Now That I'm Done Freaking Out...

...I'm kind of getting excited about Yekaterinburg! (See, honey - I told you I'd get there!) I have a list of a few people who have promised to visit (that's right, I'm taking names; consider yourself warned), a few who have agreed to meet us somewhere else in Europe, and a few who will Skype with me if nothing else. My mom and sister are planning on helping us move over (I'm dreading the moment when they leave and I have to be pried off of Sarah's ankles or extricated from the doorway as I attempt to block their escape), and I'm signed up for a 14-week course in Russian that will hopefully give me enough knowledge to make it to the grocery store and back. "Where is the consulate?" seems like a good first sentence. I figure random strangers won't know where my house is, but at least I'll be able to find John!

There's also the OCD side of me that is really excited about getting rid of stuff (and of course buying all new stuff!). I plan on giving away anything I don't love, since we can't bring furniture with us and there's some stuff that simply isn't worth storing. Only the best of the best (in terms of knick-knacks and decoratives) will make the cut. I'm going to get all new sheets and towels, new dishes, maybe a couple new rugs to keep the floors nice and warm. And I'm going to get rid of a lot of old clothes and purchase the warmest stuff I can find. There's something about a clean slate that I just love. Maybe THAT'S why this lifestyle appealed to me...

I'm excited for $10 ballet and opera tickets, for trying interesting new foods, for stocking up on matryoshka dolls and babushkas.

I'm excited to have new adventures and meet new people (maybe not like angry granny up there, but you get the idea). After all, if I can make this many amazing friends just by hopping around the United States, imagine what the whole world has to offer!