Awake is the new sleep.**

I know I should sleep, I know I should. But most nights I find it impossible until about 3:30 am when I basically fall over from exhaustion.

Yesterday I lay in bed for a couple hours staring at the ceiling, then the wall, then the suitcase, then the ceiling again; cycling through those views like a broken record, all the while just thinking about leaving.
Plus, I'm no good at sleeping in this room alone. Mickey left to visit with our cousin Jenna at our grandmother's so I've been alone the past few nights. I just like knowing that someone else is in the room, we don't even have to be talking or doing anything, just knowing that someone else is there makes it feel right for me to sleep somehow.
I don't like being alone in general though, unless I'm praying. To me it just makes no sense, there are billions of people in the world, why should you ever have to be alone. At least I know that while I'm on NET I won't be alone hardly ever. Heath said that team members are with each other almost 24/7 so thats one thing I won't have to worry about.

I think it's mostly excitement keeping me awake, with a little twinge of sadness. I'm gonna miss a lot. I have officially said good bye to 1/4 of the family; Amanda(plus baby and hubs) a few weeks ago, and Mickey & Nat yesterday cause they went to Penn until Sat and I leave Fri. I haven't cried yet, but I think I might very soon, perhaps even in the course of writing this entry.
I was playing with Emily today, trying to get in as much babytime as possible. The weirdest thing is that I will come back and she will have nearly no recollection of me. So strange.

I gave Natalie some quality advice for going to high school when I said bye:

1. Don't wear heels to school. It's not worth it.
2. Everyone there is dumb, just so you know.
3. You can wear my clothes, they're cool.
4. Have fun; work hard, but have more fun.
   

She'll follow it, if she knows whats good for her. It was the least I could do as a confirmation sponsor.

I think I told Mickey she could wear my clothes too, not sure if that was a mistake or not... Just kidding, Mic, I know you'll rock them out. (Just don't lend them to anyone outside immediate familia, I'd like to still have a wardrobe when I get back...)

Heaven help their teachers.

Today was ridiculously hot out, it's been such a strange summer in New England, just when I thought it was winding down, we get this hot streak. Last week there were actually leaves falling in our front yard, and now I am melting in the sauna that is my room. My hair and nature is all confused.

Heather finalized out plans for the Epic Canadian Dropoff trip this weekend, apparently it includes a visit to Upper Canada Village; which from the website seems like Old Sturbridge Village, just more Canadian. The cartrip is also to include a great mock singalong to every Taylor Swift song that we know, sounds promising, eh? (Already embracing Canadian lingo.) You know you wish you were coming along.

Tomorrow's gonna be more hot weather I guess, Colleen, Erin, and I are headed to the gym for a bit, then back home to write all my thank you's, and finally out to Springfield tomorrow night to visit with my Western Mass friends before I jet. Should be another packed day. Only 3 days left though, gotta get it in somehow.


**Please note that this post's title was stolen from a wonderful artist named Ben Lee. I wish I had come up with it myself, but he's the man and deserves the credit.