Preparing for life in the foreign service

I keep telling people at work that we're not risk takers--because we're not. I live a block away from the hospital in which I was born. But we're lucky. Perhaps we create our own luck, or maybe we can just recognize an opportunity when we see it. Either way, our family: myself, my husband, Grace the growly dachshund, and Julie the butterfly chasing vizsla are heading to Washington, D.C. to train for a life in the foreign service.

The last few weeks have been a frenzy of packing, farewell parties, transferring our responsibilities at work, and trying to give our stuff away. Brian starts A-100 training on February 16, and we leave Florida on February 13. I'm still looking for a taker on the popcorn maker I inherited from my in-laws. I swear it works.