{i'm a big girl now}

So as most of you might know, I've had a few great changes in my life recently. I've had to become a big girl & packed up all my belongings & moved to the small town of York, Nebraska. I love it though. Not to mention I have the cutest dorm in all of Tomas Hall & I'm probably the only one with a couch, which is a plus to not having a roommate. This campus has the most supportive & loving people here. I've been so inspired by a few individuals since I moved here. I've heard so many different stories of struggle & success. I've gotten the chance to meet so many new, interesting people. I've made a whole new set of friends & gotten the chance to reconnect with a few old ones.

The encouragement I've felt from the students, as well as the staff here is unbelievable. I thank God everyday for that. My spiritual cup is starting to overflow from the uplifting attitudes of everyone here on campus. The bathroom in my hall has sticky notes in the stalls for us all to write down our thoughts. I decided that it would be nice to have positive things posted in there, so I started to write down different encouraging things, within a matter of a day or so, more thoughts began to pop up on sticky notes on that stall door. All mentioning being positive, or where beauty really comes from. Some speak of being motivated to change lives, while other talk about the love our Savior has for us. It's so great to see what these girls have to say. Though I know all the girls in my hall, I don't know who is writing what. Which means that others are just willing to share their thought for the day & not take credit for it. It's just so cute!

Moving to York has been such a change for me. 1. Because I've never moved in my life. 2. Because it's forced me to get out of my comfort zone & meet new people. 3. I've been challenged in my class, by people. & by the everyday lessons people are teaching me. It's great to have this new opportunity to get out & actually be a big girl. I've gotten the chance to make my own choices & decisions.

It's great to be on my own, but don't get me wrong, I miss my family. I call my mom so much more than I thought I would & Tweet Maddog all the time. Even Taylor & I have had a few conversations, mostly about her missing me ;) I've yet to hear from my brother, but I guess I did see him just last week. I miss getting to sit by my grandpa at church on Sundays & getting to chat with all the cute old ladies after services. I miss goofing around with my siblings & cuddling with my two puppies. I really miss dinner with my family, (especially since I can't eat most of the food here) & having my daddy pray before the meal. I also miss all my baby cows! Living in the "city" doesn't compare to living on the farm.

Being a girl is great, but I wouldn't mind being a little girl for a little longer. Having my mom take are of me when I feel bad, & having Daddy tell me everything will be alright when I'm upset. I would give anything to act like a little kid with my sisters again & have the joy of running down the Grandpa's house to get candy money or take a long trip down to visit Grammy and Pawpaw in Mulberry. But life doesn't like to wait for you to decide to grow up, it's forced on you. As soon as you hit high school age & you get a job. Then you start driving. Then you go to your first prom, & before you know it, you graduate & move away to a new environment. It feels good to be a big girl, but I would give anything to just be that little girl getting on the school bus for the first time.

Peace & love.
B.