There are 62 days until my last day at work,

52 days until I turn 30,

52 days until Chase’s report for duty date in Japan,

and 44 days until my going away party.

The move is coming up fast and it is starting to hit me in different ways.

In Big Ways

For instance, when I interact with someone I don’t often see, I have recently found myself walking away from the interaction with thoughts about how that might be the last time I see this person, or the last time for a few years at least. And maybe that sounds a tad dramatic, but it’s true (and maybe I am a little dramatic). When we leave, life will keep right on going here. And of course it should and that’s great, but it’s also sad to think about the things we will miss.

This strikes me when I think about my family, especially the particularly old and young members. My niece and nephews are all so little!

Edmund is 8, James is 5, Olivia is 2, and Rowan and Asher are still little babies.

We will be in Japan for three to five years. Edmund will be a teenager when we get back and the babies will be in school already. It is exciting to imagine how much they will all grow and change while we are away, but hard to swallow that we won’t be around to see it all unfold. On the other side of that, my Grandma is 91. She is in perfect health and is still living independently, but 91 nonetheless. I’m savoring the moments with her and with all my favorite people in these last days before we leave.

In Small Ways

I have started to just not buy new spices and condiments when I run out, because there is literally no way I am going to use all of a new thing the 60-ish days before we leave. I ran out of old fashioned mustard the other day, and that’s just it for me and old fashioned mustard for right now. Old fashioned mustard, just know that I miss you, and I will see you on the other side. ❤

I’ve also stopped saying no to literally any social invitation.
If I can make it, I am so there!
The FOMO is going to hit hard when I am on the other side of the world. Please come visit us! :’)

I’ll end this post with a little story about my trivia team. I go to trivia at Second Pitch Brewing almost every Thursday with some friends: Alex, Alex’s parents Todd and Debra, Will, Dana, Zac, and the occasional other players.

Here we are getting ready to wipe the floor with the other teams:

Joking about that, but we do okay! Our team name is “Dazed and Confused.” Classic. Recently, I very confidently gave Todd the wrong answer for not one, but two questions in the same night.
To make matters more dramatic, for one of them, I was literally in line for food and got out of line to go over and enthusiastically give the team the wrong answer. Both times, I assured them that I knew what I was talking about. HA! My friends, it is sarsaparilla that gives root beer its unique flavor.
Remember this and save yourself!
This is ridiculous, I know, but I can’t help but calculate in my head how many weeks I have left to redeem myself before I am gone and the team’s last trivia memory of me is being so confident, but so very wrong.
Please send good vibes, everyone.