All I Need is a Miracle, All I Need is You.

Shawn and I have been hiding a little secret these past few months.  As of this morning, we still didn't have our visas for Australia.  Y'know that little bit of essential information that the government needs to LET YOU IN THE COUNTRY?  Whoops.  It's a long story, but let's just say for the past few weeks, I've been feeling my ulcer creeping back.

So in the interest of trying to keep my mind off of it, we decided to go shopping at the fancy mall in NJ today.  I've been toying with the idea of getting Bose noise cancelling headphones for the 499,586,868 hour flight we are supposed to take on Thursday but since I have exactly $5 left in my bank account I just couldn't rationalize the $300 it takes to purchase said headphones.  Well I ended up finding a pair of noise cancelling headphones at Brookstone for $99.  And okay, they're not as good as the Bose, but they're really comfy, and they go around my ear (that's key, FYI) and I can use them for when I'm trying to do homework.  Think I can claim that on my taxes as a school expense next year? 

Back to the story at hand: While at said fancy mall, there was a water fountain.  (This mall was built by the same company who built West Farms in CT, a fun fact for all my chums back home, so it reminded me of home).  I took a minute and asked Shawn to make a wish with me.  So we did.  Shawn said he did not wish for a visa, he wished to win the lottery because that would solve so many other issues. I went another route.

At this point, I felt pretty sick/nervous so even though I needed to do more errands, we went home.  Y'know that whole 'No visa' thing was pretty bothersome.  We had called the embassy yesterday and in true governmental fashion, they were completely unhelpful.  Basically they said it's "in process" and maybe we should reschedule our travel plans.  (this is where I vomited a little bit because although we have travel insurance, being so close to the date we're flying out, prices of flights have skyrocketed).  Anyhow, in Shawn's email once we got home (and after I played some Words with Friends, re:priorities) WE HAD OUR VISA NOTIFICATIONS!  Which means, yes, in two days, we'll be flying out to AUSTRALIA!  (Recommence vomiting of joy/nervousness).

Well, it's finally real, and it's finally here.  This is completely weird.  Shawn and I had a quick minute to discuss how we're actually leaving and we'll be there for two years.  It doesn't seem real one bit and I did a fair amount of giggling.  But now after weeks of almost constant stress, I feel pretty good.  Maybe I'll get some real sleep this evening?
Tonight, I get to hang out with the excellent Selenfriend Family, and then tomorrow Shawn and I have our last minute US errands to run; closing bank accounts, cancelling cell phones, having lunch with my Pops & beating him at cribbage (not really an errand),  and then Thursday morn, we begin our journey west ward.

Wish us luck as we start our travels, and more importantly, say a prayer to the patron saint of plane sleeping for me. 

See y'all down under.
Devon <3