T minus one week and counting

In approximately one week I will be boarding a plane to travel to Ireland for the first time in my life to go explore, investigate and encourage my desire to learn more about a culture one little "fictional" girl is responsible for spawning in me, I am excited, to say the least and absolutely grateful to say the most. I am still not going to feel like I am actually going until I am sitting on the Aer Lingus flight and being launched across the Atlantic, at which point I am sure I will be crying and having both my children, as they do when they see me in states like this, hover around me giving me kisses and telling me its okay, and me telling them, as I do in situations such  as these, it's okay guys, these are happy tears. The feeling that will undoubtedly be welling up inside me is one of such gratitude and thankfulness, I will feel like the entire world was wrapped up in a perfect little package and delivered to me by a smiling courier that pleasantly and genuinely tells me to "have a nice day" which I most assuredly will. Here and every day after, and every day before. All great days, all of them. And I am responsible for them , as I am responsible for each thought I think and each word I say, write and imagine. I respectfully acknowledge a gentle longing for those I know I will miss terribly while I am gone, those same people being the ones most solely responsible for my courage and initiative to go take this step into the unknown and do it boldly with strength and courage, instead of with trembling trepidation or fear. No fear, here, my dear. No fear here. And for that, I am blessed.