Someone else is driving my car...

Belle, Katie & Grandpa Chuck

Well, technically, it is no longer my car. I truly loved that car (and it is odd because I am so not a person who gets attached to things - a byproduct of moving so much as a child).  I did not cry when we sold the house we lived in for ten years, the first home my daughter ever knew, but I cried over my car.

The sunset the night of our family party.

Tonight, I read another chapter of A Secret Garden to Belle. We'll get to read one more chapter before I leave (Chapter 24: Let Them Laugh), because tomorrow she leaves for a four day, three night camp adventure with three of her closest friends from school and her Girl Scout troop. We'll pick her up on the 2nd, and that night, I'll get to read to her one more time.  I wonder if I'll be able to read to her from Abu Dhabi. I won't be able to read to her on the 3rd because my plane will be in the air while she is going to bed.  I might have to get a second copy so Rob will read it with her.  These are the things I am thinking about tonight after watching her pack her camping bags and methodically check off each item on the list. She's a good packer.

Liz, Ashleigh & me

Erica, Sammy & Belle

I finished up the young writers' writing camp I helped with today, and Belle finished her last round of swim lessons.  My stepmother-in-law called last night and invited us over for dinner tomorrow because she said she's going to miss me and wants to make sure she gets to see me one more time before I go. It made me tear up a bit because I truly adore her and it is an honor to know it is reciprocal.  We finished up getting the passport photo copies I need for all the various things in the UAE, and had a quick visit with our friends Tonya & Rochelle.


Tomorrow, I bring Belle to camp with the other moms, and Rob & I'll empty the storage unit. Tonight, I'm going to resist staying up late just to watch Belle sleep.   Maybe I'll just stare at this picture instead:

Belle at my early birthday dinner

The Long Goodbye

The last week has been a busy one of goodbyes and swim lessons. Belle is making wonderful progress and we practiced for quite a bit yesterday at Echo Lake.  On Monday afternoon, I had a planning session for the last writing camp next week with my friend, Jen, and then that night, I went with my friend Ashleigh to see the final installment on the Harry Potter films, and now I must wait impatiently for J.K. Rowling to make the series available as an e-book since I recently sold my paper set (it is coming out in October). On Tuesday, we attended a Miranda Cosgrove concert at Meadowbrook with a bunch of Belle's little friends. On Wednesday, we took the day to pack and clean. Thursday evening I went out to dinner with some of my lady friends, and then we walked around town and stopped for pictures with Pollyanna (her creator was from Littleton).

We just came home from our family farewell party, which was lovely and sad.  The feelings and tidings were mixed, but by now most everyone is excited for us and our adventure and I truly hope some of them make it out to visit us.  I know it would mean a lot to Rob.  Belle is having her last sleepover with her best friend since birth, Katie.  That is sad too, because I've watched Katie grow up and now I feel like I'm going to miss big pieces of her life, not to mention how Belle feels.  I'll post photos of this final visit later, but for now, I'm going to go rest a bit for tomorrow's church family farewells.

A rare family photo

10 days left...