Goodbye Raleigh.

I feel like I've been approaching October 1 at break-neck speed, but I don't know that there would have been a different way...my last day of work was last week. That was pretty exciting slash sad to say goodbye to the people I have worked with for the past year and a half. If I get calls from my co-worker I am truly happy to talk to her, even if it means I have to account for conversations I've had with people trying to book a wedding.


I haven't even begun to process being unemployed since I've been busy packing, traveling to Richmond for a wedding and saying goodbye to everyone here. But even though I've been busy, I've been able to have my share of relaxing mornings at MT. (I feel like everything is right in the world if I get at least one hour at one of my favorite coffee places once a week.)


So, unemployment hasn't really sunk in, and neither has the fact that I am moved out of my sweet, albeit hard-to-get-to apartment with really high utility bills. It is empty and clean and hopefully someone else will enjoy the beautiful windows. I left some weather stripping on top of the refrigerator for the next tenant since I never got around to putting it on the windows to increase efficiency (U3A if you want the weather stripping).




Even though this hasn't all hit me, excitment has hit me. I can't wait to be a part of the Costa Rica community and build relationships with people I come in contact with. So, even though it's tearful to saygoodbye, I must. Goodbye Raleigh, The Rockford, Morning Times, Vintage, the Y with all its fabulous classes and crazy weight-lifters, my wonderful friends and family, Stuff, Lilly's, First Friday, texting, getting burned constantly by Zach, Grey's parties with the laddies, and One Tree Hill nights with Kristen. Goodbye for now and hello Costa Rica. I can't wait...

I love lists...

I love lists in all forms. To-do lists, grocery lists, reading lists, goal lists. Sometimes I'll have a to-do list and if I performed a task that's not on it, I will write it down just so I can cross it out. I'm sure there are others out there like me. My list keeps changing these days and it seems like it's getting longer rather than shorter.

Yesterday I was about to go get my tattoo when I realized I hadn't gotten a tetanus shot in 10 years. After googling all of the potential risks with tattoos, I decided to go ahead and get my shot.


The Family Doctor walk-in clinic wasn't as scary as I thought it would be except that the doctor who gave me my shot seemed extremely unsure of herself and cleaned the spot on my arm for at least 30 seconds and kept pressing my arm trying to find the right place to insert the needle - not very comforting. Anyway, I had to read all the vaccine warnings before getting my shot and then last night all I could do was think about how thirsty I was and how I thought my jaw was locking up, since I could potentially die from having a vaccine (or that's what the booklet said). Thanks Mom, for giving me your hypochondriac gene.


So I checked off getting a tetanus shot and I'm thankful I don't need another one for 10 years. Next thing on the list is to spend two hours voluntarily having needles inserted into my shoulder blade to permanently ink a beautiful design into my skin - if I don't freak out too much from reading the possible health risks involved.

What do we need?

As I am preparing to go to Costa Rica, the multitude of tasks set before me are daunting. Packing, re-painting my apartment to the ugly color it once was, getting the right shots before I leave, training my co-worker on my different responsibilities, trying to pack in as much social time as possible...I have gotten more than a little stressed out. I have wondered if God can really use me where I'm going and if it will prove to be too difficult for me. And the answer is, yes it will be difficult. But God is teaching me to pray that He will use my strengths for His will and that He will use me in spite of my weaknesses. One thing that has really encouraged me this month is Jesus' conversation with Martha in Luke 10: 41-42. "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, 42but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." Jesus' loving reprimand is not meant to shame, but meant to show Martha that one thing is needed. That one thing is offered to all of us. And I hope that I will make an effort to do the one thing that is needed as I get ready to go.