home

I'm sitting in my somewhat put together dorm room. It's 2AM and I have a class in 7 hours. I can't sleep. My stomach hurts, and it just occured to me that all I've had to eat today is a piece of pizza and a slurpee. I'm home.

for future nostalgia

Tomorrow's the big day. Kind of. I'm moving all of my stuff, sans my makeup, some clothes, and a few hair care products, up to Central in the morning. Then I'm coming back to Somerset. Then I'm going downriver. Then I'm coming back to Somerset. Then I'm going back to Central, where I'll stay...until I get homesick. (This is all over an entire weekend...not just tomorrow.)

This is the part where I'm supposed to start freaking out, but I haven't yet. I have absolutely nothing ready to go, and I'm sitting in the living room floor of the old new house (or is it new old house?) and blogging for memory's sake. Completely content. Completely ready for something new and challenging.

But I'm going to miss things about this summer. This house for one. I've grown attached to this house. For the six years we lived in the other one, I never felt anything for it. But four months in this house, and it's like we've known each other all our lives. I'm going to miss having the doorwalls open and watching the water and sitting on the swing. I'm going to miss listening to the crickets and the frogs at night. And the kayaking. And what will someday be my room. And my six shades of green bathroom. And watching it turn into a home. Plus I've already picked out my "computer spot" in the living room against the couch.

I'm also going to miss recreational reading. Beginning Sunday it's going to be 90% text books. Boo.

I'm going to miss random hangout sessions with Kelsey (Grove) Heinz. Our walks. Our talks. Our outings. Our giggling. Our making awful tasks and errands seem like the most glorious of times together.

I'm going to miss my (sort of) new friends Debbie and Sara (sort of about the "new" part, not the "friends" part). I'm really sad that I have to leave these two lovely ladies behind. I'll miss coloring, eating ice cream, adventures with Sara. I'll miss movies, Starbucks, and sitting in the Target supply room during a tornado warning with Debbie. I'll miss our talks and the wonderful people they are. But there will be visits :) I mean really, I can't stay away from camp for too long.

I'll miss spending time with Jess. I have absolutely cherished the time I've spent with her this summer. When we were little, we always thought we were sisters, and lately, I've felt like we truly are. I love that we're growing up, but still staying close and growing even closer.

And of course, I'll miss my family. Mom and Dad, of course...but mostly Levi. I feel like the worst mother in the world, abandoning my only son and leaving him with his grandmother who calls him stupid and has threatened to kick him out countless times. Sigh...I'm really going to miss that little guy. I hope he still loves me when I come home.

Okay, it's getting late, and my writing is getting sub-par. I should go get some sleep. I have a big day tomorrow!

main points

• The house sold.
• I finally got to hang out with Mrs. Heinz today. It was wonderful. She's letting me borrow her refrigerator.
• Jessie's birthday was on Saturday. Horseback riding, buffalo observing, drive-in, uncomfortable floor...I think that covers the basics.
• I move into my room on Thursday. That's one day from right now.
• Kristi and Jason's wedding's on Saturday. We're all growing up.
• As of 2PM last Saturday, I don't work at Somerset Beach. I'm glad to be done, but it's a weird adjustment.
• I'm hanging out with Debbie and Sara tomorrow. I'm pretty sure Starbucks will be involved. I'm pumped.
• I'm listening to Dashboard Confessional right now. Never gets old.
• I'm excited for my linguistics class.
• I usually never end up liking the classes I'm initially excited for.

two for one

"Haaaaaaaaaaaave you met Ted?" Sorry...that had nothing to do with anything. I just had to.

Anyway, have I mentioned that I'm going to Central in 12ish days? I am. People keep asking me if I'm nervous or excited. Nine times out of ten I just tell them I'm not sure yet. It's the truth. I haven't decided. I don't really feel nervous, and I'm not all that excited. I'm mostly just indifferent. It doesn't make sense to me either. But I know exactly what will happen. I won't feel anything until the morning I'm supposed to head up there, and what I'll feel is a horrible stomach ache. It'll stick around for the entire 2 hour drive to Mr. Pleasant. Once I'm there, though, and I've met my suite mates, I'll be just peachy. Hopefully.

