Reasons I'm Sad to Leave.

Anytime you leave one adventure to start a new one, it is a little bit bittersweet, right?  Even though I'm SUUUUUUPER excited for my new job and new opportunities, there are definitely a few things (and people!) I am sad to be leaving.  One is this lovely lady: Sr. Juana.  What an amazing woman!!  You've never met such a spunky, sassy little nun in your life!  She is never afraid to speak her mind, and she has been 110% supportive of my decision to leave and take this new job.  She and I have gotten very close over the last year or so, and it will be a bummer not to be able to stop by her office and chat for a few minutes (or hours!).  But I know I'll see her...she invited me to go swimming with her at the convent!  :)  And I might just have to take her up on that.  Seriously?  Swimming at the convent?  Who knew...  I'll at least have to go for a tour...the Mother House is GORGEOUS, at least from the outside, and I do drive by it all the time.  Totally worth a stop to see her sometime.

I've gotten to be pretty good friends with our bookkeeper, Sheila, too.  (I had an awesome photo of her on a little kids playground rocking horse thingy, but I can't find it...it must be on my other computer.  Rats.)  We talk horses, and that's our big connection.  I actually went to her house one time and got to see her horses--they are beautiful!  :)  But then again, I'm a sucker for horses.  I'll miss chatting with her and bugging her in her office, too.  I told her maybe sometime I'll have to come over and muck stalls.  She's GREAT for advice...I've really enjoyed getting to know her.

There are, of course, families I'll really miss, too--the people at the church have been, by and large, incredibly warm and open and loving to me.  It has been a huge blessing to get to know many of them, and they've all told me they're sad to see me go...but they've also all heartily congratulated me and wished me well in this new adventure.  I think that speaks to the quality of people I've had the opportunity to work with.

There are a few people I've worked with over the past year who actually, truly make it difficult to leave.  Deborah, of course, is the main one.  Deborah and I have WAAAAAAY too much in common...it's awesome!  :)  The first month or so after I started, we realized we were born in the same town, have many of the same hobbies, went to the same college and had the same major, have struggled with a lot of the same health issues....it's almost scary how similar we are.  She's amazing and beautiful I would never have made it through the last 14 months without her.  Most of all, though, she's really become a great friend.  I'm totally going to miss working with her...but we always have hip hop!  :)  And now Zumba!  :)  I love that!!  

So now it's just the rest of the week left to wrap things up, say goodbyes (or see ya laters!), and get ready to start my new adventure.  Onward and upward!