Six months from now:

Finished with my college career.

Leaving a life I have worked hard at...

Entering a life we've worked hard for.

Beginning of the rest of our lives

TOGETHER.

Three years in the making...a lifetime to go.

Well, I have a little bit of a break between lab hours and not enough time to work on homework.  So here's a little update...I know you're just thrilled beyond belief.

I feel like my life is in fast forward.  One year left of undergrad.  One year left of Columbia.  One year left of being legally single?

I'm on the downhill stretch of my undergrad degree.  I've got the man I'm going to spend the rest of my life with.  Really?  I'm excited.  So excited. 

My timeline is following through.  Why is my timeline so different from my friends' timelines??

I don't know where I'll live once I graduate.  Which base we'll be stationed.  I'm okay with that. It's kind of exciting actually.  Comfort lies in our relationship.  So much comfort lies in knowing we're together...finally on the same exact page. 

Maybe I'm just a mush, romantic girl.  But I feel like my dreams are coming true.  In a round-about way.  Never would I have imagined that I would be a military wife.  But I'm rolling with it.  And no matter how hard it may get, it's worth every minute.  Teamwork.

wow.  i haven't updated in so long that i actually forgot how to create a new entry. 

i'm sitting here in my little brother's room.  on his computer.  while he is stuck in a chicago airport waiting to be screamed at by training instructors.  wondering how in the world my little brother is able to join the navy.  shouldn't we still be fighting about the remote or something?  surely he's not old enough for that. 

and then...my little cousin is graduating from high school.  granted, my little cousin is 18 and also joining the military, the marines to be precise.  it's almost as if i expect them to stay young.  i don't feel that old, so how could they be old enough to make decisions like that?

i always wonder if the decisions that i make are good ones.  more times than not, i'm okay with them.  honestly, i don't know if there's anything that i've done that i regret.  i am pretty happy with the way my life has turned out.  in general, i'm pretty damn happy.

i've got a lot going for me right now.  a family who supports everything i do.  who loves me and will do anything for me.  a family that i enjoy coming home to.  parents that i consider two of my closest friends. siblings who are unbelievably lovable.  a boyfriend that i wouldn't trade for anything.  who can go wrong with surroundings like that? 

i seriously feel like my life is right on track.  with every twist and turn that it's taken, i really feel like everythings lining up just perfectly.  so what if i don't know where i'll be living in a year.  the fact that i can make decisions and have them supported is such an incredible feeling.  those that don't support, don't matter.  i have so many people that are behind me 100% and love me for who i am.

i'm happy here.  i'm happy in columbia.  i'm happy in st. louis.  i'll be happy in cali.  breaks are needed.  most definitely.  but it's so nice to be excited to go back to where i came from.  wherever that is.  everywhere i turn i have a smiling face awaiting me. 

so many thoughts.  not enough words.  this is only a tiny fraction of thoughts swirling in my head.

it must be the natural ambience of being in the country.  minimal street lights.  wide array of nature sounds.  i'm inside and i can here the birds chirping.  the columns and looong porches on almost every house.  the friendliness everywhere you turn.  the genuine hellos and how are yous. 

there, i feel like i'm a pretty friendly person.  striking up conversations at the check out counter.  but here, that's just normal.  i don't get looked at akwardly for it.  everyone's just so...nice.

the kids i've been working with have really opened my eyes.  the manners that are instilled in these kids are remarkable.  yes ma'am.  no thank you.  miss amanda.  respect is huge...as it should be.

the kids all think i'm abnormal for not being engaged or married yet.  haha.  "but aren't you old enough to be married and have a kid yet?"  while i may be old enough...i'm just not quite to that point in my life, although it's happening all around me.

just ten hours away, and such a different culture.  incredible.  absolutely incredible.  i guess it's true what they say: you can take the girl out of the south, but you can't take the south out of the girl.