It's really getting real!

We are leaving Denver in less than 24 hours!  I am going to my office for the last time.  Since yesterday was Tisha B'Av, we couldn't do too much. Mostly just throwing stuff away and having people come over to pick up stuff.  We have now, officially, gotten rid of all our furniture!  It's been sad saying goodbye to good friends and to the community where we have lived for over 13 years.

Four of our five kids were born here, they have all started school here, and we have great memories that are all based in Denver.  It's such a friendly, warm community.  The bright side is that we will all meet again in Israel!  A friend pointed something out to me that really helps me feel better.  She said, "If you were moving to Cleveland or Baltimore, I don't know when I'd see you again.  I am unlikely to visit those cities.  But everyone ends up in Israel eventually.  Whether for a family simcha or for a vacation, or to make aliya."  This thought has really helped me.  Therefore, I'm not saying goodbye to anyone.  Rather I am saying "see you later!"

It is harder seeing my kids say goodbye to their friends.  My eight year old is taking it especially hard.  He is very nervous about making new friends. He doesn't want to leave his best friend.  He doesn't want to forget him!  And at his age it is hard to stay in touch.  My 12 year old and my 15 year old will stay in touch with their friends.  My 9 year old may or may not stay in touch, but she is a social butterfly and makes new friends easily, so she is not particularly worried about that.  My five year old is too young to worry and he doesn't have particularly close friendships...he is friends with whoever is in front of him. But my eight year old has a hard time making friends and he and his best friend have been friends since birth!  They share the same type of energy (which can be exhausting) and they are very in sync in so many ways.  Binyamin is not reacting like an adult would in this situation.  He is spending a lot of time acting out and avoiding the situation.  His friend came over yesterday, and he spent a lot of that time avoiding him and acting crazy in general.

Overall, it's very bittersweet to be leaving a community like Denver.  Everyone is being super supportive, which makes it harder to leave them!

Now I just have to focus on the last minute stress of packing the last few bags and getting to the airport tomorrow at 4AM for a 6AM flight!  With a million bags and five kids!  Should be a fun adventure.