Another Ending

Well, this is it. Tomorrow I move all my stuff back to Columbia MO. I'm really looking forward to living with my friends again. The roomate's of this summer have been many and difficult, so I'm ready for the familiar and the wonderful! I will be back in Nashville briefly this weekend to do my checkout scuba dive and grab a cup of joe with a friend, and then Sunday night it's Radiohead in St. Louis followed by class on Monday at 1pm. Man this summer flew by fast.

Jason and I went apartment hunting yesterday and today and I'm excited to say we found an awesome apartment complex with two buildings. Since we're looking now and putting ourselves on the top of the list for January the woman has guaranteed us we'll have an apartment in this complex. We are really excited. It's two great buildings, one built in 1929 and one in 1919. Hard wood floors, vaulted ceilings, they're just perfect, and even within our budget! It's really hitting me that I'm getting married now. It's less than five months away, the dresses are being made, the floral plans have been gathered, hotel rooms blocked, the honeymoon suite at the Ritz, the honeymoon and my scuba certification. It's all really coming together. I'm really excited-I'm ready.

Even though I'm excited and ready, I'm still thankful for these last few months ahead to enjoy my girlfriends, to enjoy being single just a little longer, to get some awesome pre-marital counseling, and to daily give this all over to God and pray for His grace in my life and in our married life to come. Sometimes I can't help thinking wow, we're so young. But, when you know you've found the right person why does it matter how old you are when you've found them? God has a purpose for us, I'm sure of it. What that is lies yet to be determined, but we'll find it day to day, together. I feel like I'm giving up a lot by saying goodbye to being single so young, but I'm doing it because of the certainty that I'm gaining so much more. I've been given an incredible partner to explore with, to dream with, to succeed and to fail with. To love, to cherish, to hold and protect, to serve and to share with, to truly live with. What an amazing blessing, and we're so young! We're so blessed. Sometimes it brings a tear to my eye.
Well, anyway, I'm leaving tomorrow and I leave with excitement towards what's ahead. Even though I want to be married today to move into our cute new apartment and start my life permanently here, I'm still so excited about the lingering days of my singleness, living with five of my best friends and writing the final chapter on my college career. Pretty exciting stuff. I'm ready for it.

Almost Over

Almost Over

The summer is quickly winding down, as I knew it would. Tomorrow is my last day at Ted's Montana Grill and honestly, I am thrilled. I am done with burgers and fries and praying for big tips. Unfortunately, financially Ted's did not provide all I had hoped for. I think after all is said and done I'll have enough to pay September's rent in Columbia, but I was hoping for October, November and December too. So, my dream of not working my last semester of college will remain simply that, a dream. I've gotten the wheels turning on what kind of job I can fit into this crazy semester. I'm sure God will provide.
I had my brother and sister here last week. We had a lot of fun, but now I want to wait even longer to have kids! I start the pill on Sunday and it couldn't come a moment sooner. Come January I want absolutely no possibility of babies!!!!! Ah!
I'm going into the studio on Monday. A real studio, with $20,000 dollar microphones. This is our big chance! I'm praying!
There's not much more to say. School is only like two weeks away. Until then I have scuba lessons, a wedding in KC and a Radiohead concert (woohoo!) Then it will be blogs of longing for the man I must leave behind here in nashville, along with some other longings such as I wish the relationships of college could go on forever unchanged, but I know a big change is quickly approaching and man I want it to be January 9th! Until next time...

When Even The Cat is Not Welcome Here

Yes, my friend. Things haven't changed, and the relapse of Cassie into her pre-Chateau days has forced me to reevaluate my standings, with roomates and with friends.

Its funny -- not funny-ha-ha -- how things transform and morph, out of expectations and out of fear. Relationships, mostly. For the longest time, I resisted the change of my friends who were paired up in serious relationships. Now, however, I'm seeing the other end of the tunnel: the things that I have so fervently scrutinized are now becoming a prevalent notion. Or, I'm afraid I'm becoming 'the girl with the boyfriend.' And we ALL know how much I don't like that.
But -- and here's the revelation -- in all the chaos that spending nearly 24/7 with someone brings, I have seen what incredible value my friends hold in my life; the dearness to which I hold their words, deeds, and advice is buried deep within my heart, and I look to those things constantly.
Coming from a family of mediocre ties, I consider my friends to be just as tight as blood kin. Sometimes more, in certain aspects. And these ties are foundational -- its really my own Greek Family....
So, in all these things, whether in one or all fifty pictures, they are close to my heart.

PS: Natalie, did you know you sent me a link to post on your blog?

Side note

Some things never change- well, one thing actually. Cassie the cat and her mean, mean ways.