< 48 hours...

Less than 48 hours to go...

I've spent this last week doing nothing but packing, looking after last minute details, and spending time with friends. No complaints. Living life like this makes being unemployed look very appealing...minus the packing part.

Today was the last big push for moving out of my place. I rented a U-Haul, and thanks to the help of my good friend, Jonny, I was able to move all of the big things (like my bed, dressers, desk, bookshelves, etc) out of my house and into yet another house (my other friends, Graham and Steph, who have been ever so gracious and are storing my things while I am away). These last few days, saying good-bye (although, it's not really good-bye, it's just "until we meet again", or as we say in Hawai'i, "a hui hou"), hanging out and moving have made me realize how blessed I am. I live in a city where I am not related to anyone...yet, I have a family who is always willing to support me. My friends are AMAZING to say the least.

It seems that I don't have much time left, and others are trying to get a hold of me to make those "last time" phone calls and let me know how much they love me. I am loved. Extremely. Thank God for His extended family.

Tomorrow is yet another "good-bye" and re-packing. Yes, I know that I have already done a test pack, but I failed to realize that I should pack some clothing with my carry-on...just in case my luggage gets lost (here's hoping that it doesn't!). I also want to make sure that I am bringing everything that I need, and trying to get rid of stuff that I won't.

Here's to making the most of the time that we have left...
(2 more sleeps...)

Test Run...

I know that some people may think it funny that I had designated a "test packing". But, let's face it, I'm a girl. And the tendencies for girls is to over-pack when preparing for trips. So, I thought that in light of this (because, unfortunately, I more often than not tend to over-pack), I should try to see if all of the things that I wanted to take to Africa would indeed fit in the backpack.

So, this afternoon, I laid out everything that I had set aside previously when sorting through my things while packing up my life here in Calgary. With intentions of getting this all done before I went to bed, everything was laid out and categorized on my bed (thus forcing me to do the test pack in order to get to bed). Strangely enough, using this method of organization somehow made my room look much like it did a few weeks ago, when I felt like my closet and dresser had thrown up all over my room.

In the end, I did get it done (although, I must note that is it 1:45 in the morning). And, I would like to think that it was a fairly successful trial run. I may need to double check the "to bring" list and make sure I have everything. But, it's looking good. And, I am hoping that anything that I may have missed will be attainable once I am on a different continent. I know that I am allowed two pieces if need be on my flight. I just need to figure out if the carry-on policies have changed if traveling to other countries, but not stopping over in the United States. If the policy hasn't changed, then I think I'll be just fine. If not, some fine tuning may be needed. Let's keep our fingers crossed!

5 more sleeps...
Sweet dreams, whoever is out there...

9 more sleeps...

Today is my last day of work. Wow. That came quickly. Sometimes is seems too quickly, yet I remember when I thought that this day wasn't coming quickly enough.

9 more sleeps according to my count. Just enough time to get everything done, I do believe. Everything is possible. All things are possible. Yet, I remember not too long ago when I had my fair share of doubts that it was...

I love it when I question, and God proves all my fears and doubts wrong.

18/7

Christmas has come and gone, and New Years is just around the corner! My, how the time is flying by sooo fast! I had every intention of posting right before Christmas, or on the day of...but, time did escape me yet again, and I some how found myself too busy to sit at my computer for a few minutes. Weird, I know. But, to my credit, I also spent the Christmas holiday working, so maybe not so weird afterall. Regardless, to all of you - here's a belated Mele Kalikimaka.

As I write this, I am sitting at the Calgary International Aiport, waiting for my plane to take me to San Francisco, where I will be spending New Years with my little sister and some of my closest friends from Hawai'i (who now live in California). I am very excited to see some "family" before I head off to Africa. I have seen some friends who are just like family in the last few days for what will be the last time before I depart. It's still a little surreal saying goodbye (although, I like to say it's not goodbye, it's just "until I see you again".). I think it's because, even though my days are numbered and time is flying by...I still have time before I leave.

