Still Rolling

So time is flying! Hard to believe we will be setting off for our journey to Thailand in a just a little over a month. The past month has been a whirlwind for us! We had one final gathering with some more friends on one of our last days in Durango over a few weeks ago. It meant so much to have so many wonderful people there, and Zack and I felt so much love from everyone.

(click for "Final Durango Farewell" album) 

From Durango, we moved to Pueblo and stayed with Zack's mom for about a week before packing up and flying out to Wisconsin. We spent a wonderful Thanksgiving with my Omi and my Aunts. Suffice it to say, we  had our fill (and then some) of Wisconsin beer and cheese:) We also had a chance to check out Chicago for a couple of days. Navigating the Metra train and then the Chicago bus system made me feel a little bit more confident in my navigation abilities and my ability to stay calm in a big chaotic city. It was great practice! Zack and I joked about how our next challenge will be to navigate the transportation system in Thai...Compared to the prospect of navigating Bangkok, Chicago was a piece of cake!

(click for "Wisconsin Trip" album)

We spent a little more time in Pueblo before embarking on our next endeavor...Alaska! Just made it here super late last night and are SO relieved that Kashmire made it too, safe and sound. I was so nervous about putting her on a plane, but she was just fine and so happy to see us when we finally landed. She and Monty (My mom's malamute/husky mix) are already forming a cute little friendship. It seems like every step of our pre-departure adventure is making the prospect of leaving increasingly real. Having Kasmir in a new home is definitely a huge reminder of the major changes going on in our lives right now. I'm so glad that we have several weeks in Alaska to relax a little bit and spend time with family.

I'll also have some time to actually contemplate what to pack for Thailand...After reading through the blogs and the advice of so many Peace Corps volunteers who are currently serving in Thailand, I think I'm going to strive to keep it as simple as possible. Hard to do though when trying to plan for over two years abroad! On that note, I'm so grateful at this time, especially, to have so many supportive people in my life who are helping to make this period of crazy transition so smooth and enjoyable. My continued love and thanks goes out to all of you:)