JFK Airport - 7 July 2006

You know you've begun an international trip when you start writing the date backwards. It's especially funny today--7/12 or 12/7--the dates for my birthday and my mom's. Yes, I'm leaving the country on my mother's birthday. I gave her a fancy can opener for her new kitchen. She's losing a daughter, but gaining easy access to many canned goods.

I can't believe we're really here. Despite all the planning and preparation, I don't think it really hit me that we were leaving until Monday. Lots of friends and family have been asking whether I'm excited, or whether we're nervous-but nothing really struck the chord until Zach said, "So what are you going to wear on the plane?" Not sure why that of all things did it, but suddenly my eyes went wide and the butterflies erupted in my stomach. We were really, actually going and I had to decide what I was going to wear. On the plane. The day after tomorrow. Well, today.

Anyway, since then, I've been kindof a mess-I can't remember the last time I've been so nervous or excited about anything. I've been staying up until 3 or 4am trying to finish all of our last-minute to-dos, and then opening my eyes at 6am, wide awake with butterflies in my stomach.