O'Hare

after spending new years eve in downtown tempe, with 150,000 of my closest friends, i sat on the couch at lindy's apartment waiting. danni, katie and eden were sleeping all around me, and i was watching little house on the prairie to kill time. 4:30 hit, and my stomach dropped. it was go time. i had packed, unpacked, and re-packed my carry-ons 4 times. i had double checked my visa, passport, and flight itinerary 4 times. i looked at myself in the mirror once (it was too unbearable to do it again!) i was ready.

sitting in the airport with my family and my best friends in the entire world, i realized how absolutley blessed i am. i've always known that i've got a good life. but when the people that love you are willing to get out of bed at 4:30am to be at the airport on new years day, you know that love is real. and i felt that love all the way down to my toes. as i hugged everyone goodbye, fighting back tears, i willed my heart to hold on. just hold on, a little longer. i knew that once i got on the plane, i'd fall asleep, and i'd be ok. but those hugs, full of love, had the power to kill me. saying goodbye to the people that mean the absolute most to me in life is an undescribable feeling. i know it's not permanent, and that september is right around the corner, but it's hard to walk away from such a good thing.

thank God for lindy. cracking jokes, making us laugh and temporarily forget that we won't see each other for another 8 months. she's the best. lindy, you are my best friend.

in 12 hours i'll be in england, my new temporary home. but my heart will never leave az. because my heart is my friends and family. they are what make me who i am. and i'm so blessed to know each and everyone of them.

i love you all. so very much. thank you for supporting me in this journey.