A few weeks ago I was zooming (video chat with multiple people) with my team and we were discussing how we begin our adventure in T-minus however many days. After we got offline I realized for many of us the adventures has already begun. Not only has God been working in our hearts and lives since we signed up for the race, but many people have already experienced life changes. Let me share with you how my life has changed over the past two weeks and a little about the people who have helped me get through them.
Post training camp my world took a turn sharp left turn into stressville. Not only was I working 4 days a week (12 hour shifts), I was packing my apartment up, moving things to were they would be stored, saying goodbye to loved ones, cramming in meetings, making last minute arrangements, and trying to live the life that God currently had me in. Throughout this process I was able to take a few photos which I am glad about because they have many memories associated with them. They’ll be nice to look back on in a few years; generate a couple laughs. The people in these photos are amazing people. People who have blessed me, loved me, cherished me, supported me and educated me in so many ways. I cannot thank them enough for all they have done. I can’t thank all of my friends and family enough for all they’ve done; those represented here and those who are not shown here. Thank you all. I love and adore you beyond words; I cannot articulate my gratitude properly.
Packing my apartment:
When did I obtain so much stuff? Holy buckets I had a lot of stuff. I think I made probably about 7 trips to Goodwill with my car completely crammed full, or a friend’s Jeep completely full. It may be safe to say I replenished a lot of the store. The moving process was relatively stressful because I had to reply on so many others (a healthy thing for me, but something I struggle with) to assist me, to allow me to store things at their houses and to show me the best way to do things. It was a anxiously beautiful process that worked out much more gracefully than I could have anticipated. I cannot thank my wonderful friends enough for all their help and for allowing me to store things in certain location. My gratitude exceeds my articulation skills. Thank you all so much who assisted in this process and helped me to move so smoothly. 
After I had moved all the boxes and everything where they were going to be stored I put the remainder of my belongings in my car to bring back to Chicago with me. My car was PACKED full….I could see out of my side windows but not out of the back window (God provided safety for the week I had to drive with all that stuff in my car, thankfully!!) 
Not quite sure how we fit so much stuff into my car. I also had to go through and pack my bag before I was able to put it in the car. I am a little nervous to see how we fit all the stuff that I need into the two bags I am taking. The photo doesn’t even show half of it or any of my clothing. *gulp*
So, that was the packing process. Once we got everything packed and loaded into the car it was time to take my little one, Bob, over to my friend’s house where she will be staying for the next year.
Bob delivery:
This was probably the hardest part of this transition for me. Bob is my beautiful cat who is my best friend. She adores me and I adore her. It has been such a blessing to watch her grow over the last year and to grow close to her. She has her own way of communicating with me and a wonderful personality for a cat. I will miss our time together, but I look forward to bringing her home when I get back. It was definitely a challenge saying goodbye to her though. 
Bob helped me pack, jumping in boxes and sniffing everything. Once I took her to Lauren’s I had a week of being in GR. This allowed me to visit her everyday in her new home and spend as much time as I could with her; this extra week was such a blessing.
She acclimated really well to Lauren’s house, which I had prayed for. I hated the thought of her being stressed out. She slowly explored the condo and became friends with Lauren. It was nice to see her stress level diminish even in the short week I was able to go visit her.
My last day with Bob was the hardest. It was hard to walk away knowing I can’t see her in person for a year, but the reassurance that God is calling me to the field is nice and knowing that Bob is in great hands is a huge comfort. Now that Bob was safely relocated I was officially moved out of the apartment.
Friend hopping and goodbyes:
I had the pleasure of spending the next week bouncing from friend home to friend home, seeing people to say goodbye, working my last few shifts and saying goodbye to the beautiful city I have called home for the past 7 years. I cannot thank my wonderful friends for all they have done for me. These amazing people have been immense blessings in my life these past few years. It was a challenge to say goodbye to them. Thank you all for your love, support, kindness, laughs and all the amazing memories you’ve given me. 
E has been my best friend for so many years. I was so grateful to be able to spend some time with him before I had to leave. Such a wonderful gift he gave me coming to see me before I left.
Such a delight to spend a few days with tis lovely lady before I left. She and her son are such blessings in my life. They bring support and love and laughter. I will miss them both.
This group of friends mean the world to me. The past 7 years have been so wonderful watching them grow, learning from them, making memories with them and building long lasting relationships. Their smiles and laughter will be missed.
There are so many things to say about this man. His humor, support, confidence in me, and love over the past 7 years has been impactful. He’s my greatest friend and I cannot imagine a year without our routine lunch dates. I cannot wait to see how God uses him and helps him to grow over the next year.
Love this lady. She’s such an amazing example of Christ loving woman. I hope one day to be half as amazing as she is.
I do now believe there are proper words for how much I love these women. They’ve impacted me in so many ways and their love, kindness, and Christ like example have been so extraordinary in my life. I will miss their faces and stories and encouragement. They are wonderful examples of Godly women and have been such blessings in my life. Thank you so much ladies; for everything.
I spent my last night at work on the last weekend in GR. What a blessing it’s been to be an RN with these amazing people. Will miss working with such a great team. 
This woman is such an inspiration. I hope to be a great nurse like her one day. 
My co-workers have been wonderful. I could never have asked for a more supportive, encouraging team. The environment at work can be hard but the love this team shares shines through no matter the situation. Thank you H3 for such a wonderful year and a half. I look forward to rejoining you when I get back.
Goodbye my dear Grand Rapids:
Once work was all done and all my goodbyes said then it was time to head to Chicago. I love Grand Rapids; it’s a rich a city with numerous things to do. I will miss the summer here, but I can’t wait to see the summer somewhere else. 
I love downtown GR. Such a beautiful place to be. I hope it stays the same over the next year. (Disclaimer: I did not take that photo of the blue bride, it was on the internet. 🙂 )
What a blessing it is to have such a beautiful sight in your back yard. So many wonderful days spent at this lake. It’ll be missed when it’s hot out in the summer.
Sushi…. what else needs to be said? Love some sushi. Great last meal in town.
Well, I have officially made it Chicago now and since moving out of my apartment, saying goodbye to loved ones there and the finishing of uncompleted tasks are all done my main focus now is to prepare for the trip.
T-minus…..it’s already started. What an amazing adventure God has blessed me with. And he’s given me such wonderful people to love and support me. I couldn’t have done any of this without you!
I hope you enjoyed the photos and the short descriptions associated with them. I cannot thank you all enough for joining me on this journey. You’re support, love and prayers mean the world to me. Thank you for all you’ve done and I pray this blog finds you all well.
Thanks for reading,
Tabbi
