NC Goodbyes (August 2013)

Not much in life is harder than packing up and moving thousands of miles from everyone you love. I am so fortunate to have so much love in my life.  I had been so spoiled to live so close to my grandparents, mother, and closest friends for so many years.  As I said goodbye to my family and friends this summer, I let out the "ugly cry" probably twenty times.  

Because I needed to move out of my asbestos-filled apartment as soon as possible, I packed up and moved out within five days. Yikes.  Moving is probably my least favorite task in life. Literally, there are not many things that I dislike more. 

I forged through it, though, and then was lucky enough that four friends agreed to let me stay with them off-and-on for two weeks while I finished out my work. Staying with each of them was actually the perfect way to say goodbye.  

Last night at Opera House with the Winston crew....gulp

In my last week of work, my boss hosted a work farewell for me.  So many sweet co-workers brought me to tears with their goodbyes. 

On my last night in Winston, my mom came up from Charlotte in order to load boxes into her Tahoe. We decided to have one final Winston dinner together at our favorite Old Salem Tavern.  As we sat on the back porch (our favorite place to sit), lo and behold my mom's college roommate walked out to eat dinner. They had not seen each other in 30 years!!!! Lucy was there at Salem for an Alumnae Board meeting. What are the odds?? 

We sat eating dinner together for an hour, and then realized that we were all staying at the guest house on campus that night!! Amazing. Late that night, my mom and Lucy sat catching up on life the past 30 years. Meanwhile, one of my own college friends was also staying at the guest house for the Alumnae Board meeting, and I sat catching up with her for about two hours. Such a sweet night!! 

Also that night, my dear friend Katherine hosted a Winston farewell for me for my closest Winston friends. (Insert tears about five times). She is just the most giving and loving friend, and she made my life in Winston so very special. So many friends came to this party and made me feel so very loved. I miss them all terribly. 

The next day, my last day of work, my Orientation Leader team (who I had trained and who I loved) arrived for their prep week. My successor would be leading the rest of their training, but I went to their first meeting to say goodbye. As I sat looking at so many who had worked with me for two or three years in a row, I lost it. This is the hard part of working in Student Affairs (and especially deep in the trenches of Student Activities), the close bond that forms with the students. Saying goodbye really did feel as if my heart was ripping into a million pieces. While they moved on into their training sessions, I spent the day finishing work in my office. 

I had so much to left to do, and stayed there until about 8:00.  As I left Winston, and left the campus at dusk, I sobbed greatly. This place, my alma mater, is part of my very soul, and I will miss it forever.  I am so grateful that I will always be a Salem alumna and that it can always be home to me. 

My sweet office home for five years. Salem really is a great place!

My little office that I adored for five years.

I arrived to Charlotte in time for a wonderful weekend with my Downing family!!  We gathered with my mom's sister and my cousins for what was supposed to be a pool weekend at my mom's house. The weather became shockingly cold for August, and so we lounged at my cousin's house and went to a movie instead. But it was EXACTLY what I needed on my first weekend after leaving Winston!! I could not love them all more! 

After a few days in Charlotte getting some things done, I traveled over to Greenville, NC, to say goodbye to my grandmothers and more of my Barber family.  Again, insert ugly cries!! I literally begged God to please not let my grandmothers pass before I saw them again. (I say that every time I leave them). 

After the Greenville trip, it was back to Charlotte for two final nights of goodbyes and packing. My mom's sweet friend, Kate, took me out to dinner and treated me to freshly painted hands and feet before starting my new work!! They both toasted my future and encouraged me so much. 

The next day, I was able to have lunch with my dear friend Tiffany, to say goodbye and to celebrate her birthday! I sure do love her! 

I spent some quality time with my brother, Christopher, while my mom and sister attended a wedding. Such a fun night with this goofball!  We ate at our favorite Chinese restaurant with our stepsister, Brittney, and her husband. 

Later that night, we enjoyed our favorite family tradition of a game night. :) It was amazing that Blair and Matthew were in town for a friends wedding! 

On Sunday, I was a mess.  The thought of leaving North Carolina hit me hard. It is my home. It is where my most favorite people on earth live.  My mom's house has always been my haven. My mom is my confidante, and I had enjoyed NINE years of being able to spend many weekends relaxing with her. That proximity was ending and it almost killed me. My mom and I lounged in the pool that day, my tears constantly landing into the water. I kept delaying the final moments, the final packing of boxes into my car. A friend of mine said once that "goodbyes hurt so much when we love so much."  Such true words. My brother Christopher chastised me and said, "Brooke, enough tears. You have an amazing journey ahead. You can't stay here and ignore this next path that you are SUPPOSED to take." Yikes, such sage advice.  With that, I pulled myself out of the water, and finished the loading and packing.  Sweet Christopher got us loaded and ready. 

That night, after more hugs and tears, my mom, sister and I hit the road!!