Xanga: My life in 36 Kilos

I’ve spent 7 years amassing stuff… well, that’s only since I moved to Indiana, so I’ve really spent 25 years on the entire collection. And now I have two more weeks to let it all go. All but 36 Kilos worth.

I’ve got ads up on Craig’s List for most of my furniture – the bedroom set my dad and brother built from a Wal-mart kit after I graduated from Anderson, the desk and chair I found in “The Wreck Room” at the Anderson Antique Mall, the 1920’s waterfall dresser I bought in Southern Indiana, and the Salvation Army chair that was my solace during freshman year living in Rice Hall. A Muslim woman came over tonight to try out the couch. A friend is taking the rug. Bargain hunters haggled me on the price for my Ikea bookshelves.

That’s not including the three big trash bags I took to Goodwill, each filled with old clothing, extra towels, things I no longer use that aren’t worth much to anyone else. I figure the folks around here will get good use out of my Reggie Miller t-shirts and pointy silver shoes. Then there were the two boxes of books I sold to Half Price Books for pennies… each volume holding a special memory of the time in my life when I retreated to his pages.

Meanwhile, I paint over the walls of my home for the last 2 1/2 years… the blue kitchen, the green bathroom, the tan living room and decorative “snakes” around the ceiling of my bedroom. I stopped cleaning a while ago, knowing I’ll just have to do one massive clean when the place is empty. And it must be empty by November 30.

I’m making this sound really melancholy, I know, when this is actually a very exciting time in my life. It’s every bit as freeing as it is scary to reduce all the STUFF I’ve collected down to two suitcases full. Well, and a few boxes (who am I kidding?). It’s just settling in on me how much growing up this year I’ve had to do, and how much I’m sure still awaits me.

I am moving to Ireland. I fly out on New Year’s Eve.

I am doing all I can to get a job and a Visa, though I could very well get kicked out of the country after three months (I planned ahead and bought a round trip flight!). I’m selling what I can, working as much as I can, and eating all the Ramen I can to save money so I can live for three months if I don’t find a job. I’m really excited about the possible opportunities in something new and different… maybe non profit,writing, missions, children, art… who knows!?! I’m also excited about finding a new church family and volunteering with them as I do here.

Frank is looking for a little apartment for me. I’ve given my notice to a very-supportive Heartland staff and have been telling my family, one member at a time. My friends and church have been amazing through everything.

A little further down the road, maybe next fall, Frank and I are getting married!!! He asked me while he was here and I am still just in a state of shock that I could be so lucky. It seems like just the other day I was meeting him at the 2006 Heartland Film Festival, never knowing what our future would hold. God has truly blessed me with this man and, thinking about him now, I just don’t believe my heart could feel any more full. The face of happiness is more beautiful than I could have imagined. But now I’ll stop with the sloppy romantic stuff, hee hee.

So here I go!?! Off on a new adventure, no doubt it’ll be full of surprises, good and bad. But I can hardly wait to start spending my life, at last, with the one I love and seeing what lies in front of this big door I am now walking toward. Even if I get sent back to the USA 20 times, it will be worth it because I know with him, I am right where I’m meant to be.

Prayers and well-wishes are appreciated.