Although it was extremely hard saying goodbye to the people and places I love I'm happy that my last few weeks at home were more fantastic than I can even begin to describe. A few days before I left home I invited a bunch of friends I had made over the last few years out for a night around Bellingham. I've made many friends living in bellingham for 5 years, but it wasn't until they were all in one place that I realize how fortunate and loved I really am. I feel like people always strive to surround themselves with great friends, and that night I realized I've more than achieved that goal.
The realization was bittersweet; because just 2 days later I was packing up my apartment and moving all my things into storage. One of the hardest things about leaving Bellingham was saying goodbye to my girlfriend, Devan. We had spent the last month together going on adventure after adventure (bowling, eating all the good food, going to Canada, and watching horror movies and food network together until we fell asleep) trying to make the most of the limited time we had - and I know these are some of the memories I'll miss most while I'm away. I don't know what the future holds for us, but I'm confident we have many more adventures yet to come
After leaving Bellingham I got to spend a day with my mom and Gary going out on their new boat and spending time together (see above picture). Mom even made me my favorite apple pie and ice cream for dessert! Gary, my mom, and myself spent nearly 9 hours organizing my bags trying to get everything to fit / making sure everything was the right weight (see below picture) only to wake up the next morning and realize one suitcase was too large - so we had to do it all over again! Once the bags were packed I went to see my Dad, Elaine, and younger brother Simon. We went out and had a sushi feast (hopefully enough to hold me over for two years!) and got to spend some time together. Both my parents have given me the most loving support the last 22 years, and I wouldn't be the man I am today without them. I'm hoping I can share some of the love they showed me with the people of Malawi as I begin my next chapter in life.
** Stay tuned - another post is on the way with details about staging/ preservice training (PST)/ and more~
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