Two Days

Going to Ecuador used to be so far in the future that it seemed it would never happen.  It was always "at the end of Christmas break next year" or "at the beginning of spring semester next year" or "in less than a year" or "at the beginning of next semester" (that was when it started being scary) or "in two months."

Now it is "in two days." Less, even. For those who are wondering, two days is not a lot of time. I have so much to do, to get myself ready, to get my family ready, to make sure that things at home will run smoothly while I am away, and even to make sure that things at church will run smoothly while I am away.

My suitcases are currently holding an odd assortment of things that are not nearly everything that I want to bring. The living room looks for all the world like the house threw up in it. I've never packed so much for one person in my life. And seriously, how much do I need? How much will I even use?

My internal dialogue, for the past two weeks, has run something like this:

Will I really use my Hebrew textbook? (Yes, I will. I want to know Piel verbs when I get back [whatever that means])
Will I use my pocketknife? (I would, but I like it too much to potentially lose it. That goes back in my bedside drawer.)
Will I use my driver's license? (Probably not, but it would feel weird to leave it.)
Do I seriously need this many clothes?! (Yes, I do, because I'll be gone for two months.) 
 Could mace possibly come in handy? (It would if American Airlines would only allow it.)
Don't forget the passport. (how could I possibly forget my passport? It's the most important document I have!) Trust me, that's why I reminded you, self.

If you read that, you saw that I'm verging on schizophrenic.