Last days in Seattle.*

With Byrony this past summer in El Salvador.

Between errands, packing, and spending time with family and friends, this past week has been exhausting, overwhelming, but worthwhile every minute. I'd say I'm getting a good taste of what the end of the summer will feel like before I head to college in late August, but for now, I try not to get too ahead of myself.

Saying goodbye to everyone has been difficult. I want to so many people with me; have someone to share in my experiences firsthand, validate the potential craziness that's about to ensue (Sidney told me I have to write about the embarrassing things!), and calm me down in the moments where I doubt that I can handle what's ahead. Sometimes I wish that the first week in Iceland could be over with, so I didn't have to adjust to being alone and meeting so many new people, yet still have the memories of the time there. But I know I'll enjoy myself once I get there. (Because, as I keep saying, no one country has the power to Photoshop every picture of themselves before they get released into the world, so it must actually look that nice 97% of the time. It's a scientific fact that I calculated myself!)

Torchlight Parade this summer with Alyssa and Eva, the weekend they visited me at camp.

ACES (Alyssa, Claire, Eva and Sidney!) at senior prom this June.

But I'm grateful for the days this week that had me going in weaving, back-and-forth lines throughout
Seattle to visit friends, the phone calls, and the Skype videos. Somehow I was pack my social calendar arguably more than any week in the past year, spending time with folks such as Andy, Paola and family, Sammy, Alyssa, Eva, Sidney, the Edwards/Dennison family, Charlotte, Byrony, Mary Ann, and Uncle Ira and Aunt Mary Claire, to name a few. I was able to spend a few days wandering around Vancouver, BC with my mom during the week, and tonight at Sunday Family dinner we had a little going away gathering, thanks to Lisa Dennison! Plus, on top of that, I finished the scholarship I've been working on for the last ten months.

Thanks to all for your pep talks, encouragement, advice, and general well wishes, I truly appreciate all of them and am so grateful to have you all in my life as start my travels!

Friends in Nueva Trinidad

* Or the time where I had to narrow down my jeans to two pairs. This is hard, because for those of you who don't know, jeans are my absolute favorite type of clothing -- aside from striped shirts -- because they look good on short people like me after having been lovingly hemmed by your talented seamstress/mother. And since I haven't grown in seven-plus years (shocking, I know), they've started accumulating. So it's a difficult process, relatable to a parent admitting their favorite child, I'd guess. I love them all equally, I promise.

P.S. As sarcasm isn't as clear online as it is in person, it's probably safe to assume that most posts here will have a touch of sarcasm from time to time. Because I say things sarcastically and interpret others literally, right, Alyssa/Eva?! It's a confusing life, the one I live. :)