Almost on my way!!!

Well, today is the day before I leave for Jerusalem. I have to be to the airport at 4:45 tomorrow morning and my flight leaves around 7:15. But I’ll get to that a little later.
I’ve had quite an adventure today, beginning with trying to get to my orientation meeting down in Provo. I left my car at my grandma’s house while I was up in Bismarck, so I asked my sister to give me a ride to my grandma’s house so I could get my car. Check-in for the orientation meeting was to begin at 11:30 and I figured I should leave around 10:00 to give myself enough time to get there. Plus, I wanted to take the recycling that I had to leave in my car, so if I got down there early, I would have time to do so. We left the house around 9am, stopping at the distribution center, and arriving at my grandma’s house a little before 10. I got out and said my good-byes, expecting my sister to drive away. It is a good thing she didn’t and I’ll get to why later. (Picture to the left – Me feeling overwhelmed and stressed). I tried starting my car, but it wouldn’t start. I decided to give it a rest while I cleared my car. I started scraping my car, and soon my sister got out of her car with her scraper to help. While cleaning off my car, I tried several more times to start my car, but it just wouldn’t start. That is what happens with my car, though, it doesn’t like cold weather. If I had had a few more hours of the car sitting in the sun, I’m sure I would have been able to get it started, but I didn’t have time. By 10:08 (I remember the time exactly), I knew that my car was not going to start in time for me to make it to my orientation meeting on time. Becky offered to drive me down to Provo, but I had no way of getting back. She could have gone with me, but she had to work from 2 until 10 and I was not looking forward to waiting in Provo until 11pm when she could have come to get me. I had no way of contacting anyone else, since I didn’t have my cell phone, so even if my aunt or uncle, or even cousin could have driven down to get me, I would have had no idea what time they were coming. I thought of my dad, so Becky called to see if he had left for Bismarck yet. She told him the situation, and I explained where and when my meeting would be over. Then we headed out. Since we were at my grandma’s house, we got on I-215, expecting to connect to I-15, but either we missed it, or there was no connection because before we knew it, we were headed north. We got off, and headed back south, but soon we got off again, deciding to take our chances with the city streets. After a little while, we arrived at the I-15 entrance ramp, and we headed south. By this time it was 11:07 and I thought there was no way I would make it to BYU in time, especially the way my sister drives. But, miraculously, I made it to my meeting on time. I didn’t get there at 11:30, but check-in was until noon, and I had several minutes to spare.
She dropped me off at the building, and as I was walking in, I saw my Polynesian dance professor from last semester. I talked to her as I walked into the building and then headed to the conference room. I stopped to check-in and got a Jerusalem Center bag, and my books, and then I went into the conference room and sat down. In a few minutes, the meeting began. We got a lot of information about travel, classes, cultural sensitivity, safety, living in the Holy Land, and other important information to know before we leave. I really wish we would have had this meeting two weeks ago, because I left feeling like my clothing may not be acceptable. My dad was there waiting when the meeting finished; we grabbed refreshments and headed out. We stopped at the bank and the distribution center before heading back to Salt Lake City. When I arrived at the house, I was wishing I had taken my key, because no one was home. My dad was going to take me back with them, but luckily, before we got out of the development, we saw my aunt in her car. We turned around and headed back.
When I arrived, after driving with my aunt to buy one of my cousin’s textbooks, I began going through my suitcase and trying on all my clothes. Luckily, I don’t have to leave too many behind, but hopefully the ones that I am taking with me are acceptable. I do need to buy a new pair of dress shoes, and maybe a few men’s t-shirts, but that is about all. I also realized that I forgot my plug adapter, so I have to get something so I can plug my laptop in while in the Holy Land. I will go to the DI soon to see what I can find, and make a stop at Wal-mart for the adapter. What a nightmare! Then, hopefully I will get enough rest tonight so I won’t be completely wiped out tomorrow morning when I arrive at the airport at 4:45am. I also hope my luggage won’t be over-weight because we only get one suitcase with no more than 50 lbs. It will cost $50 if I go even 1 lb over. I can’t believe I’m actually going!!!! I’m so excited and at the same time very stressed. But everything will work out . . . I hope. (Picture above and to the right – me feeling a little more hopeful about my luggage).