Changeling

Sunday: 75 degrees. Wore a v-neck t-shirt with shorts. Walked Gabe in the park wearing Teva flip flops.
Thursday: 15-21 degrees with 6-12 inches of snow accumulation. Had to scrape my car three times in the span of about four hours. Wore my scrubs, with a North Face over the top. Moon boots were dug out of my chaotic clothes packing job. Sent home from work at 10 am.

I am back in Colorado.

It was hard to say goodbye to friends. It was hard to hug each of my siblings one last time. It was hard to pull away from my house that I will never live in again, and to leave my parents standing outside, waving to me. It was hard to kiss each of the dogs goodbye, minus Gabe, and not know when I will see them again. It was hard to desert my little corner bedroom and know that soon, it would be painted over and cleaned out. It was hard to think of church going on on Sunday night, and knowing I was not a part of it. It was hard to uproot again.

But it was so wonderful to crawl out of the box I had made for myself. It was so wonderful to cross the Colorado boundary line. It was so wonderful to have Gabe in the passenger seat for the entire journey. It was so wonderful to receive text messages and phone calls throughout the day from well-wishers and dear friends who wanted to check in on my progress. It was so wonderful to climb out of my car in Fort Collins and give my best friend a hug. It was so wonderful to spend a day with her and her roommates before starting work on Monday.

My third Colorado driver's license is in the mail, making a grand total of five that I have had since turning 16. My new bank account is up and running, with a debit card and checks on the way. My scrubs collection is thriving and colorful. I am going to figure out where I need to go to register my car, and how much it will cost. I am going to switch my phone number (again) to match the state I live in. I am going to learn my way around this little city and fall in love with each and every little coffee shop I walk into. I am going to muck a lot of kennels and shove pills down the throats of some of the meanest cats you have ever met, all with my UNC education. But I am going to be thankful that I have a job and that I live in the place I live in.

There are still a multitude of unknowns. But I am already in love with Fort Collins. I'm in love with this state. I am in love with a new beginning, and to be reunited with such dear friends. I am immensely blessed, and God is so good.