One Year Later!

Can you believe it?! I have been blogging for ONE YEAR!

It's been a horrible day here in the magical land of Lawrence. Daisy Hill's water line broke this morning and there was no Mrs. E's or showers, and it's bitterly cold, and I am thinking I have the flu... Ugh. So I wanted this blog post to be positive to try and help my day out a little. Plus, we all know how much I enjoy reflecting and reliving my favorite memories.

As I've said many times before, October of 2010 was one of the happiest and most memorable months of my life: everything was going great, I had a fantastic boyfriend, and I was well into my Senior Year. Some of my early blog posts, (Senior Night, KU Bound, and It's Time for a Break) are really good for me to read to remember what was going on in my head a year ago... and to evaluate my life now and figure out what I need to do to return to that happy place.

College is new. Let's be honest. It's an adjustment to me... and I will still be adjusting for a while. I am not as settled as I was a year ago. I am learning way more about myself now, and I am very excited for my future, whatever it may hold... but one year ago was a much simpler time...

*I had a set schedule.
*I had someone to wake me up in the mornings.
*I had someone tell me when to (try and) go to bed.

*I had an easy job.

*I had easy classes (for the most part).
*I had a wonderful boyfriend and second family.
*I had a best friend I could see whenever I wanted.
*I had my family.

There are of course many things college gives me that high school didn't...

*I can go for a food run at 1 am.
*I can take a nap at 1 pm.
*I can run a ELISA Test in a lab.
*I can handle NaOH in a lab.
*I can stay in a library until 2 am.
*I can have a sleepover with my friends whenever I want.
*I can (eventually) travel abroad.
*I can learn to manage my time better.
*I can make (more) lifelong friends from all over the world.
*I can mange my money.

And most importantly...

*I can wake myself up in the mornings.

But this isn't even the whole list! College and I are a perfect match, but with all couples, there has to be rough patches and bumpy spots. If there aren't, this would be a very boring and unsatisfying ride...

Typical day with Ty (:

The Three Musketeers!! (: I miss you both!!

Cheering and being a Senior!! (:

I Miss You So Much... <3

My Mom and Dad (:

My Girls!! (:

Visiting KU almost exactly one year ago (:...

Homecoming Squared. (:

Homecoming. It originally was focused around people going home for a reunion or such... not so much a football game or dance. However, recently, I have re-shaped my definition of homecoming...

A couple weeks ago, I missed Mulvane's Homecoming because it happened to be KU's Homecoming as well. It's mainly for the Greeks here, but it was my first college homecoming and I would be home the following weekend for fall break, I decided to stay here. It was a great day!! Juli, Vicky and I ran to Starbucks for coffee since it was such an early game and met everyone at the stadium. We lost... sadly. But it was still a fun game and Juli and I's picture ended up on the BIG screen twice!! We came back and ate dinner and just chilled the rest of the day... definitely a great homecoming. 

Erynn had her first high school homecoming at the same time! It's so weird to think I was doing the EXACT same thing she was four years ago... scary how time flies.

But we don't talk about the cymbals...

Juli (:

&& Robert (:

Under the flag!

This is the pic that was on the board!!

They gave us free flags! lol and I just love this picture! No editing!

The next week, I traveled back to the Vane for fall break!! It was so good to be home and see everyone... but it felt very out of place. Erynn and I could both feel it. We had just gotten used to my being at school, that being thrown back into Mulvane was weird for both of us. Plus, many of my friends weren't there, James was in California, and my college friends were all over the country! Juli, Jess and I are now not sure how we are going to be apart for a WHOLE MONTH for winter break when four days was difficult. I loooooooved spending time with my family, but with packing and driving and school work, it is just much easier to stay in Lawrence... which is slowly becoming home (even though it ticks everyone else off :P )

Veggin.. just like old times.

Cousins. <3

This week was short, but stressful with a midterm and presentation in English. Juli decided I needed a break and told me I was going to Footloose with her tonight. And I am so glad she did!!! It was amazing, and fun, and we were laughing and dancing in our seats the entire time. No it may not be the original, but trust me, we didn't mind. After I came home (see there I go again), I started cleaning and I popped in the soundtrack and was dancing around my room when Claire came in...

What could have been awkward turned into hilarious when she said, "Turn it up!" and we danced and sang  "Footloose" for the next hour and a half... What a great Friday!

So while I don't know where my "home" is, I do know that I have many different homes as of right now: the home with my family, the home with my friends and the home where I live... while two of those happen to be in the same building, it won't always be that way. Someday, we will all be separate again... but we all have homes with each other and our families. So moral of my story... my home is anywhere and everywhere with people I love and love to be around. Simple as that.

<3