One More Thing Before I Head Out...

Right now I am sitting at the airport waiting to board my red eye flight to Nassau.  We are planning to spend a few days on the beach there before I take off for the semester.  Over the past few weeks I have been trying to see as many people as I can before leaving.  I know I am only going to be gone for 3 1/2, but since I have never been away from home for so long before, it seemed like a good idea.  I am incredibly blessed to have a huge group of friends and family supporting me.  I have read a few others students talking about how their families don’t understand or their friends think they are just going on a ‘booze cruise.’  I have not had a single person say one of these things to me.  Everyone has been excited and very supportive of me, which is something I am very grateful for.  Because of that, I wanted to write a post to say ‘thank you’ to those people.  You know who you are.  I don’t want to make a complete list, because I am afraid I will forget someone and then I will feel terrible...

I have an amazing family.  My parents, brother, grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, and so on are some of the kindest people I have ever met.  Even though I have never lived in Kentucky where most of my family lives, I have always considered it my hometown, because that is where my family lives.  Then there are the Maryland people.  I moved away about five years ago, but I receive so much encouragement from friends back there that sometimes it seems that we are still there.  My friends from the Well and Fuel, you have truly been an answer to prayer for me.  Before starting in both of those groups I had been praying to meet true friends, since I didn’t have very many in Colorado and I am thankful for each of you.  Yoga people, it meant a lot to me to have people ask to pray for me before heading out.  I have packed my yoga mat, so hopefully I can keep working on it while away!  Friends I met at Heritage Square, it has been so fun to get to know you guys over the past couple of summers while playing Rockband or watching weird YouTube videos!  I will miss that while I am away.  Also, the people who I have met at school…  We need to hang out more!  I always have fun with our random conversations about CreationFest or zombie strategies, I think there should be more!  The friends who I met in Maryland before they moved to Colorado after us, it has been so much fun getting to know you over the past several years!  I wish I had gotten to see you before I left, but I will see you when I get back!  I need to stop because I keep just coming up with more people…  So anyone who I have gone for coffee with lately…  Let’s just say I love you all and I will see you when I get back!

The Road goes ever on and on

Down the door where it began.

Now far ahead the road has gone,

And I must follow, if I can,

Pursuing it with eager feet,

Until it joins some larger way

Where many paths and errands meet.

And whiter then?  I cannot say.

The Road goes ever on and on

Out from the door where it began.

Now far ahead the Road has gone,

 Let others follow it who can!

Let them a journey new begin,

But I at last with weary feet

Will turn towards the lighted inn,

my evening-rest and sleep to meet.

JRR Tolkien