It is really happening

It's 10:18 pm and I am exhausted.

I started the day at 6:00 am, wondering if my promise of employment would arrive, and what that meant I would need to do today. Since I couldn't sleep, I got up and started doing laundry, and organizing more of my stuff.

Good thing, cause 5 hours later, the Fedex man delivered the envelope I have been waiting nearly 5 months for. He must love his job - I saw him drive up from my office window, and was outside the door waiting for him before he was even out of the truck. I was literally dancing, and could hardly sign the weird electronic signature device.

A moment later I had the promise of employment in my hand, and was doing my version of the Lotto 649 happy dance in my kitchen.

When I finally opened the envelope, it was a bit anti-climatic. One sheet of paper. I've been waiting since February for one piece of paper. And I couldn't even read it.

It may be just one piece of paper, but apparently it is magic. I whipped off to the consulate in Toronto, and they took one look at it and said I would have my visa by Wednesday. Not really believing that it could happen that fast, I kept asking if there would be any problem getting it by Wednesday. I also asked three different people to double check my application. Finally, I asked them to call me if there were any problems, and the clerk just looked at me and said there wouldn't be any problems.

I think I have earned the right to be slightly skeptical.

When I got home, I started contacting my various coordinators to confirm the move could go ahead this week. I got a big shock when I realized that the movers were planning to come on Wednesday, instead of Thursday as I had planned.

So that prompted another mad rush of phone calls, and more mad organizing. I just gave up on that, and am planning to go to bed so I can get another early start tomorrow morning.

So much to do.

And I think I have gone through every emotion again today - anxiousness, euphoria, excitement, sadness - I realized again that I really am leaving, and it's harder than I thought.

And now I am just plain exhausted.