I'm in transition mode...

I’m trying to absorb this…I have 118 days left,

I have less than four months left,

I have a little over 17 weeks left ‘til I leave for the Peace Corps. And I have a lot to do!

I am still living my ‘normal’ life: I’m parenting, keeping my apartment clean, grocery shopping, volunteering, running, seeing my friends, and working and paying bills.

But I will be leaving for two years. Two years. That’s a long time. There are many things I’m doing to prepare: adding to the pile in my room of things I’m bringing with me, adding to the list of things I will have to buy to bring with me, going to doctor and dental visits, figuring out how I will get rid of most of my stuff.

I’m getting rid of most everything I own. I've had tag sales and am now slowly giving things away to friends and family, in fact my youngest son gets my car. There are some things I'm keeping, such as my Dion snowshoes, bike, photo albums, a dozen books, and my futon. I’m bringing my camping equipment with me and will put it to good use while I'm in Zambia.

It's been difficult getting rid of my things at first, but I'm getting used to it. It's liberating. And it's interesting to see which of my possessions mean most to me. If someone asked me what I would bring with me if my house was on fire, I'd be able to answer that without hesitating.

So, as you can see, there is a lot to do to prepare for this life change. But it’s not just lists to check off and all of the red tape that’s involved (I've finished round one of the red tape stuff and in December will be round two.)

There is the emotional part; the getting-ready-to-let-go part. I have to prepare for this.

I will be moving out of my apartment the end of November to move in with my friend and I will live with her until I leave for Africa. She will also take care of my two cats while I’m gone. I’ll miss my kitties. I’ve had Google since he was four weeks old. And Amy, Google’s mother, is almost always by my side. I will be with them during their integration into a new household. I am fortunate to be able to leave them together in wonderful hands. Thank you, Pat.

My son, Josh will move in with his father when I move in with my friend. This will be the first time we live apart since he was born 19 years ago. We’ve been preparing for this together. Josh understands I have a strong desire to do this. He is supportive of me and I am thankful for that.

My other son, Ryan moved out over a month ago to begin his teaching career in the southern part of the state. We've made that transition smoothly. Still, it will be hard saying goodbye when I leave.

I am spending as much time with my friends before I leave.  I plan on holding onto my friendships while I'm overseas. I will be able to write letters (hand-write, not used to doing that!), send and receive email, check Facebook, and keep up with my blog. And I'll have a cell phone. Texting is the main source  of communication between Peace Corps Volunteers and their families and friends back home. I'll miss my running club, Shenipsit Striders and the Northern Connecticut Land Trust. There is nothing like being a part of two fabulous organizations that do so many positive things.

I will leave my sons, my kitties, and my friends. I will leave the town I grew up and raised my family in. I will leave the forests I’ve grown so familiar with and love. I will miss so many things here.

This emotional 'place' I'm entering will be balanced out with the excitement of what lies ahead of me. I'll make new friends with other volunteers and the people I will live with in Zambia. I will keep busy with my Peace Corps work (still not sure exactly what I'll be doing), and I will spend a lot of my time becoming familiar with the plants and animals. And I'm looking forward to the beauty of the sun setting and rising and the stars and moon at night that will remind me of the connections I have back home.  

It's hard to think about this transition when I'm so busy with life in general. As long as I keep things in balance and take one step at a time, I should be OK with moving ahead in my life.