I'm glad you have work for a while longer! That's one thing you won't have to worry about for a bit, at least. Even if it means you are not traveling the world in the near term! At least you will be able to afford socks!
I think I like Ali's idea of emailing him about the papers ahead of time, though at the same time, I have a lot of trouble being too concerned about ruining his birthday dinner, too. Do what works best for you.
I think I have an idea of how you are feeling. I never expected or wanted to end up where I am, but now that things are moving, it really feels like it is the right thing to do. It's still sad, and scary, but I feel pretty calm about it. That's kind of what I read in you post, too.
