Keeping in touch when you're away

This is definitely something I really need to work on -- keeping in touch with people I don't see all the time. It's strange; this transition from living with and among best friends for four years, to seeing them [maybe] once a year at the most. It was so easy to walk down the hall to their room, across the sidewalk to their apartments, or give them a call and set up a meeting place [which usually was Steak & Shake, Denny's, or Cheesecake factory -- really healthy places...haha...so many memories.]
I think about these special people in my life so often...I don't know what is so difficult about picking up the phone and calling them. Maybe it's conflicting schedules somewhat...but there's always weekends. It's just another aspect of figuring your life out while you're somewhere new. I want to be better at this; I want to keep in touch with those people who have been through so much with me. These are the friends who were there when I came back from Christmas of 2005, completely emotionally drained and not ready to face the semester. It's such a unique experience of being able to bond so closely with everyone from college. Four years of living either near or with each other helps there to be a special friendship that I think is unique to college. I think you can find amazing friends after college, but it is different. I'm definitely not saying it's a good or bad thing, just different. There will always be that special place for my college friends, especially because all that I went through and all the wonderful people who were right beside me. I think I'm going to make a schedule. It sounds impersonal, but I think it's a way of making sure I call someone every other evening or something while Madison is doing homework. It's not like I am always busy! I always think of it while I'm home and they're at work instead of in the evenings when we're both available. I am going to try that.

I am so excited that I will be able to be in Wheaton for a few days over New Years. I will be able to see most of my friends! Bekah, Matt, Madison & I are going to my dad's in central/southern Illinois to celebrate Christmas over New Years. We are spending Christmas with the Taylors this year, and Bekah and Matt are spending it with the Carlsons.

I am really excited about Thanksgiving. My dad, sister & brother-in-law are all coming here for the first time. I am already thinking of where to take them, as far as sight seeing and restaurants go. We'll probably give them a small tour of campus, maybe go to Rowan Oak, and take them to our favorite places to eat. It will be nice to spend time together, play games, and just visit.

I think I will feel even more settled after they see where I live. It's a weird feeling to have your family not know anything about where you live. Dad has only been to MS for business once, and he didn't really do anything except go to the Nissan plant and Tower plant. Bekah & Matt haven't been to MS before. It will be fun to have them.

Well, I better get ready for rehearsal!