But I can't take an ounce of credit for that.
To start, I'd have to thank the parents who navigated all the weird feelings, ups, and downs with me. They also gave me an invaluable knowledge of airports and traveling... Something I needed today as I walked and coffeed through 3 airports in under 5 hours.
I also MUST thank my friends. The ones who went to Target and played tennis with me every week. The ones who drove 4 hours to surprise me for my birthday. The ones who distracted me with their baby news. The ones who checked in, asked about my soldier, and offered an ear for me to complain to.
Then there are my AMAZING coworkers. Letting me keep a countdown on the wall of our office, asking about my boyfriend every day, being as excited about this trip as I was... All of this was so incredibly kind and so incredibly HELPFUL. The validation of my feelings and my concerns about this trip was invaluable.
So aside from that, how did I do it?
Feeling the feels.
Pushing through it.
And to borrow from my friends at Alcoholics Anonymous: one step at a time.
Thank you all for reading my journey. The blog doesn't end here... But boot camp does!