With mixed emotion

This Thursday I had a conversation with Mike that stirred the feelings of pride and sorrow. At the same time I was rejoicing and fighting back tears. Mike sat across from me and filled me in on some missing information. Yesterday he had a meeting with the US embassy so he was late for school. Mike loves surprises so he told his parents the weekend before about his upcoming plans and now I was getting to hear about it was well.

For two years Mike has been planning and organizing and arranging to go to Texas to attend university to get his MBA. He was supposed to leave last year with his friend Francis but he didn't feel the timing was right. His meeting for his visa was successful and he leaves on the 24th of May to start school on the 2nd of June. Yeap, that isn't a typo that really is in two weeks. In two weeks he will be in the States and I'll be in Nigeria. How ironic is that?

I'm so proud of him. He has determination and vision for the future. He is always dreaming about the next thing and then puts his plan into action. I told him that it's like we are exchange students. I'm coming to live in his country and he is going to live in mine. In the long run it will help us to better understand each other. I know this is the right move for him and a great opportunity.

At the same time I'm selfish and am so sad that I will lose my close friend. We have mutual friends but I wonder what our interactions will be like without the connecting link of Mike. Another year of Nigeria and now without Mike. I am trusting God for grace. At the same time I'm looking forward to this separation and am determined to not rush it or make the plans like I did with Simon. I'm looking forward to hearing about his days and what he is learning through letters and email. Man, can he talk so I'm expecting some novels about his life there.

On a side note his best friend Femi is getting married to Bola. We spend time with them and today on a walk down the potholed roads of their place Femi and I talked a little about the wedding. I was glad to hear it will be in the second week of December because this means I'll still be around. Femi said this was good because they want me to be in the wedding! I honestly was shocked and speechless. Finally when words came I told him that this was a really big honor. But, in my mind I was worried because I'm just getting to know them better and so why me? I believe it has something to do with the fact that Mike is the best man. Femi joked that he has already been instructing Bola to throw the bouquet so that I catch it. I laughed as I imaged them telling everyone to stand to the left and me to the right and then her just handing the flowers straight to me to make sure I was the one to receive them. Femi said that in a couple of weeks we need to go and look for a dress for Bola. She already has a couple that she likes. I'm excited to do this with her, but part of my heart pains with sadness because it will all have to be done without Mike. I would so much rather have him along with us. The three of us together will make the missing link even more obvious. We'll see how this goes. I'll keep you updated.