas. But my job is to accept this challenge and to refuse to fail, to meet this summer before me, head on. In an attempt to avoid falling into a hole of disconnect while I am gone, I want to chronicle the time I will spend up in Idaho and share it with my family and those who are interested. As a chronicled experience, it must have a name…here is what I came up with...

Odyssey in Idaho

Too dramatic, maybe? No, I disagree. I think it is perfect. After all, an odyssey is really nothing more than a series of adventures, a heap of notable experiences and hardships. While I hope hardships are on the scant side, I am sure that this summer will be nothing but an adventure...Cheers!