Quitting Your Job to Move Overseas

I wasn't quite sure what to expect out of the day.  Would I be really sad to say goodbye to everyone?  Would I cry?  Would I be happy to leave?  I'm not very good with emotions and I'm not very emotional, which has, at times, had my siblings question, "Do you even have a soul?"  Case in point, when I teared up at the surprise luncheon last weekend, my sister texted our cousin about it and told her I did indeed have a soul.  With that being said, I didn't really notice any specific emotions about the day.  Do I love my job?  No.  Do I like my job?  Yes.  Do I like my coworkers?  Definitely.  Even though I'm definitely gonna miss my coworkers (and possibly a steady paycheck), I didn't feel sad.  I don't really like goodbyes, but thankfully it wasn't as bad as I thought it might have been.  I wasn't necessarily glad to be leaving, but I still wasn't sad...maybe it just doesn't seem real to me.  The guy I was training to replace me kept commenting on how everyone seemed to be taking my departure pretty hard.  At one point he commented that he thought people would go into withdrawal once I left.  It was interesting to try and see it from his point of view - not really knowing any of the people in the situation since he's new.  I'm heading out to a late night bowling party with extended family, so I'm about to go through some more goodbyes. They really are hard, even though I'm fully counting on seeing them all again.  Then on Sunday I'll have another round of goodbye's to say... I guess I should just be thankful I have people to say goodbye to, and people who care that I'll be gone :)

good-bye (interjection)

farewell (a conventional expression used at parting).

(noun)  a farewell.

A surprising weekend

The ladies at my church had a surprise luncheon for me this weekend, it was so incredibly sweet of them.  I was absolutely stunned, I had no idea there would be other people at lunch, I thought I was just having a lunch date with my sister.  We had fun talking and catching up, they even had cards and gifts for me - which was even more unexpected.  You know you have friends at church, but when I call them my church family, I don't use the word family lightly.  It was so special, and made me feel so loved.  Here's a great poem a friend wrote just for the occasion:

I want to say good-bye to a friend of mine

who will soon be leaving us for a time.

You'll be getting on a plane and heading out yonder

to a great big land they call "Down Under".

Please take some time for a "walk-about"

you'll see some great sights, there is no doubt.

There's wallabies, koalas, and kangaroos,

you may even see an Aborigine too!

You will be speaking in "Aussie" when you return,

when for family and home your heart does yearn.

Now I come to the end of this rhyme,

best wishes to you and have a good time!

by Rick Stewart

There were so many touching cards and the notes were so very encouraging - below are two of my favorite cards :)  It's always nice to know you're loved and especially when they tell you in an unexpected way.

Then to top if all off, my favorite 10-year-old came home from college for the weekend so that I could see her one last time before I headed off.  I had been hoping she would somehow make it home before I left, since I couldn't get down to see her, but wasn't sure it would happen.  My younger brother and I, who just arrived home from an adventure of his own, went over to her house to hang out with her family and she popped out from behind the counter :)  We had so much fun, I left with a headache from laughing so hard for so long....  All those things make me wonder how I could ever want to leave.  I don't want to leave, not really....I just want to visit other places too.

sur·prise (verb)

1.  to strike or occur to with a sudden feeling of wonder or astonishment, as through unexpectedness 
2.  to come upon or discover suddenly and unexpectedly

3.  to elicit or bring out suddenly and without warning

(noun)

4.  an act or instance of surprising or being surprised.

5.  something that surprises someone;  a completely unexpected occurrence, appearance, or statement.

6.  a coming upon unexpectedly; detecting in the act; taking unawares.

A Charmed Life

It's so easy to forget how blessed I am.  I've been overseas to several "third world" nations, I've seen extremely poor people, and I know I'm blessed and have been given so much.  It's just a bit out of the ordinary that I was reminded of that today, right here at home after talking with a friend.  I grew up in a nice house, had loving parents, food on the table, was given a good education, and plenty of opportunities in life.  I've been places other people only dream of going to, and I certainly don't deserve it.  I've had a good job and made money so that I'm able to take myself off to Australia.  Sometimes it's just a little crazy when you think about all you have.  Not just in relation to homeless people who are starving in war-torn countries around the world, but sometimes just in relation to people you've known for years.  I'm not really even sure where I'm going with this, but I guess I'm just grateful.  Grateful for the charmed life I've lead.  For the opportunities I've been given, for the sacrifices others have made on my behalf.  For the love I've been shown, not just by family and friends but from a loving Savior, who not only gave me more material blessings than I deserve, but also gave me eternal life.

grat·i·tude (noun)

the quality or feeling of being grateful or thankful: He expressed his gratitude to everyone on the staff.

When Everyone Tells You You're Brave

"You're so brave!"
"When I was your age I'd have never done that!"
"You're the bravest person I know."

No, I'm not.  And while they all might mean well, it's really not what I want to hear from you.  Telling me I'm brave makes me feel like I'm doing something really difficult, or dangerous.  While it's not without its risks, seeing as I'm a single woman traveling alone, it's not even a third world country and they speak English!!  Is my impending move unorthodox, undeard of, or perhaps unusual?  Maybe, but I'm pretty certain it's not brave.  I'll be the first to admit that hearing a bunch of people tell me it's brave starts to make me worry and ask myself things like: "Am I missing something?"  "Is this really more daring then I think it is?"  "Is the job market really terrible in Australia and no one told me?"  Hopefully I'm not being naïve about this move.  All that just to say, those of you who simply tell me it's great and that this is the perfect time in my life to try something like this, you're my favorites.  You make me feel like I made the right decision, like this is something I can do.  That I'm not crazy...  Then again, maybe my definition of bravery just isn't the same as everyone else's definition.

brave (adjective)

1.  possessing or exhibiting courage or courageous endurance.

cour·age (noun)

1.  the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear; bravery.