The Countdown...

4 days to go, including today. That's how many work days I have left at NRCC. I set my official last day for next Monday, Aug. 18. That's when I close the chapter on the last 6+ years and move forward to something different.

Yesterday, my boss made it "official" by sending a memo to the whole college saying I was leaving. That email definitely made it sink in more -- as people email back or stop by my office -- saying goodbye is going to be tough.

While I am so excited about what I'll be doing, and so ready to change it up, it's hard to imagine life not in these halls. Cleaning my office is a chore -- what do I do with some of this stuff? So many memories in this office, with these coworkers. We've experienced a lot of life together, shared a lot of stories and moments.

Part of what is hard is knowing that I don't have a replacement right now. That means I'm leaving and I don't have someone who I feel confident can pick up where I'm leaving off. It's not that my boss hasn't known I'm leaving. He's known that since 2005, when I told him we weren't moving after all but he still needed to replace me because I'd decided I was applying to grad school. I started that in August 2006, and he's known every step of the way what my plans were. But the state has had several hiring freezes since then, and it hasn't been a top priority. So now I'm about to leave some things hanging out there. Some things that I feel badly about not being able to do. But it won't be my job anymore, and I know I'm going to be where God has led me.

I'll write an official farewell post later... this is just the thoughts on my mind as I realize only 4 days to go. The countdown has begun.