Goodbyes Aren't Easy

As I try & comprehend the fact that I only have two days left here in Illinois, I realize that I have said goodbye to many friends and family members who are so dear to me. This past week has been filled with a goodbye here, there, and everywhere. Lemme tell ya, it starts to get to you. I've become mentally drained after saying goodbye so many times to so many people that I love. I never realized how hard this process would be. I assumed that I would tell my friends and family goodbye, hug them, and move onto the next goodbye. But no. That's not how it's played out. 
About two weeks ago I had my final day at Savers (where I work). I've been there almost two years in October. In these past 21 months, I've met some of the greatest people ever. I've had some cool managers and some not-so-cool managers, but I won't name who. In January I started working "full-time" again in the back aka production. And let me tell you, the people who are currently working in the back are the most awesome people I have ever worked with back there. They're caring, hysterical, sometimes loud & crazy, but overall they're my friends, not just co-workers. The support and encouragement I've gotten from them is outstanding. They're all so excited for me to be going to college. Heck they threw me a going-away potluck on my last day. My point is I didn't think it would be hard for me to say goodbye when I first started full-time again in June. But boy was I wrong. I realized that these guys are like my second family. I spent 40 hours a week with them, for almost two months and then I've known some of them since the very beginning. It was hard for me to say goodbye, I didn't do a lot of crying at Savers, but the moment I got in my car the tears came pouring down. 
I've been back a few times, the most recent was today actually. But it hasn't gotten any easier. Some of my best friends I met at Savers, and I'm leaving them behind. I know that with technology I can stay in touch with a click of a button, but it won'e be the same. If any of my Savers family is reading this blog, I want to thank you. Thank you for supporting me and being the greatest co-workers/friends a girl could ask for. I can't wait to come home on breaks and work with you guys again!
So that's the story with my Savers family. Now you may be asking yourself, what about saying goodbye to my actual family? Well that was just as hard. My parents threw me a going away party on Sunday so I could say goodbye to my cousins, aunt, uncle, and grandparents. It was fun as always because we got loud, a little rowdy, and overall just had fun. But it was hard because I am close with my cousins and I'll miss the sleepovers and shopping excursions and the fighting between us. I'll also miss those motorcycle rides my uncle takes me on. But it was really hard to say goodbye to my grandparents. I saw them again this week to say a "final" goodbye and I didn't think it'd be that rough, but oh it was. For those of you that know, I was born the day before my grandma Barb (my mom's mom) and I'm her firstborn, so we're extremely close and share a special bond. We're also some of the biggest White Sox fans you'll meet, so I'll definitely miss going to games with her. And my grandpa Wally and I have always been close so it was hard. But what was really rough was seeing them both crying on their front porch waving goodbye as I drove away. That's an image that will stay with me for awhile. It was also rough saying goodbye to my grandma Faye. For those of you who know, my grandpa Len passed away in December so my grandma moved 5 minutes away from my family so she could be closer. We've had some fun in the past 4 months that she's been at Windsor Park and now I'm leaving and well it sucks. 
I'm just waiting for Sunday afternoon at 1 PM when my mom, dad, and Kyle have to say goodbye. There will be plenty of tears, trust me. I'm the first to leave for college, and I'm going 500 miles away from home. But my parents know that I'll make smart choices and I'll make them even prouder than what they already are. 
But what I want everyone to know is that I will miss each and everyone of you. I also want you to know that I will make you all proud that you know me and have some sort of an influence in my life. 
There's a quote from Peter Pan that says, "Never say goodbye, because goodbye means going away, and going away means forgetting." 
So it's not goodbye, but I'll see ya later.