happy anniversary :)

Today marks my one-year anniversary of living in Boston! Can you believe it?!?!

WOW! Time has flown by and it truly seems like only weeks ago that I stumbled into this crazy city with a suitcase stuffed with T-shirts, a mind filled with curiosity and a heart overflowing with joy! At the same time, though, I have done so much and learned more than I could have dreamed to (both in and outside of the classroom) and met some of the most beautiful, daring, caring and different people that most folks couldn't encounter in a lifetime -- it seems like a year has hardly been enough time to squeeze it all in! It may have started with grad school, but it's morphed into so much more. I have hit the halfway mark in completing the task on my life checklist of living in a big city, away from home and familiarity and...though some times were bitterly cold...I would not trade one single season, day or experience for a year outside of my beloved Boston.

Obviously, it wouldn't have been the same without my gorgeous roommate and friend, Jocelyn Ann, who is forever making me smile, letting me whine until I'm tired and allowing me to eat a lil something naughty without judgment ("don't judge me!"). I have been blessed by the fantastic group of young women in my class to learn from and joke with and share new experiences with -- being an SAO sister at UGA paid off in our sea full of estrogen! And I can hardly forget the hysterical stories, "seriously?!" moments and lessons learned that come from working in a college health center, alongside some of the most sincere and loving co-workers a girl could never even dream up!

Being away from home for this long has allowed me to really decide what I do (and don't) like about the South, what my future career will (hopefully) look like, how to survive a real winter, how to embrace every single difference in myself and others, how to function without a car, and what it's like to finally be the odd man out. These things have changed my perceptions, my beliefs and my opinions forever -- praise the Lord! Most importantly: I've had the opportunity to see what I want out of life...and to discover that I want to attack it every morning with excitement and vigor...to realize that I'm forever grateful to the Lord for blessing me with and preparing me for everyday...and to continue to challenge myself to accomplish/tackle/experience/explore new things every.single.day that are simultaneously photo-worthy!

This blog has served me well in keeping my memories and anecdotes and discoveries neatly organized, but I can hardly say that it reflects even a drop of all that I have learned since my journey began one year ago. My family has been so patient with my semi-unexpected journey away from home and my best friends have kept me sane when this ole world up here seems so far away from everything normal! I'm forever grateful to all of them, especially my Mom and Dad, for encouraging my jaunt even when I know it wasn't always the easiest at times (i.e., Weiser always being relegated to picking me up at the airport).

This post is certainly not in keeping with the rules and regulations regarding succinctness for this frame of mind, but I'm in charge so I'll allow it this once. Thank you to everyone who reads and comments and shares! I'm a horribly stubborn and opinionated person and, because you put up with that, you get the old blog design back (after one too many tantrums, I'll add). Here's to many, many more :)

say cheese,
katy c.

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