goodbye 21...

so today i cross over into the world of adulthood. for the first time in my life, i feel as though this is a rite of passage that i am fighting with everything in me. perhaps it is because of the lack of uncertainty as to what this year will hold, or perhaps the feeling that expectations arise when one reaches this certain point along the journey of life. i suppose i just need to remember that there is a balance (as always) to having fun and not taking life too seriously and moving toward the more responsible things of life. it's weird because i generally feel as though i am ready for the next stage of life when it comes around. when it was time to get a car and start driving.. i was comfortable with the pile of metal and a full tank of gas. when high school graduation rolled around, i embraced the good-byes, black gowns, and a packed car ready to drive into my future life. in the last year, i have felt ready for graduation and life after college. now that it's almost here, i feel the seeds of doubt creeping in. i suppose this is the ultimate test. i'll be on my own and the world is at my fingertips. perhaps i am just being dramatic and need to chill a little. maybe part of growing up is realizing that change is a part of life, and although you can anticipate big changes like turning 22 and graduating more than little changes, life is all a constant process forcing growth and brokenness.

so here's to the first of "just another birthdays"...

perhaps i should end on a more upbeat note. some of my favorites about being 21:
valentine's day.
learning through heartache.
sadie hawkins.
dancing under the stars.
home group girls that have kept me sane.
new and old friends that i have come to appreciate more than i could imagine.
learing to live life with an open hand.
barb and elise.
a boy who is so amazing to me.
cheddars margaritas.
experiencing the restoration of the Lord.
trips to denton.
new year's.
coming to the end of myself and realizing i must rely on someone stronger than me.