bye, America

I still can't believe how surreal this feels. I've FINALLY finished packing and I've checked into my flights for tomorrow.. the only thing left to do is to actually get on the plane. So why doesn't tonight feel more monumental or special? I'm just sitting here watching football and tacky reality TV shows with my dad and I had dinner with my parents tonight like everything was normal. But I move to another country in less than 24 hours.. I can't even wrap my mind around it!

Packing

Not an enjoyable experience, I must say. I committed my first traveling sin.. It's highly likely that I over packed. Okay, fine! I definitely over packed. Two suitcases.. gasp! I know. Bad. But, at least they aren't two huge suitcases! They're just "medium" sized suitcases. At least that's what I keep telling myself.
All kinds of fun packing this week... 

Lists on lists on lists... so many lists. I'm either super organized 

or just procrastinating the actual packing! 

Our guest room was filled with my travel everything! 

My precious kitty wanted to come too :(

Last Day

It was really strange.. as my day progressed, I couldn't shake this feeling that everything I was doing was "my last." My last time driving my car, Lucy. My last time going to Mass at my parish. My last time calling my best friend on the phone, just to say hi. 

Now, let's not get too dramatic here. God willing, I'll be doing all of these things again come January once I return home. It's just so strange to be leaving everything that's comfortable and normal to me, only to have to create that sense of normalcy and comfort in a foreign country across the ocean. But it's all going to be fine.. I know it will be. It will just be an adjustment! Nothing that important, exciting, or valuable comes easy. 

My flights start tomorrow around noon and I'll be in Brussels around 8am (local time) on Tuesday - 3am at home! Then I'll take a train and a taxi to Leuven, my new home! I can't wait to share the stories that I'm sure my first few days of travel will hold. 

Right now I'm just a bundle of nerves and anxiety.. I can't think of anything else exciting to write. Too distracted. But the next time I post, I'll be in Belgium!! How about that? Yay!