times they are a' changin'

I haven't updated my blog in almost a year now. To say that things have changed since my last post would be the understatement of the year.

I have two semesters of undergrad left, which includes six required classes and an internship. Grad school is in the picture, although I'm not sure where. My social work classes are amazing. I have learned so much in them, and there is no doubt in my mind that God has led me to become a social worker not only to help those who need help, but also to find who I am.

My papaw passed away in December. It was not necessarily unexpected, but getting used to the fact that I have only one grandparent now has been incredibly weird.

My little brother is finishing up his freshman year of college, and my big brother will graduate with his Master's degree at the same time I graduate with my undergrad. Within the next 5 months or so, we will all be in our 20s. WEIRD.

My parents have become empty-nesters. I've always perceived parents with all of their kids in college to be "old", but I haven't thought that at all about my parents. I've been able to watch them grow both individually and as a wonderful example of a Godly couple and Godly parents. (Not that they weren't before, but you know what I mean.) I've also been able to become much closer to both of them, and I am very thankful for that.

I've become much more involved at my church here in Starkville. Last semester, I led the youth in a bi-monthly Bible study. I'm pretty sure I probably learned more than they did. It was such a wonderful experience for me. This summer I will be chaperoning (because I'm old enough to do that! aaaah!) the same group of kids to a summer camp in Macon, Georgia. I'm looking forward to that.

I've started dating one of my oldest (not as in age, we just go back a really long time) friends from home who also goes to State. He's such a wonderful guy, and he's proven himself to be possibly the greatest friend I've ever had. Although he probably doesn't think so nor do I think he intended to, he's taught me patience beyond belief. We aren't anything super-serious, and I'm more than okay with that for now. We're just enjoying spending time with one another and growing up together and having fun with one another.

My group of friends has shifted dramatically over the past year. That's probably mostly my fault, and I love the friends I've become a lot closer to lately, but it's still different and pretty unexpected.

So as you can tell, a lot of things have changed. Change is something that I've never really dealt very well with, since I tend to be nothing short of obsessive about order and schedule and where things are supposed to go. Yet over the past year, I have made the realization that life never stops changing, and it's always best to expect the unexpected, and all of those other cliches we've heard our entire lives. It has been a very humbling realization, because in the process of all of this change I have had to lean on and learn to trust so many different to help me along the ride. I am very thankful that God has allowed me the opportunity to become so close to these people who have been there for me.

I feel like my thoughts aren't melting together the way I want them to, but that's okay. I wrote this post not to complain or worry, but because I've had trouble finding other ways to talk about things that are on my mind, so maybe I'll resort back to posting again in the near future...