There have been so
many times this past month where I have attempted to write a new post. Y’all
have no idea how many drafts I have. They all start with my latest and greatest
summer adventures and end with me falling asleep at the keyboard or getting distracted
with a more pressing matter. Anyways, my summer in the Midwest has officially
come to an end. Today, I have spent much of my day on an airplane and in
airports rotting away to get to my final destination: Alaska. Currently, I’m
sitting in the Seattle airport listening to one of my favorite bands (Farewell
Milwaukee) with a numb butt waiting for the hours to pass until my flight at 9:30. I’m emotionally and
physically exhausted and more than anything, I want to cuddle with Putter right
now and eat a big bowl of popcorn. Instead, I’m cuddling with the cold metal
chairs that one too many butts have been in and eating stale candy. But who knows, this could become a new hobby. Because of my diet and numbness to the world today, I apologize if this post is difficult to follow--I have no idea where my thoughts will take me and how well they will flow together...
While sitting here,
I’m reflecting on my last few weeks of summer and how much I have taken for
granted: relationships, scabs from rollerblading, Culver’s cheese curds, Culver’s in general, the hill, easy
access to ice-cream, all things Wisconsin, and essentially every other aspect
of my life. Leaving Eau Claire last
Saturday was bittersweet. It made today less surreal but also saying good-bye
to so many people was not an easy thing to do. Granted, I’ll be back in EC in a
year, but I know that things will be different. So maybe I was more emotional about the
inevitable change—everyone’s lives are moving forward but mine will be so
different than theirs and theirs different than mine. It’ll be interesting to
see how this next year will play out in that regard.
However, I could not
have asked for a better last week in good ol’ Wisconsin. The week was filled
with family and friends, something that I cherish whole-heartedly. I was able
to go to the zoo with Aunt Nicole, Aunt Shelly, Zoya, Jacob, Joey, and mom (the
cows are definitely still the cutest and they did not have any captive llamas).
Wednesday was filled with errand running and a Brewers game with Mom, Dad, and
Rocket while Thursday was filled with more good-byes and of course, packing. I
had to pack three times, each time being a result of finding a bigger and
better suitcase. Luckily, though, I was able to pack a rollerblade in each of
my bags. I didn’t think it would be possible, but it was! My bags weighed in at
68 pounds and 69 pounds when the maximum, which we were unaware of, is 70 pounds.
Man, did I get lucky. Through the course of this week enough tears have been
shed to fill the Amazon river and my emotions have been a roller coaster. But
through it all, I am excited and looking forward to what the next days, weeks,
and months will offer!
Anyways, my mind is
starting to wander and I’m losing concentration with this blog post—people watching
at the airport is one of the greatest things ever. Maybe the only beneficial
thing of having a six-hour layover. I will keep everyone updated with my
adventures and first impressions. Sending love your way!
