moving

Ranked up there in the annals of fun, right next to swim suit shopping and stomach viruses, is moving.

For the past several days, we've been knee-deep in boxes, dust and forced-organization (or a lack thereof). It's just not much fun, but unfortunately, there's really no way around it when you have to do it.

The positives? Throwing stuff out. After hanging on to them for far too many years, there's really no need for me to keep the old blue bathmats and towels from my first apartment. They're gone now. Good feeling. Less bulk. Another positive? A sense of new beginnings usually settles in after a move, when the dust settles and your mind is once again, [semi-] clear.

The negatives? Wow. This time, unfortunately, there are quite a few. Leaving our very first home has been gut-wrenching for me. I've tried to keep a stiff upper lip about the whole thing and not get overly emotional (I've failed miserably, at times) about the bricks, sticks and paint color. In the end, it's the people in your life that really matter. And that's what I'll truly miss the most -- having my best friend far away for the next two years. You just get so used to seeing the faces you love, that when you try and close your eyes and imagine them not there every day, it sort of rips you to pieces. But I'd be lying if I said that it hasn't been difficult entrusting total strangers to pack up our life, load it up into boxes, and ship it to some non-descript building.

I haven't written about any of this much because frankly, I haven't had the heart. Plus, it usually makes me cry, and I'm all cried out. But I'm anxious to get the ball rolling on all of this and get it over with. The sooner Ty leaves, the sooner I can start the countdown for his return. And I'm a master at countdowns! The bottom line is, we'll be stronger after all of this is behind us.

Oh! I forgot to list the MOTHERLOAD of all positives! I won't be driving 2 hours every day to and from work! We're gonna get rich on the money we save in gas alone!

Once again, onward.