Saying good-byes, making hellos....

Today is the big day. I have a one-way ticket flying me to Tucson, AZ. Starting a new life there, my new incarnation as UA PhD student. This past week has certainly been a see-saw of emotions, rapidly cycling between excitement, nervousness, sadness, depression, elation, etc. My SBFFFS (super best friend forever for shizzle) Drea came up from Cow-town southern Illinois on Thursday to get in some quality time. We spent a lovely evening together, drinking and playing cards and going over the good ol' times.

Went to bed rather late that night of course but I still managed to get up around 9am the next morning. I woke up on Friday ready for the day...excited to get my haircut, excited to have my party and see my peeps. Then the next thing I knew, I was standing on my deck, wearing my party dress and conversing with friends, the sun setting behind me. How did the day pass by so quickly? How could my last month and a half here go so fast? That's when it really hit home that I was leaving all of this--friends, family, the city I grew up in and adore--behind.

Now it's Saturday morning. My flight, thankfully, leaves later this evening, so I have time to relax and enjoy myself (yes!). A bunch of friends spent the night last night...it was actually quite hilarious to walk through the house this morning seeing people randomly scatter on the floor and couches. We're going to wake up with banana bread, bloody marys and whatever else my mom can cook up. Then its time to start the long good-byes.......