Bye Bye USA

     Well tonight is my last night in the States! I have said my last goodbyes and my mom and I are off to the airport tomorrow. It's pretty crazy seeing everyone get ready to go back to school and I'm getting ready to go to another country. Everything is so surreal! 
     The nerves definitely kicked in this week, but I was still so sure that everything was going to be amazing. It was just the "holy crap, I am leaving for a year," that hit me. I know it will probably be one of the best years of my life, though. I am so comfortable with my family that I am going to live with already that I know it will feel like home in no time. 
     My mom has been crying all week.....almost every time she looks at me. She also informed me yesterday that she thought we would be doing FaceTime every single day and I had to explain to her why that is definitely not happening. I might add that tomorrow is her birthday and I am giving her the worst birthday present ever. So send happy thoughts her way:)
     I got my clothes into only two suitcases with the huge help of space bags, and then someone informed me that unpacking the space bags is so much worse than packing them. And trust me, packing them is not a fun experience. I should also say that I did not pack any spring or summer clothes so my mom and I will have to do clothes exchanges through the mail. Packing and worrying about clothes is probably the most stressful process of them all! If that is all I have to complain about, though, I am doing pretty good. 
     So the next time I write, I will be all settled in at the house in Germany:)

The Meeting

     This weekend my mother and I spent a gorgeous two days in New York with my wonderful German family! It was the long anticipated meeting and it went better than I could have ever imagined. They are the sweetest family and I already feel so comfortable around them. I believe we will click really easily and I will feel right at home. My mom loved them as well and has now stopped worrying......a little less.
     Yesterday, we all met at the High Line in New York City and today they came to my uncle's house so we could spend the day in Brooklyn. We went to parks, played American Football, got ice cream, and got lemonade from a lemonade stand for their first time. Even though there was a little bit of a language barrier between the kids and us, it was surprisingly easily to communicate! They are the sweetest boys and they definitely have a ton of energy! I am going to have so much fun spending my days with them next year.

such a pretty day!

Alex had decided to take all his clothes off 

yep, still no pants

Tim, Monika, Wolfgang and Alex 

     Although I felt the bare minimum amount of nerves, I am more than excited to be leaving in 21 days. It was crazy to say, "See you in a few weeks!", as we were saying goodbye. I am so thankful we got to meet before I went to another country for the year. Now, all there is to do is wait for September 1st! 

Real Talk

I am officially FINISHED with High School :) The weight is lifted off my shoulder and I can finally only focus on going to Germany. It's the craziest most exciting feeling I have ever experienced!

I have battled with low grade depression for most of my teenage years. During that battle, I thought I would never look forward to my future. It's insane to me now to ever think that I could not look forward to tomorrow. I am so happy with my life and where I am headed. I have no negative people in my life and I've made the best choices for myself that I could have. Making these decisions has made me the most positive person and I am forever thankful for everyone who supported me. All the bad is out of my life and now I am only accepting the good:)