So much to say. So much to do.

There's so much I could say about the last four months of my life. It's hard to say it in a way that doesn't take forever or put readers to sleep, so I'll try the best I can to summarize. I've always liked bullet points. I find them to be direct and easy to navigate. Bullets are my fact organizer of choice.

• Neil graduated from the US Coast Guard boot camp on April 29th, 2011.
• I'm very proud of him. As I've always been.
• Neil turned 29 the day after he graduated. We're getting old.
• His first assignment as a nonrate is in Seattle, WA on board a 378 high-endurance cutter named USCGC Midgett.
• It's funny that a 6'4" guy is stationed on a ship named The Midgett.
• We decided I would stay behind for a few months to get the finances in order and the house ready to rent.
• So he's a geo-bachelor and living on the ship.
• Which means I'm learning how to master living and sleeping by myself.
• I've gotten a lot better at it.
• I'm moving to Seattle (or really a little island near Seattle) at the end of September.
• I'm scared crapless.
• I can't think about leaving people behind because the sadness does me no favors.
• I have to focus not on what's staying here, but what's waiting for me there.
• Neil is waiting for me there.
• I'm pretty sure I'm not going to survive saying goodbye to my parents.
• That is easily, hands down, going to be the worst part.
• I can't think about that though, because my emotional survival is crucial.
• The movers are coming to pack up the house on September 21.
• The movers will be unpacking our house in our new apartment on October 1st.
• I'm hoping I'll be able to keep my job and work remotely.
• If not, it's going to be a scramble to find employment.
• The Midgett is about to leave port for three months.
• It's hard to imagine Neil being underway and unavailable.
• But I've spent the last four months that way ... I can handle three more.

Welcome to my new life.