Saying Our Good-byes

I have to say that the past few weeks have been pretty difficult. We are in a whirlwind of last-minute preparations, and we've been saying a lot of good-byes. I have seen my parents for the last time before we leave, and have also said good-bye to my best friend Jamie and my best cat Herman. I've also had lunch with lots of old co-workers - I have to say that they people I've met here, both at the ODU library and at the VA Beach Adult Learning Center, have been truly amazing. It's always hard to move to a new town, but in less than a year I've managed to meet some absolutely hilarious, kind, intelligent, and generally awesome people. I just want everyone to know that I appreciate my luck.

We also had a going away party this past weekend at our friends' Ryan and Trinie's house. They put on quite a party, and we saw a lot of Keegan's fellow Kingspoint grads there. Ryan and Ed, two of Keegan's groomsmen, have both left town, Ed for his new assignment in San Diego and Ryan to help Trinie's sister with a cross-country move. So we won't get to see either of them again before our departure. It was hard to say good-bye to them on Monday night when they stopped by for a last-minute chat.

But I have to say (don't be offended dear friends and family!) that the hardest parting so far has been with little Hermi-cat, who is now safe in the care of Jamie. I shed many a tear when I carried him downstairs for the last time and when I looked at his little white paws so neatly folded under him in the cat carrier. And I miss him like the dickens. He was my baby for three years - now I have some insight into why our parents are so upset that we are moving so far away for so long!

Tomorrow we are planning a trip to Charlottesville for still more good-byes, this time with Keegan's parents and with Emily and Tony. I can only hope that by the time we've been in Korea for three years, we'll have as many wonderful people to say good-bye to there.