A Trip Down Memory Lane...

Last night I spent several hours reading all the old posts from my first blog which I started exactly 3 years ago- February 2004 during my freshmen year at CU. I haven't used that blog for exactly a year and used my Xanga more during the last 2 years. Anyway, it was so entertaining to read my old posts- like a diary of freshman and sophomore year! It was really hilarious and sometimes sad. Some things seem so long ago while others seem like just yesterday. After reading through my recent past and reading about my hopes for the future- I suddenly just realized that I'm there! I'm exactly where I was looking forward to 3 years ago. This is it! I've graduated, I'm a teacher, and I'm in Asia. Exactly what I was waiting for during those years at CU! Of course, I've realized that I've graduated- but it suddenly just hit me really hard last night that it's true: I'm done with Cedarville, with college, I'm an adult, I'm out in the real world, I'm paying bills, making career decisions....I can't believe it. How did I get here so fast? It seems like it snuck up on me. What happened to college? It whizzed past so fast...of course I made it shorter by graduating early...but still...where'd it go? I feel so weird all of a sudden and yet also a renewed excitement for life and the future! This is what I dreamed of and wanted for so long and I'm living that dream right now! Definitely sheds new light on my life here and gives me a much more positive outlook! God is good. He has brought me so far and confirmed my dreams and desires and has blessed me so much in the past 3 years alone.

Here are some interesting posts from years gone by:

• Feb. 12, 2004

"We talked about teaching strategies and then talked about Field Trips for half the class time. I CAN NOT wait to be a teacher. I'm soooo excited!!"

• April 6, 2004

"I had a meeting with Dr.Basset (head of Education dept) today... and we planned out my whole life! It was great. It turns out that I can graduate a semester early and while I cannot fit a TESOL minor in, I could just take the important classes from that minor, so I would still be trained, even if I don't have the certification for it. They don't care all that much in Asia anyway if you are certified in TESOL; being American [native speaker ;)] and having an education degree should be sufficient. I am so excited, but a little apprehensive at the idea that I will be out in the real world earlier and I'll basically miss my whole senior year if I student teach overseas cuz after my student teaching in the fall [in China], I'm done, so I might as well just stay on there cuz I won't be able to find a teaching job in January besides subbing here. So, I pretty much only have 2 more years at CU. I'm nervous-the real world is coming so soon!"

• April 28, 2004

"I can't believe this is it. Two more days and my freshman year is officially over....how can this be? 5 minutes ago I was about to throw up as we drove on to campus [for the first time]... What happened?"

• January 20, 2005

"It didn't really hit me that I'd left half of my family behind [after Christmas break] and had left Asia once again until I was waiting in LA...As soon as I got to America, I wanted to go back to Asia. My gate to go to Indy was right next to the one going back to Narita then on to Manila...I wanted to get back on there sooo badly! It's taken me awhile to get readjusted to being back here."

• Feb. 12, 2006

"The only thing that gets me through [homesickness] is knowing that I will be outta here [America] in September! I am so excited. I miss it [Asia] so much..."

I think I am going to try to blog more often cuz I realized how entertaining it is later to read old posts! :)