Goodness gracious, me oh my!

There are so many things to do before I leave, it's ridiculous!  Now that I have my visa, my plane ticket, and 92% of my support, everything seems to be happening at once.  Here are a few things that have yet to be completed but must be done in the next week and a half:

1. Raise the last 8% of my support.
2.  Figure out what I'm bringing with me for one year of French life. i.e. books, crafting supplies, cookbooks, pictures, etc.
3.  Send out prayer cards.  Unfortunately, Snapfish has gotten fabulously slow with deliveries.
4.  Finish the series I am currently reading so I can eliminate those books from my packing list.
5.  Get all of the last CrossWorld details together.
6.  Watch You've Got Mail as many times as I can since I don't actually own it and thereby cannot bring it with me.
7.  See friends and family as much as possible.
8.  Remember to journal through what I am feeling and thinking.

Now, let me explain that last point.  The other day, I was sitting in the living room reading while my Dad was flipping through channels.  A commercial came on for some product, and I suddenly thought, "I'm not going to see American commercials for a year!" and thus began a series of realizations about things that I won't be able to do and people that I won't see for a year.  Of course, the things that I will miss are not actually a big deal at all, and I'm not actually worried about not seeing or talking to people because I know that I will communicate with them even if not in person.  It just struck me that this is a big change in my life, and every great change brings about nerves, excitement, and (sometimes brief) uncertainties about the choice being made.  A very similar thing happened to me when I went to college, when I started working at camp, and every other wonderful thing that has happened in my life. 

And then I think, "I'm going to be living in France in a matter of weeks." and I give a contended sigh.  I will be immediately going to the Alps for a weekend church retreat and I will be able to see wonderful old friends and meet new folks from the church.  I can't wait to be there once more.