Finger lickin' fried chicken

As excited as I am about our journey of a lifetime, this new chapter begins with a bit of heartache and a hard farewell. As I sit here typing away my mother is pacing through our Washington home making sure theres not just one more thing I need. Baby wipes, cold cream, a 24 pack of spicy ramen. "Nicole, when you make ramen for you and Andrew use 2 bags, you know, one isn't enough."

I woke up this morning just as the sun was coming up to see my stepfather off to work. Dressed in his blue jumpsuit, he says, "We're going to be okay." I know that they are going to be okay and that I am going to be okay and that everything is going to be okay and if it's not...I know that, "you can always come back." And with this reassuring piece of advice that has become a chant, a mantra, a piece of life truth that I hope that I don't have to utilize anytime soon I curled my hair, pack up the last packed lunch my mommy will make for me for some time and ready myself to leave. I'm so excited for the open road and the journey ahead, and know that the possibilities are endless but, it's not the "leap and the net will follow" that's helping me on this first step it's knowing that no matter what, you can always come home.

Thank you to everyone who has made this possible, I love you all, I miss you already and take this as your own, after all we do this for you too.

Mommy's Road Lunch
1 paper bag of finger lickin' friend chicken
1 tupperware container of Spam Kimpop
1 retelling of family camping trips gone wrong, that I was too young to remember