I realize now, that the next time I depart from this airport, I will be leaving the country for what looks like 8 months at this time. It's still hard to believe that I will be gone for so long, and I don't think that I will grasp the immensity of that time away until departing is something that I am no longer looking forward to. Some of my friends still speculate at the length of my trip. I guess it's harder from them to comprehend not seeing me for 8 months, especially since it hasn't been done with a most of them. At times, 8 months doesn't seem so long, and at times it does. I think that I am better able to cope with being gone for so long, because I have been waiting in anticipation for this to happen for over a year now. Not only that, but, I have now been living in Calgary for a year - and even though lots has gone on, that year still seems to have passed by pretty fast. I am sure that in a few months time, I will be speculating at where my 6 months on the Mercy Ships have gone, as I set out to visit friends and explore some of the continent of Africa.

So wherever you are this holiday season, and whatever you were doing...I hope that you were surrounded by friends and family, any of those that you would consider loved ones...or at least in touch with them, to realize that you are loved and blessed. Here's hoping that this next year, 2010, is full of wonder and adventure for you, too!

"Friends come and friends go,
but a true friend sticks by you like family."
- Proverbs 18:24 (MSG)

And, the countdown continues...

For those of you who know me, and know me well, what I have done here in this picture will not surprise you. For those of you who are just getting to know me...the title on the board says it all. I'm choosing to be aware that my days here in Canada are numbered...

Now, this may seem like a logical and natural thing to do, seeing as how it puts everything into context and gives one a timeline to work by. But, deadlines usually freak me out. I'm one of those procrastinating perfectionists...so seeing "impending doom" is something that I prefer not to address.

But, this isn't impending doom like I've known it to be in university or at work. It's something that I am working towards...trying to get everything into place, mark everything off my list (Yes, I have a list. And, it's not just a single list...but a Master List composed of many sub-lists.), and make sure all my arrangements are made. Because as soon as D-day hits...there will be nothing more that I can do. No more arrangements that I can put in place, and hopefully...nothing left to pack up. My friends tell me that as soon as I walk through the security gates at the airport (in 29 days! *insert mini-freak out here*) that I will feel a sense of relief and a sense of release. I am hoping that they are right!

29 days is all that is left. But, some how, rather than shrinking, it feels like my list is expanding. But, I work well under pressure. And one-by-one, I know that everything on my list will be crossed off.

Speaking of which...time to sort through my clothes and try to figure out what to pack for Africa, what to keep, and what to give away. Wish me luck! For a girl with nothing to wear...I seem to have a lot of clothing...


Later that day...
It looks like my closet and my dresser have thrown up all over my room...and I have no desire to clean it up...shocking...

Light It Up

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
- Nelson Mandela

Just a little something from our church sermon today to make you think about the lights you put up this Christmas season. Make sure yours are shining bright, too...

66

66 days left. Just 3 days shy of 9 weeks. A little more than 2 months.
I guess it's safe to say that the count down has somewhat officially started.
66 days until I leave.

Sometimes, it seems a bit crazy to think that the day that I was waiting over a year and a bit for is now on my doorstep. It's making me come to terms with the fact that this is actually happening...as surreal as it may or may not seem; regardless of how many things still need to fall into place. Is it enough time? Well, I suppose that it will have to be.

Current events have made me realize...life will still go on without me while I am away. Not that I for one moment thought that it wouldn't. But, some times, when big things loom on the horizon, it's easy to overlook other things. Life will continue here in Calgary...things are going to be changing. When I leave, not only will I not return the same...the place that I left will not be the same. Dynamics will shift. Life rolls on...

It's still hard to believe that I will be gone for what looks like 9 months in total. It will be interesting to see what is going to transpire in my time away. It'll be interesting to see if all the pieces of the puzzle still fit when those 9 months have come and gone.

I feel like there is still a bit of a battle within me. As excited as I am to go...and as much as I wouldn't trade this experience for the world...as much as I am willing to sacrifice to see this through...I'm still scared, apprehensive, pensive, even. I want to go, but I'm scared to go. I desire the adventure and the unknown, yet I long to stay in the comforts of what is known. Am I alone in this?

I hear, in my head, voices of friends saying how much they'll miss me. Wondering who's going to fill my place, who are they going to do stuff with, go out with, have spontaneous lunches with. And, I have realized that this adventure isn't just affecting me, it's affecting others. It's amazing to stop and see the impact that you have on others in your life. I look back and wonder when and how it happened? I can only pray that this impact will occur yet again on my trip and my time aboard the ship...