All will be well... I think.

This is how I feel packing to live in a college dorm again.... ------>


So, I really should have updated this by now, but I’m at home and when I’m at home I’m AT HOME. My dad always gets excited when I come home because we can hang out and my mom likes to watch movies with me and I also have to unpack/pack, so really it’s impossible to take the time to update my blog.

Graduation was more or less surreal. I don’t think it’s hit me yet that I am a college grad—especially since I’m packing to move back into a dorm. But it was over in a flash. Bishop Vann gave a wonderful yet rather long address and then I walked across a stage and was handed a diploma from Bishop Farrell (which was surreal in its own way, since I’m probably his biggest fan). And then I was down the stairs and to my seat and Tim and I sat there looking at our diplomas like, wow, this is really happening. And then there were goodbyes, I turned in my graduation garb and walked away from Braniff, not sure I’ll ever see many of those people ever again.

Rebecca and I had a lovely graduation reception, which many of my dear friends from HFN attended. I was so glad to be with them all one last time before leaving!

The week after graduation consisted primarily of cleaning and packing and trying to go one last time to all the places that Molly and I loved. My parents stayed until Wednesday morning, and while they were there Mark and I enjoyed going all kinds of places with them. Then, when they left I spent an evening with the Ponikiewskis/Parents and an evening with Molly and Jill. It all went by so fast that I can barely explain how I felt or what was going through my mind except to say that I was very happy and very sad all at once. Happy to be enjoying the company of my very favorite people (particularly the Ponikiewskis) but sad to be saying goodbye.

Molly and I spent the weekend in Houston and were blessed to spend time with Adam Landry and to meet his family and to see Caity Dewitt and Alison Galbraith. All these wonderful people who have been such a blessing in my life! And then, too soon, we packed up my mom’s van (which she had lent me) and we drove to Tulsa. After a wonderful evening with Kevin and a sad goodbye to Molly, I went home.

I have been very blessed since I’ve been home. On Sunday my parents threw me a graduation party and all these wonderful people came to congratulate me and celebrate with me. It was wonderful to see them all—especially my dear friend, Jindra, who has always been so kind to me. She is like a second grandmother and is so sweet and so filled with love and grace. And seeing all these other people who have always been an inspiration to me—The Cruises, the Manions, the Brookses, the Volkmers, the Stratmans, the Mugels, the Tuckers… the list could go on forever—it was so wonderful and so special and I am so grateful to everyone who came. Everyone that was there is someone who has played an important role in my life. Seeing my family and friends was wonderful and I wish I had more time to talk to everyone.

Since the party, I have been unpacking and packing at the same time. It’s difficult and stressful and the added nervousness of going, yet again, into the great unknown, alone and the pain of being terribly homesick for Dallas and my friends and my apartment—this as all made this week very hard.

Then, last night, my friends from St. Pats School got together. We try to do this every time we come home and each time there is a different group that comes. Last night it was Paul Volkmer, Matt Ruder, CJ Papesh, Calli Collier, Hannah Mugel and I. I think it’s been years (probably since graduation) since we were all in the same place at the same time. And it was just like no time had passed. The bonds that run between us are so strong that even after 8 years of separation, we were able to talk for hours and just be together. It was like heaven for a few hours there, being able to forget my nervousness and worries about packing and leaving again and just sit and remember old times and talk and dream… it was a great reminder of why I love my little town. These people were the ones who made my childhood what it was, and without their friendship I would not have been the person I am.

So, all in all, I am very blessed (something you all already knew) and I am very grateful for friends. However, should someone wish to help me pack/unpack, it would be greatly appreciated. I just keep playing Dr. Who in the background and reminding myself constantly that all will be well.