16 days of work left for me. Less for Martin. August 2nd will be here before we know it, and we’ll be boarding a flight to San Fran and then to Bejing. I get so excited reading other participants blogs who are returning to teach for a second year- their experiences sound crazy and wonderful. I’m sure there will be moments where we wonder why the hell we picked up and moved to China…but it will be a time of our life never to be forgotten. We’ll make new friends, experience new cultures, grow individually and as a couple. I cannot wait.

These past few weeks have got me thinking about what I’ll miss in America, in Washington, in Seattle over the next year. Sure, I’ll miss some of the typical Western conveniences- maybe my blended coffee drinks, or cheez-its. 🙂 But mostly I’ll miss the friends and family being so closeby. Every minute I spend with my girls here reminds me how lucky I am to have them in my life. I’ve laughed harder these past few days than I have in a really long time. I could tell endless stories about my niece and nephew, and am sad I won’t be able to hug and kiss them for the next year. It won’t be as easy to just pick up the phone and call my parents, or any of my family for that matter. We won’t be driving 15 minutes east on a work night to have dinner with Martin’s parents, or just relaxing on a Saturday at a park with them.

Thinking about leaving all these things is just helping me to appreciate them more, and savor every moment I do have with the amazing people in my life. I am more than ready for this new chapter of our life!