Until we meet again

I am certainly on my third glass of Sangria at the hotel by the Denver airport with my lovely kitty and my mama, and I am inspired to write a little.  To say that the last week has been bitter bitter sweet is an understatement.  Selling my my wonderful Betty (my car) was a lot harder than one would think.  Who knew one could grow so attached to and completely inanimate object? Everything that wasn't shipped to Nome now lived in a 5'x10' storage unit.  And everything else is in 3 big duffel bags and two huge ski bags.  I have run the gambit of excitement to completely dreading stepping on that plane tomorrow.  Walking away from everything that I have ever known and stepping into the unknown. I was so freaked out that Thursday night after an incredible workout that I went to Chipotle to get dinner for me and mom.  The woman behind the counter asked me how my day was and I just totally broke down.  I told the woman and her workmate (who happened to be the manager) that I was moving and that I didn't want to go, and just looked like a total blubbering fool. So much of a fool that the manager comped my order.  I called and told my wonderful friend that also lives in Nome about this little episode and she let me know that before she moved from West Virginia to bush Alaska that she did the same thing at a Bravo! restaurant and they comped her entire meal as well.... lesson learned here? Meltdown at a pricier joint than Chipotle.

I have finally stopped losing sleep over if I will be able to get all of the chores needed to be done, and if my stuff will fit in a horribly small storage unit.  I still can't believe it all fit in there.  The movers must be crazy insane good at Tetris!  I am now losing sleep over I will be able to cope with living in such a remote place, if I will be live up to what the people that have hired me to be? Will Bentley ever forgive me for making him move this much in the next 2 years?!  He is going to live in Seattle for the next 4 months until I am done with all my training in Nome and Anchorage.

I am saddened that I have had to say "See you soon" to my incredible old friends and the amazing new friends that I have met along the way here in Denver.  I cannot wait to make my way back, by for now it is on to probably one of the most insane adventures I will ever have in my life.  And I guess two years will fly by.  The last 7 months that I have been back in Denver surely have!   But no matter how ya slice it it is so hard to walk away from the place where your soul just feels at home.  I know I will be back, but I just want to stay.  I guess I'm at the top of the first hill on the roller coaster when you are at the top looking down and have that sudden panic of.. "Oh shit... let me off... I don't want to do this anymore!"  Only you can't jump off and you can either throw your hands in the air and just go with it and scream and laugh and enjoy the ride as best you can, or you can white knuckle it and be terrified and miss all of the sensations that come along with the ride.  I choose to throw my hands up and scream until I laugh, and enjoy this entire opportunity.  Through every up and down.  And then at the end... the plane will roll back up to the gate in Denver, and I will be home again :)

Bottomless mimosas with two old friends.
Mindy and Danielle. No matter the miles
these girls are some of my truest friends

Fabulous old and new friends. My new Chris friend called this
my "work release" party.  My old Chris friend has been around
to welcome me back every time I come to Denver. Adrienne and
I will always have the whiskey connection, and Lindy has been
there for me through all kinds stuff, and I love her so much.
Marissa is my ski buddy and is crazy.  I wouldn't change a thing.

Me and Jen having wonderful  fun at Keystone! Lovely days.... EVERY day

My beautiful Betty.  I look forward to Betty 2.0 when I get back!

My cross country travel partner. Mom!