Happy Birthday Grandpa!
Today is my grandpa Nester's 79th birthday and I just wanted to give a shout out to him on his special day! My grandpa is an extremely generous man who has been one of the cornerstones of my life growing up and a huge part of my entire family still today. I am so thankful to have had him involved so deeply in mine and my siblings' lives from attending sports games to choir concerts it has always meant a lot that he cares so much. He reads this blog all the time and I just wanted to let him know through this outlet how special he is and to let anyone else who is reading this know what a great man and grandfather Norval Nester is. I love you grandpa.

"You don't know what you've got 'till it's gone" - Joni Mitchell

It's the first week of school. Here comes the predicted statement of "I miss Jason" because I do, horribly. Luckily we are spending the weekend together in Texas where his parents are throwing us an engagement party. It should be a lot of fun and a great quick escape from the reality of syllabi and looming deadlines that are already swirling in my head and making my stomache flutter. It's great to be back in columbia living with my friends. I really did miss them and having them to share life with. I'm excited about the topics of my classes- not the work required however- but it gives me great motivation and inspiration that this is my last semester of college and after this I can choose to never sit in a classroom again if I so desire. For some reason that's empowering to me. Coming to college was definitely a choice and one I made eagerly and willingly. However, I also knew if I wanted to be taken seriously in the world and to open lots of doors and opportunities, I needed a degree. So I guess it's just empowering to know that I'll now have that degree and I don't necessarily need another one to do things of importance in the world. But I digress.
It's bitersweet being here and I won't lie- I'm not thrilled to death. I'm glad it's only 15 weeks, yet it's also startling to realize that after those short weeks a huge chapter of my life is over and it leads to the biggest plunge of my life-marriage. I'm excited about it but it's also hitting me what a large plunge it is, so I'm glad to have 4 more months to prepare myself and this painful time apart to give me the perspective of just how right it is that I'm marrying this man. With college, with Jason, with singlehood, with deep friendships and little joys like your computer working- you don't know what you've got till it's gone. Until next time....