death in the family realizing i am leaving trying to prepare

So, wow. A lot has been happening lately. I am now 5-1/2 weeks away from moving out of the country. I've been working on getting everything together, luggage, house things, etc. It turns out my list is actually pretty short so it shouldn't be too bad, but mentally, I feel like I am turning in circles.

I am in an odd place of looking toward the future, sitting in my past, and attempting to just enjoy the present. This is not an easy task I tell you. For one thing, my cousin passed away a couple days ago and my heart is broken - however, I know he lived to travel and have adventures, so there is no way I would let him down now by not embracing this opportunity to the fullest!

Another confusion is that I have recently gotten closer than ever to some really important people in my life, and now I have to leave them. I have loved my time with them - I feel reconnected to pieces of myself I didn't realize I'd lost. So, while I am excited to start a new chapter in life, I am sad to miss out on things here. I just have to remember that these are people I have known a LONG time, they are the friends I can go without seeing for any length of time, and we will always be able to just pick up where we left off.

My hope this week is to get my plane ticket bought and taken care of. If I can do that... I'll be sittin' pretty! Other than an entire new wardrobe of suits and business attire, I think I have everything - it is just a matter of packing it all.

contract in my hand lots and lots of work to do think i'll make a quilt

So, today I officially called and accepted the position in Japan. Now begins the crazy mess of tying up loose ends here, and preparing for my life there all in two months. AWESOME. This works well with my love of procrastination, as everything is last minute already, so I don't really take time to prioritize, I just DO.

Saying that, I have put everything on the back burning to take care of the things that are really important - like decorating!! Anyone that knows me well knows that I love to decorate and put together my home. Since I won't have a lot of resources in Japan when I first get there, I am doing what I can from this end. My apartment will only be about 100 square feet (as far as I know), so I won't have a lot of space to deal with. A while back I found a fabric that I LOVE, so I am making a "quilt" (which is really more of a duvet cover) to stick in my suitcase. I fully expect it to transform the entire space into a homey, awesome retreat. haha.

I've only just started to sew things together, and make the blocks that will eventual be my version of a disappearing nine-patch quilt. Below are just a couple pictures to entice, and inspire you!

This one is of the basic nine patches sewn together

This one is of the "nine-patch" cut into four blocks that will be used in the final quilt

One possible rotation of the blocks: it will be cooler the more blocks I have to work with

oh man, got the job not sure what to do with that moving to japan

So, after applying, waiting a month for a response, flying to L.A. to interview, and then waiting some MORE... I got the job! I am leaving October 31st to teach English in Japan for a year. This is something I have wanted to do for years and years, but never thought I would.

My life was pretty settled 7 months ago. I was married, had a good job teaching at a small private school, and a great apartment with my husband and two cats. Since that time, I have gotten a divorce, lost my job, and am living in my friends garage. Impressive I know.

I now have most all of my possessions in storage and two months to save as much money as possible for my transition to my life in Japan. It will be a bit crazy - I have been acting nanny for my best friend, and tutoring, so I have to give everyone a "stop" date, and get myself together before Halloween. Oh man.