Gratitude | (Early) Birthday & Going Away Celebration

Suddenly, the big move is right around the corner. My room is filled with rolls of bubble wrap, half-packed bins, and piles of clothing; I can't find anything. And honestly, I'm a bit of a mess. I'd like think it's because I'm extra emotional this week (read: irritable + prone to panic) due to it being ~ that time of the month ~ but in all honesty, I think I'm just finally realizing the immensity of this move. In 7 days, I'll be on my way to Atlanta - i.e., 828 miles from where I am right now. And while that mainly feels exciting, I'm also realizing I need to give myself space to cry a little. Big transitions are hard, even when you're fully prepared for them, and so I'm letting the tears flow as needed.

But that's not the point of this post! The point is that in order to see all of my friends, I decided to throw myself an early birthday/going away party. One of my best friends, Bella, agreed to host it at her house AND bake a Drake cake; my brother came down from Rhode Island with way too much alcohol (that all got consumed); I drove around the city collecting flowers, photo booth backdrops, and yellow balloons; and my girl, Shenel, made a playlist (although we essentially listened to Drake the entire time - oops). In short, the party was ON.

Despite the fact that it was cold and pouring outside, everyone showed up ready to have fun and celebrate. The party was supposed to be from 2-7, but most people showed up around 4:30/5, and it went on until around 12:00 AM. Oops.

For me, the best part of the entire party was seeing my friends interact with each other. So many friends from different walks of life exchanged phone numbers, invited each other to upcoming events, etc. It made me realize that I'm surrounded by so much love, that I'm sure will continue forward despite the distance.

This is my family. And I'm already missing everyone so, so acutely. I kept all of the polaroids with promises to mail them to the various 30+ people who came through, along with a letter/note. It's my way of promising I'll stay in touch.

While in some ways, the party made me super sad, I'm reminding myself to be grateful for the lessons I've learned and the people I've met + apply all of this beauty to my next adventure. 7 days and then we're off. Wish me luck. xx