I refuse to believe it. I refuse to believe I’ve been home for 3 weeks and I only have 1 left. Being a freshman, I seriously do not want to go back to college yet. I’ve made some friends, but there’s obviously a huge difference between knowing someone for a couple months verses several years.

I do have much to look forward to during this next semester, though, so I can’t be completely devastated. 🙂 I have only 14 credits, go back to warm weather, finish every day at the latest at 2 pm, get to continue work in the Space Physics Research Lab, and am going to become a physics expert.

Not so sure about the last one, but I will at least have a great spring break with my mom and will perhaps experience a semester flying by. I assume the first and last semesters of college are the longest… we’ll see won’t we?

And, best of all, it means I’m 4 months closer to a glorious 3 month summer to be with friends, go on adventures, work as an intern (hopefully), and finishing getting my pilot’s license. Regardless, I need to learn to enjoy the here and now of life. God is gracious to give me breath each and every second and if I’m always wistfully daydreaming about what’s coming, I’ll miss what’s here. That truth has become all too evident during this Christmas break. It’s not very fun to be hangin’ with friends only to think about how soon it will be over and that I won’t see them for FOUR MORE months. Although, that did help me to realize I definitely need to just pick up my cell phone and give people a call!! My shyness overcomes my loneliness too often…

In summary, I’ve had a wonderful birthday and Christmas, 4 days of working at Red Robin, time with the family, time with friends, Starbucks trips, restaurant exploration, movie-going, shopping, and New Year’s Eve games.

I am so thankful that we get breaks like these. I don’t think I’ll ever forget the way the tree glistened with extra sparkle this December. Or the smiles on my loved ones faces each time we laughed. My whole life college has always looked so magical and wondrous. I never realized how much would change, how I would change. I’m so terrified and yet thrilled. I will certainly be praying for a deeper love for those around me at school. Right now, my heart is about to get broken again as I’m torn away from my beloved home and those who make it home. It’s just one of those transition parts of life, what can I say? 🙂

Happy 2008 from a reflecting freshman, Natalie Ann P.S. I’m kinda bummed because I never took any pictures with my friends this break. Crazy, huh? I still have time… I’ll keep my camera in my purse from now on… 🙂

spencern@erau.edu