30 days

I can't believe it.

Really I've been counting down since 45 days, but who does that?

I do.

But, it would seem kind of weird to post 45 days out (although I did want to).

We had some friends visit us from Seattle - they actually had come to visit us about a week before we left for Charleston too.

And it's so weird to think, that just 5 months ago I was sitting in my living room thinking about what Charleston would be like. What it would be like to drive across the country and pack up most of our stuff and have it shipped 3,000 miles. What the weather would be like and whether or not I'd feel comfortable out here.

And now, with 30 days left, I don't want to leave. And sadly, everyday I feel like I do this place a little injustice by doing the same things I've done the past 5 months. Work Monday through Friday, 9:30 am to 6 pm. Take the dog out on long walks in the morning and the afternoon. Enjoy great food at restaurants we've never eaten at - and possibly may never eat at again. It's like graduating all over again. You do everything in your power to hold on to that last little bit of time - you write out your memories hoping to relive them through your words and take pictures to remind yourself what it looked like - but the whole time you're trying to hold on, to create more memories, it just goes that much faster. I honestly think I might cry when I leave this place - having to return home after seeing what a beautiful part of this country has to offer.

I've already talked to the wife about coming out here maybe 5 or 10 years from now for vacation. To see what's changed. What's different. Or what's still the same. But just like 6 months ago how I couldn't imagine what October would look like - here I sit not being able to imagine what 5 years from now will look like.

So, I'm a little depressed. But it's that sad type of smile that's on my face - to know that I was lucky to have the financial freedom to take a trip like this. And looking back on the last 5 months - everything was better than I ever expected it to be. Once again the beauty of being a pessimist (but leaning towards more of a realist).

Here I am. Continuing to count down. Times like these I wonder why I had ever wanted time to move faster. I could hear nothing better right now than we were staying for maybe another 2-3 months. But I know I'd just be fooling myself. Like the high school senior couple that's breaking up because one of them is going to college out of state. That one extra kiss will just make it that much more painful to go.

29 days starting tomorrow.

And then it's on the road again and back to a familiar gray.

This month is definitely going to be hard on me.