T - 7 days

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I leave in one week today.

 ONE WEEK.

 Yesterday I packed my first suitcase.
Today I will likely unpack said suitcase.
Such is life.

 My father is (not very) lovingly calling the front room the "jumble sale", and if you saw it, you'd get it.


This is all meant to go into two suitcases - and my clothes aren't even featured here.
So yeah, that's clearly happening.

Fitting your whole life into two suitcases is quite simply just not realistic.
(Especially when you're also bringing a considerable amount of really cute baby clothes and shoes.)

 The Bolivian Embassy claimed my visa would be posted three days ago, in its next day delivery envelope.
It has yet to arrive.
They're trying to give me a breakdown, I can only assume.

 I have yet to hit the 80% fundraising goal so I can be officially okayed to go to Bolivia by NICS.
My flights are already booked.
Whoops.

 There are a lot of things that need to fall into place before next Saturday.

 All that said however, plenty has already fallen into place, and continues to do so.

 I do have somewhere to live in Bolivia. (Thank you Hannah, and the Boohers!)

 I have flights sorted, thankfully. And assuming WestJet's flight isn't cancelled (the only thing that could possibly wreck everything) I will be at Pre-Field Orientation one week tomorrow.

 I have had so many people who have supported me, in so many different ways, and I am so incredibly grateful.

 The Bolivian Embassy made my life so easy when I was there, and I met the lady who volunteered in Casa de Amor years ago again, and she remembered me, and oh - life is cool like that.

I got to see my English family in a little visa trip detour, and I got to hang out with my mother and be ridiculous, and I will miss her so much when I am gone.
Additional photos of the #visatrip madness are here.

 In just over 3 weeks I will be back in Cochabamba, and I will have seen and cuddled the life out of some of my very favourite kids ever.

 Church has been awesome. A consistent answer to doubts, when worries get the best of me  (every other minute).

 I have great carers. #welovethemartins

 I have friends who have already done this, and send me messages that make all of this seem doable. Even when the messages begin with, "I felt like I was dying..." (Thank you Jill, ha!)

 Last night I got to see some of my favourite "youth" ever finish strong at Encounter.
#selfiestick
I have friends halfway around the world, who are waiting for me when I get back to Cochabamba, and there is something so amazing about that.

God has sent me one hundred little things, each confirming that this is what I'm supposed to be doing. And I'm really excited to share more about them as time goes on.

I am so excited, and absolutely terrified. But mostly excited.

 I am incredibly thankful for every. single. one. of you.

 And I am so happy to take you all on this adventure with me!

 (Assuming I actually pack, and leave it in the suitcase, at some point before 5am Saturday.)

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