Countdown to Take Off

I leave for Africa in 3 days!! I can hardly believe it! People keep asking if I'm nervous, I don't know how to take that question. Does it mean maybe they know me pretty well and know that I tend to get nervous about lots of things, or does it mean that maybe this is something I should be nervous about? Either way, I'm not at all. I have dreamed about this day for years, and now it's actually here. I told someone the other day that I still can't believe that God chose me to go on this trip. He could have picked someone smarter, someone more outgoing, someone more wise, but I don't think he could have picked anyone that wanted to go to Africa more than I do. So I think he has some really cool stuff planned for me while I'm there.
I've gotten tidbits of information about our trip, but I'm still not totally sure what to expect. Every free minute I get I look up information about Nigeria. Lagos, which is where we'll be staying is a very populated city. They say it's about the size of New York with 3 times as many people, and it's chaos all the time. We'll be staying in a hotel and then going out from there each day to do our distributions.
I daydream alot about what I'll see and how I'll feel and how difficult it will be to leave the kids in the orphanage and it's all little overwhelming. I'm not even there yet, but what I picture makes my heart sad already.
So, I have alot to do in the next two days. I have most of my stuff laid out, but I haven't packed anything yet. I'm overwhelmed with how much I need to take and what little room I actually have to take everything. Since we're taking shoes with us and that's what will be considered our checked luggage, I only get to take a carry-on item for all of my stuff. I'm not a light packer, but I'm determined to make this work and not let it stress me out. Although there is a huge pile of medicines, sunblock, bug repellent, sanitizing wipes, nair (yeah, can't shave my legs because they said not to take a chance of any water getting into my system...please pray the Nair works...Nancy, Mandy and April, you know what I'm talking about), shampoo & conditioner (can only pack the travel sizes, which I can go through in 2 days), face wash, lotion, snacks and who knows what else. I hope security doesn't think I'm trying to build some contraption on the plane and throw away all of my liquids.
Anyway, tonight we're going on a bike ride and then dinner for my birthday (at La Piedad, YUM) with friends and family. It will be a great night and will get my mind off of the packing dilemma at least for a little while.