The whole experience will repeat itself that Sunday when I actually move in for good. I'm taking all my stuff up next Thursday probably, but then I'm coming home because Kristi and Jason's wedding is on Saturday, so I'd be coming home that weekend anyway. It doesn't make much sense that I would go through my little nervous ritual all over again, but that's the way my issue infested little self works. I've pretty much come to terms with it. Just another quirk.

In other news...

...I love living on the lake! I'm a little sad that we haven't always lived on a lake. I've become so outdoorsy. I've always liked being outside and enjoying the beautiful creations around me, but now I can't get enough of it! If I don't go for a bike ride or take a kayak out, I feel a little depressed at the end of the day, almost like I missed out on something. I even like to just sit by the water and read. It's kind of blissful, and I'm definitely going to miss it when I go to school. Something to look forward to next summer though!

"...it's just that it goes at all."

perfect day - a day that is simply good; a day that doesn't stand out because of one perfect moment, but because of a culmination of perfect little moments.

I had two of them this weekend.

I visited Jess and Nate this weekend, and it was blissful. I beat the storm by a couple of minutes and spent the duration of a tornado warning in the window surrounded living room of their second floor apartment. We hung out with Nate's brothers and talked and laughed and watched movies. We had breakfast the next morning and were served by the crankiest waitress I have ever met...and somehow that just made the weekend even better.

I visited with Jordan, who is now engaged to Justin :) I miss her...

I was supposed to make my way back to the country after that, but I decided I wasn't done visiting with Jess yet, so I filled the time while I waited for her to get done at work. I went and saw Shelly and reminisced about the past and speculated about the future for a few hours.

Then I went to Elizabeth Park and read a little and walked a little. I love walking through a park by myself. It always makes me feel a little bit like Elizabeth Bennett walking through the garden when Darcy brings her the infamous letter. Mr. Darcy wasn't there, but it was still blissful.

Then I went back to Jess, and we watched Ever After and part of Moulin Rouge and girl-talked until we fell asleep. This morning was full of more wonderful talks.

And then I had to go back to reality. Which isn't so bad, but I kind of sort of miss the weekend.

"Let's not go to sleep tonight. It's not that it goes too fast; it's just that it goes at all."

"I'm looking for corny in my life."

If I had to pick one favorite movie, it would be The Holiday. I have no idea how many times I've watched it, but I could watch it at least a thousand times more and still not get sick of it. I know all the lines, and I'd totally be that annoying person who says them before the actors do if you were to watch it with me. I love all of the characters and their stories. I love that it's funny and sweet and sentimental and (somewhat) realistic all in one. I love that Miles and Iris both say fruitily. And that Graham ends up being a dad. And that Iris rocks out to Jet. And that she ends up telling Jasper off in the end.

So anyway, all that to say, if you haven't seen this movie, you probably already should have. And if you have seen it, you should probably watch it again.

smiling next to Oprah and the queen

Honestly, if I had a billion dollars, the first person I would think of would be me. I would take a Jules Verne kind of trip, pay for the next lifetime of college, buy a jeep, and probably move to a nice house in the mountains of Arizona...or Europe. Of course, there would be family members and friends who would benefit from my fortune too. "What's that Stacie? You'd like another horse? Why not have two more?" "Mom, Dad, you need some fantastic landscaping for your new house and a new boat? I think this yacht's going to need a bigger lake." Really, it would be splendid.

But after that though, how fun would it be to just give it to people who really needed it? A trip to Haiti, another to Africa...heck, I probably wouldn't even need to leave Somerset. And not right away, but eventually I would adopt a bunch of awesome kids who didn't have hope before. It would be wonderful. Maybe even more than wonderful.