So my 3rd fall break is at its end ... and it's leaving me feeling old. With one month to go until my 21st birthday I think that it is JUST sinking in that I am 20 years old. I can't put into words how that makes me feel exactly. I have a picture in my head of a 20 year old that has been there since I've been a kid. And it's just very strange that I am at this point in my life. I guess it's been hitting home because I've been surrounded by grade school and childhood memories most of this weekend.

I got home late Friday. Saturday I got my haircut, got lunch with my mom and Sheilia. Sunday I went to church at St. Bernardine's (where I ran into Annie Johnsen which was nice), visited my grandma, watched a St. B's soccer game with Mary Rehor, and spend some time at Joe's with his family for his belated birthday celebration. Monday I just lazed about and got dinner with my dad. And today I woke up early to visit St. Bernardine's with Mary Rehor before heading back to Peoria with Joe.

Usually when I find myself home on breaks I am frantically running around gettig errands done, seeing friends, and attending events. But this break no body was really in town, I didn't have a car, and there was really just nothing fighting for my time. So I spent a lot of it hanging around my house with my family which I actually really missed doing. I was never homesick my freshman year at college, but this year I find myself really missing my home and family.

Next time I come home I will be 21. (Johanna - You. Me. Madison Street ;-)!) Being home and catching up with Mary also made me think of how a lot of the kids I've gone to school with through my life are now out in that "real world" that I get to avoid for 3 more semesters. But I can't hide from it forever, and I'm realizing that soon enough I will be on my own. The day is coming and I'm slowly adjusting to the lifestyle. But it just freaks me out, time has gone so fast. I remember some grade school and high school memories like they happened yesterday.

When it boils down to it I am extremely grateful for everything that I have experienced so far and am extremely excited for what is waiting for me in my future. And I can't even begin to explain how grateful I am for all the people that I have been blessed to know in my life so far ...