22 Hours!

Hey friends and family! I'm now in the final stages of preparation for the trip! I still have a lot of things to get done and I've been procrastinating like mad. I don't know why, I guess because my emotions about this trip have been changing every few minutes. I'm happy, then I'm nervous, I'm excited then I'm homesick already, I'm content and then I'm exhausted-- makes it hard to get motivated. I've packed all of my school supplies, snacks, and toiletries, and have yet to pack my "new" clothes and some other random stuff. I'm going to pack a little tomorrow morning after I (hopefully) can find somewhere that offers a Friday morning church service.

I had a FABULOUS going away lunch with Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt Penny and Elizabeth and Isaiah Hartwell. It was unexpected seeing all of them today, especially with a few of them coming up just for the lunch, but it was great to be surrounded by so much love and support. I was seranded (led by Grandpa...twice) to the tune of Happy Birthday but as "Happy Trip," and then some other song. It was classic Preston stuff and I loved it.

I got my phone number!!!! It is my impression that if you're calling from the U.S. you should dial:

011-256-78-360-0658

There is a chance that there should be another zero "0" before the "78," but I believe it's only needed when calling within the country. Be advised that there is a 7-hour time change from Eastern time to Kampala time, and that therefore you should not be calling me (due to my work and sleep schedule) between 5pm and 10am YOUR time. Please feel free to call between 10am and 5pm eastern time, as that should be 5pm to midnight my time and I will be home from work.

I also have my address! I don't really intend for any of you to send me anything, as I don't know when or if it would arrive, but just in case:

P.O. Box 24555
23B Acacia Ave, Kololo
Kampala, Uganda

Other than that, I leave the US tomorrow at 1pm. I'll fly to Newark, and then I'll leave there at 6pm for Brussells, to arrive at 8:30am. At 10:30am I'll leave Brussells for Entebbe, with a stop in Rwanda, and will arrive in Entebbe around 8:30pm that night. I know I will be exhausted and am not looking forward to the crazy flight and sleep schedule.

I AM looking forward to meeting up with my friends tomorrow and I feel so, so blessed that I am going through this experience with people that I know already.

I will hopefully be able to update this blog periodically, but I will probably not be able to upload photos until I get back to the states since I can't upload the software to a computer in an internet cafe. Thanks for your patience!

You guys (whomever you may be!) are great and I am thankful for your support, prayers, kind thoughts, donations, hugs and just about everything else. Thanks!! See you in KAMPALA!!!!