Catherine

2 days away from what feels like the bottom dropping out. My heart is already aching. I spent every day with him this summer, literally there were only 2 weeks where we were apart. Every day after work he would come to my house, eat dinner with my family or we would watch movies or just talk for hours on end.

I am so so scared, he's not just going like to another state or town. He's going across an ocean to Spain. And I'm just here.

I never thought I'd be one of those people in a long distance relationship. Of course, life is ridiculous like that. Neither of us ever expected this at all. I mean the way we came together is kind of, well, different than normal. There are just so many things that aren't guarantees in life, but I want this so so much.

sigh

Life the last week has been a whirlwind. I had my last day of work at Seasonal Concepts, until Christmas break at least, then Sunday night was the last night of High School Musical, then Monday I went to Chicago with my family until Thursday and now, I have to pack EVERYTHING tomorrow, because I haven't even started and I leave for Ames on Sunday. So here comes the part where I elaborate on everything. Work I am so glad to be done with patio season. I like to pretend that it doesn't bother me, but being literally verbally abused daily by an upset customer on the phone really does get to you. I'll be honest, a customer has made me cry before. I hate customer service, plus my company is going bankrupt and refuses to admit it or do anything about it. It's so unbelievably frustrating. High School Musical If you didn't get a chance to go out and see it, which, is pretty likely considering every performance sold out, they had to add 6 performances then those sold out...basically they beat every record in DM Playhouse history for ticket sales. On the the last night, we got front row tickets it was even better than opening night. I have always had a love for theater and musicals, unfortunately I wasn't blessed with a voice like my sister. I think I lived vicariously through her with the musical. I made her teach me all the dances, I had her tell me about everyone in the play, by the end I knew their names who they played and something about them. Really...that's kind of creepy looking back. But, Elizabeth is so passionate about everything theater and singing it's great to watch her face light up when she talks about it. Chicago This was a bit different than most of our family vacations. Usually we just go to the beach and do nothing day in and day out except just enjoy being by the ocean. But, we actually had like activities and things to do, which was a fun change, but not nearly as relaxing. We had an awesome hotel room with like a living room and a full kitchen. My dad apparently had a lot of "marriott points" so the room ended up being free, he just used all his points. It was a great location, a block away from Lake Michigan and another block away from the Magnificent Mile. We did the standard activities, Shedd Aquarium, shopping, Medieval Times etc. But the highlight of the trip was by far seeing Wicked. I've seen 4 broadway shows in New York City in my life (Beauty and the Beast, Cats, Fiddler on the Roof and The Producers) and this by far surpassed them all. The talent, the lighting, the special effects and the story. Just everything, I got shivers just hearing them sing, especially during Defying Gravity. Oh wow, what a way to end the First Act. Then the song "For Good" oh geez, I was crying but trying to hold back, because I would've sobbed and made a scene. If you have the chance you really HAVE to see it. Beautiful story. Also I got to fulfill something that was a childhood dream that I've had since I was maybe 8 or 9. I went to THE American Girl Place. I was in heaven, I loved those books I had the dolls, the clothes, it's all I ever wanted for birthdays or Christmas. It was really great to see that the business was obviously still booming, the place was packed. It makes me hope that maybe one day my daughter will like American Girl and I can share that with her. ISU I am so ready to move back I could explode, yet I have absolutely zero motivation to pack. I'm hoping that it will all just magically appear in boxes and be ready to go haha. I'll be living alone for like 4 days, because I'm doing move-in crew. Which, I'm actually glad for. It will be nice to be alone and just think and have a break from everything. Don't get me wrong, I am SO excited to live with the girls I will be living with. But it will be a tough semester in many ways. More about that later though... It well may be That we will never meet again In this lifetime So let me say before we part So much of me Is made of what I learned from you You'll be with me Like a handprint on my heart And now whatever way our stories end I know you have re-written mine By being my friend: Like a ship blown from its mooring By a wind off the sea Like a seed dropped by a skybird In a distant wood Who can say if I've been changed for the better? But because I knew you: Because I knew you: I have been changed for good