"When are you going to Egypt?"

...is a question I hear a lot.

...and a question I ask the universe a lot.

So I figure I'd update this weblog with everything I know about my leave date:
I will leave when all of my support is raised. :-)  So how about that for vague.  The next question asked is: How much support have you raised?  To which I answer:
Wellllll... I'm in the process of applying for a Student Loan Consolidation which will lower my student loan payments by 75% of the original total!!!  So if that goes through and there are no setbacks to the consolidation, I will be around $1200/month closer to my goal. CRAZY, HUH!?!?!?! So... I'd love your thoughts and crossed fingers that the consolidation process goes smoothly.  If it does, I'm currently at 42.5% of my monthly support.  While this doesn't sound like a lot, it's SO much better than the 26% I'd be at without the loan consolidation. 

So, assuming the loan application goes through, I'm at:

*42.5% of my monthly support
*100% of my one-time sending & moving costs
*100% of my 'specific needs' met (camera, up-to-date computer, stove-top espresso maker)

Pretty exciting, eh?

I'm feeling great about the process, even with the waiting.  One can never have too much patience-building and preparation for service in another country, and I'm grateful for the time.  I trust that it will happen with the time is right.  In the mean time, I get extra time with my parents and my Dudley Squirrel (the best dog in the world, in case anyone wasn't sure who that was).  And I get to learn how to best use the camera my brother gave me, so I am prepped to take amazing pictures of Egypt!  And I get to simply live, which isn't half bad.

Thank you for your continued thoughts, encouragement, and love.