Blessed.

I had a going away pozole dinner gathering at my house this evening. It's really sinking in now- I'm leaving the day after tomorrow. It was nice combining my friends from college, high school and family together for this evening. I got so many positive vibes and good wishes; everyone had this gleam in their eyes...it's just crazy to see them; I've know all of them for quite some time (through the ups and downs, the good and the bad). It was nice. I was talking with one of them this evening about how we seldom stop and reflect on our own paths and triumphs and really, think about how great we are! Yes, we all are, really. It's just that sometimes it takes a little bit longer for us to see that in ourselves (and for some of us it will be a life long process). After reading the going away cards and talking with my family and friends tonight I had that brief moment; I was thinking, wow, I really got this fellowship. I'm really doing this. I'm really leaving...I am so blessed to have such an amazing and supportive family. I am not a parent, so I don't have any sense of what it could feel like to see your daughter load up a backpack and just trek around the globe all by herself. They have hidden their anxieties quite well (although my dad does try to pick fights with me, but I know this is his coping mechanism).

Now I'm looking forward to loading up my new ipod (thank you Maribel!!) and make any last minute errands. Oh yeah, and brush up on conversational Japanese on youtube; apparently, I've been studying the wrong thing. I think I'm going to be greeting people asking them are they cold or something.