Only ten more days!

gaga doesn't like it when i update my facebook status with the number of days before i leave. so i figured i'd try and sneak around her and update my blog instead! :D TEN MORE DAYS!!!
i have to admit though- i'm so torn between being really excited to go and really sad to leave.
our family went to costa rica for a week this past week. we had such an amazing adventure and i highly recommend costa rica for anyone who wants a nice, beautiful, relaxing yet fun vacation. everyone there is so nice and it really is an amazing place to go.
going to costa rica so soon before leaving for denver i think opened my eyes a bit more to what my next ten months will be like. first of all, there was the flight process. i've flown before with and without my family. so, i am very confident in my ability to travel from (hopefully florence but if not charlotte) sc to co. luckily i have about a two week break between all this flying i'm doing which i am very thankful for! i think i'm all flown out for the next ten days!
there is a time change in costa rica. they're two hours behind us. this was cool for me because denver is also two hours back. i've never been anywhere where i had to experience the time change. it was very weird for me to get used to it and every night i was totally worn out and fast asleep by ten o clock costa rican time- midnight our time! waking up at six am was also unhelpful considering there was not much to do that early in costa rica! i know once i'm used to being in the southwest their time will be what's normal to me and it's so weird for me to think that after ten months i'll have to get used to the time change back home.
but i think what hit me the most this past week was the realization that i'll be so far away from my family for so long. i've never ever gone two months without seeing anyone in my family. i realized after being away for a week and wondering what everyone was doing back home will be intensified by about a million when i'm even further away in denver. our dog tillie is so old and i hate thinking while i'm gone she could die. it will be so weird not seeing my parents and weldon everyday. i remember how quiet it was when weldon was at boot camp and how weird it felt when i was at home all alone for long hours. weldon loves going out with friends far more than i do and he's always going somewhere so i know for mom she'll be alone at home more often with me gone than when weldon was at boot camp.
as yall know uncle bo had surgery right before we left and it was so hard for both mom and me to be gone when he was recovering. i realized how difficult it will be for me when i'm so far away and things are happening and i won't be able to drive over to someones house and see them. i know when i get back heyward and laurie beth will both have grown up so much. especially recently i've spent tons of time with them and it will be sad not having heyward in my back seat talking away about what we'll do that day.
i know i am so blessed to have such an amazing family. we might be a little spread out and busy with our own schedules but we all try and keep in touch and visit. i know how hard it will be for me when i'm gone because i'll be so busy every single day. i hate the thought of all the changes that will take place while i'm gone. so, i know yall expect me to take pictures of what i'm doing but i expect yall to take pictures of what yall are doing too! so i don't feel as left out!
yesterday i got a call from a group leader for americorps and he wanted to make sure i was still planning on going. of course i am! he said i could get my travel information any time between now and the day before i leave... they are a little behind he said. i hope i don't get my travel information the day before i leave.... i want it now! tomorrow i'll mail my two boxes to denver! and probably start packing my suitcase to go.
wow this was definitely a long entry! all done for now though! i'll probably update again before i leave!
xoxo
B