Wisconsin, Don't Ya Know?

There is something about being back home that just makes me happy to be alive.

I must say, being back in Wisconsin, no matter how short the time, makes me thankful to have the good friends and family that I do. No matter what is going on in mine or their lives or where I or they have been, we always pick right back up like no time has elapsed since our last visit.

I am so thankful to my best friends Sarah and Katie. I have been gone a lot this last year and minus the phone dates, sitting next to them in a car while we cruise around our old home town makes me thankful that I met them long ago in high school.

I got to thinking the other day about my friendships, both past and present, and have realized that I have some of the best friends in the world. I know this is said a lot of various blogs, facebook posts, and twitter accounts, but my friends blow every one out of the water.

This last year was really hard. The friends I thought I had weren't there and the friends I was not or did not know that well became staples in my life. It's funny, life plays little tricks on you but you always seem to get to where you are going no matter what.

From making pasta in my mom's kitchen and talking about current relationships or drinking 1.00 beers at a bar, the memories from the past make the future that we are all suppose to have. I am truly blessed. I never thought I would have been saying that at certain times in the past, but realizing it now, and seeing the faces of my friends, family, and future loved ones come into my life make me realize that I, am one of the lucky ones.

Until next time...

And Now the Goodbyes...For There Will Be Many

The Trinity

(The now official one, because the other has disbanded)

Lisa- Words cannot express how much I will miss you. I remember coming to CGU on my first day as a M.A. student and feeling so lonely and now leaving it, after everything, I cannot remember what that felt like because I have you. Your laughter, support, strength, and above all, your friendship have proven to me that I have true friends at Claremont and not the fake trinity, I mean holy saints, that I thought I was once close to. You remind me every day why friends and friendship are the most important thing to me. I will never and could never forget you and above else, you and I both know that I won't really "be gone," because I'll still know all the hot gossip before anyone else and have you to tell it to!

Amanda - If there is one thing I am sad about it is that I did not really get to know you until the summer after our first year as M.A. students. I want you to know that during the second semester and into the summer I felt so alone. I didn't have anyone to call and I didn't really know what to do with my time until I met you (and Nick, but this post is about you :) ). Your laughter, smile, and above all the love you have for everyone and everything transforms me from my pessimistic/realist self and back into the believer I want to be. Over the course of this last year, when stuff went down, you believed in me and in who I was. Your un-staggering friendship has been and will always be a beacon I measure everything to. Always remember my age old words: "This ain't my first time at the rodeo," when the haters be hatin' because they don't and could never understand the true and beautiful person you really are. I'm so happy that I have you in my life because I could not honestly imagine it without you. Hide yo kids, hide yo wife!

Nick - Who would have ever thought I would have so much in common with a man from the South and Georgia of all places? From Buffy to Religion, your friendship and knowledge inspires me. I will never forget when we first met, it was at "she who must not be named's" (because everything is about children's literature remember) house and you were telling ghost stories about your mother's house. From that moment on, I knew you were someone special and I cannot tell you how much your friendship has meant to me. From moving, to carrying a couch all the way across Pomona's campus, you have always been there for me. You are always there to tell me what I need to hear, regardless of the subject matter, and to help keep me grounded and guide me. I cannot wait to say I "knew him when," because I know you are going to be a HUGE scholar one day and I am so happy I am able to be a part of your life. Keep Lisa in line for me while I'm gone, you know how much she likes to party!

Singin' for Suffrage

I still remember when my first blog post was going to be about this video for my Media Studies class!

Memories...