Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's GO!!!

As of 3:05pm this afternoon, I will be on bereavement/personal leave and will be heading east towards my cousin's memorial service. I am both looking forward to being there and dreading it at the same time. There are way too many reasons to get into here, but this may be a difficult week for me. I am looking forward to my stay in various hotels as well as spending time with family members, but I am not happy about the fact that we are having to memorialize a family member. Visits centered around grief tend to be very wearing for me, so I am practicing my gracious escapes and breathing techniques to help me get through some of the more strenuous times ahead. The last part of our trip will be with the other side of the family and should be less emotionally charged. 

I still have to get through two group sessions and observing my intern as she does three group sessions and an individual session. At that point, I am abandoning her to the responsibilities of an intern for seven work days! I am not hesitant about leaving her to do the job, but I am very hesitant about leaving her with my co-workers. She will be fine. My co-workers may not remember that she is not a paid staff member. So, there is that...

I am trying really hard to keep myself occupied at the moment. I have finished almost all of the chores that are on my list. I do have to get the dishes loaded into the dishwasher. After that, I should be finished with all I can do. I have my overnight bag, my suitcase, and my food bag. (Does anyone else watch The Middle?) I still need to get water. The dishes are now done. I do not want to get to work too early this morning, so it is time to stall myself so I am not at work an hour and a half early. That's just ridiculous.

So, I am making myself just sit here. I have seven more episodes of one of my dad's favorite television shows to download onto my iPod (NCIS Los Angeles, season 5), so there is still a bit of time to go before I can leave. I have about an hour to go before I will be leaving today to arrive at work at 7:15. After that, two groups, watching three other groups, and then bus duty. As soon as bus duty is over, I will hop in my car and head east.

I have music and movies, television and podcasts to keep me occupied. I will cry a bit. I will laugh. I will probably sing at the top of my lungs at some point. I am now reminded that I need to add a couple of boxes of kleenex to my stack of things to take out. I also want to make sure that I bring in the recycling bin from the back of my car so there is space for my mom, my sister, and the things they are bringing with them as well as for my stuff. More things for the to-do list...

I need to start my packing routine now so I can just sit in a little bit. First things to go out? My luggage and my food bag. Then I can bring in the recycling bin. It will all work.

I don't know how much I will be blogging in the next week - I have some connectivity, but only a tablet for use, so I may not write. There you go.