Saying Goodbye to Home.

Three days. That is all that stands between me and Guatemala now. And the goodbyes have started.

One of my oldest and dearest friends from high school in KY came to visit me Saturday evening. He was on his way through to Baltimore, and luckily made a pit stop to see me before I left. You know those people in your life where nothing big in your life seems to happen unless it involves them, or until you tell them ALL about it? Well, that's him. So now it's official: something big is about to happen. I rarely get to see him anymore, and after just 2 hours we had to say goodbye. And that was the hardest part.

Church this morning was incredibly difficult as well. With my father being the priest and all, I have about 100 different families. Seriously. And my dad, slick as he is, stealthily put my absolute favorite hymn into the service. Well, that just started my mom crying while I was trying to scoot as far away from her in the pew as I could. It's funny, though. I have been pretty okay lately, not freaking out too much, or crying a whole ton. But it seems now that my parents are breaking down. And once that happens, I don't have a snowball's chance in hell of keeping it together.

Then there was the impromptu going away party this evening. Filled with friends and neighbors, it was beautiful. Lots of reminiscing, funny stories told, and of course lots of watching the Eagles beat the Vikings in the playoffs. But then, one by one, people left. It was hug after hug with people whispering beautifully inspirational things into my ear, and me trying to just break down. And if you had told me three years ago when we moved here that it would be this hard for me to leave, I never would have believed you. I hated this place at first, and now, part of me doesn't want to leave. It has taken this journey and process of leaving to realize that I have, in fact, made a home here for myself. And that is why the goodbyes have been so difficult this time around: not because of where I am going, or how long I will be gone, but because this is home.