Well, then.

It's "departure day", meaning that I've only just begun to pack, and my wet jeans are still hanging over the deck railing to dry in the sunlight. Where the hell is my iPod cord? Didn't I finish out the school year with more mechanical pencils than this? Good Lord.

I have clean socks and underwear, a sweater (just in case), my rosary, extra batteries for the digital camera, and enough reading material to keep me occupied for a decade. My mother and I are even stopping at Schuler's so I can pick up a copy of "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies"... and a pocket Arabic phrasebook, because I forgot to buy one at the university bookstore.

I spent last night watching "Death Race" at Sarah and Jon's with (almost) all of my favourite people, then spent the early morning lounging on John's couch while we watched "Pride and Prejudice" - the BBC version, of course, as he was quite mortified that I'd never seen it.

So life is good.

We twelve students and Professor Maisel will meet in the Kirkhof parking lot at 2PM to take a bus to the O'Hare Airport in Chicago, and our flight leaves at 9PM; fourteen hours later, insh'allah, we'll land in Amman, Jordan.

EDIT: I know you're only grumpy because you're anxious, but SERIOUSLY, mother... relax. I love you.

Mrs. Bennet: "Mr. Bennet, how can you abuse your own children in such a way? You take delight in vexing me. You have no compassion of my poor nerves!"

Mr. Bennet: "You mistake me, my dear. I have a high respect for your nerves. They are my old friends. I have heard you mention them with consideration these twenty years at least."