VII. Before I know it

   I just kind of had a light bulb moment today, actually more of a blonde moment, or a combination of the two. Or maybe one should call it a stark realization or the registering of something that's been staring me in the face. I'm leaving my home and my family and everything I've known in a matter of days. Yes, I already knew that obviously, and I also knew that my brother Joel is being deployed for the army in September. Well, actually he's going to Mississippi for a couple months of training, coming home for Thanksgiving, and then leaving the country in late October. And he'll be gone for a full year of twelve months with no leave. Okay, so I'm leaving for a year; he's leaving for a year; we'll come back at the same time...
   Wrong.
   In less than four days I am going to say goodbye to one of my brothers, and I won't see him for over a full
year. I come home in early July, but he won't come home until the next October. Everyone else will see him at Thanksgiving, but I won't.
   You're probably thinking that I should be drowning in tears by now, but, strangely, I'm not. As of right now, my life is pretty much the same as it's always been. I wake up in my bed, I open my eyes to the same bedroom, I turn on the lights in the same bathroom, I eat in the same kitchen, I hang out with the same family members, etc. The only physical things that differ from my normal life are my new purple suitcase in my bedroom, the new clothes that fill it, and the postcard from my host family that is written in German. Well, there are other things that are new too, but basically, this whole Switzerland thing is mostly an imagination of my mind based on a few concrete facts.
   Every night though, I cross off another day on my calendar, and already the numbers have halved themselves so that before I know it, I will be gone.
   To occupy myself I have bought several long-sleeve shirts this week and packed them already. I am now content that my suitcase will easily hold what I need to put in, so I haven't been afraid to place clothes inside. The annoying thing though is that I can't wear my new shirts because it is still full-flight summer outside. It is a good thing however that I am not one of those girls who obsesses over clothes; I got rid of almost half my wardrobe without batting an eye.
   I have also bought early birthday presents for certain members of my family whose birthdays are soon after my departure (Shhhh! Don't tell!) I also received the debit card for a bank account that my mom made so that I have a monthly allowance for personal expenses. All in all, I am taking care of all those little, numerous details that come with studying abroad so that hopefully I will be somewhat prepared. It is coming fast.

   By the way, as a little side note, if you don't get enough of my blog, you can also read my story in the Lititz Record Express once a month. My first article will be published in the next issue on Thursday, the 23rd.