I've said it once and I'll say it again.....I am so excited for you! And, just to repeat everyone else for the hundreth time, we are all behind you.
You should DEFINITELY print out these posts and put them aside as a keepsake. Even if the whole thing ends up not working out, at least you'll still have some cool memories to look back on.
However, I don't think that this will fall through. As a matter of fact, I would love to show my support for "your" colony by attending the official presentation/installation when it finally arrives. Seriously. I live in L.A. and I will straight-up drive to UCSC. I bet other California-area GC members would too!
We're all waiting anxiously to hear news as if it were our own campus! You go girl! Go! Go! Go!
......Kelly