14 days.

So I tried not to freak out too much when the count went down to the teen range...but we're about to hit single digits and I have to say it again...whoa. I've been keeping up on some Peace Corps adventures online (specifically Lindsay's Life on My Own Time and Clare's so it goes, in addition to some others, and when reading about others packing up and leaving I remember feeling like I just couldn't wait. Now that it's here, it's all happening so fast!

The goodbyes have started, and it's been amazing and awful. I think I mentioned before that this change is wonderful opportunity to take intentional time to appreciate the quality people around us. But that just makes it so much harder to say goodbye! I finished my job yesterday, and was given the sweetest going away book and a good old-fashioned sloppy joe lunch (we did the official going away out to lunch last week...this was just another good excuse for a party.) :) Yes, I cried. I was honored to be honored by the strong, wonderful women of the N.I.P Community Clinic. You couldn't ask for a better group of role models.

Last night my cousins Melissa and Ben were in town from Oklahoma City and Chicago, and it was perfect to be able to see them and my aunts and uncles and a cousin who lives nearby. This morning we said goodbye to my grandma (we call her Bestemor (Norwegian for grandma)) and my uncle...



(The cutest lady you ever did see!)

This is hard!

Mike's got 3 more days of work, but I'm glad we're to the part where we can begin to focus on getting ready to go. We've moved. We've sold 1 of 2 cars. Work's (almost) done. Time to get our ducks in a row.


The New York Times had a piece on Morocco today, and you can check it out here if you are interested!

One other picture of the sleepover cake from the Flip-Flop girls. If I were smart, I would have taken a picture before we ate it, but it's still darn cute.



Chelsea found a Moroccan proverb -- "You can't catch two frogs with one hand." The frog in front was to the right of the Moroccan flag on the cake. So, he shall be travelling along on our adventure. :)

Lastly, here are the nominees for Bloggies for 2006. It's a great list of great blogs!