Earlier in this week's "ten things to-do" I mentioned I had plans to finalize and today they are finalized and ready to go public:
Woo sequin glitter happiness!!!
I am so very excited about this!
I will be moving from small town South Arkansas (home of Bill Clinton, the World Champion Steak Cook-off, and my immediate family) to "big city" Northwest Arkansas (home of Wal-Mart, the Arkansas Razorbacks, and my boyfriend... and some other really good friends.) From henceforth, Northwest Arkansas will be known as NWA, partly because it is a lot to type but mostly because that's how I refer to it on a daily basis.
Yesterday, I had a final meeting with the lady who will be my supervisor for my practicum experience. Thanks to the wonders of the internet (on-line classes and web video fanciness) and an amazing boyfriend, I will be able to complete my degree in counseling over the next year. Woo to the hoo!!
There are some negatives:
My family, who I am very close with, will be a five hour drive away. This means no random trips to Sonic with my 84 year old grandmother... and I'm completely honest when I say that this fact literally brings tears to my eyes. And yes, I plan to enjoy the fact that I have sushi, a mall, and an amazing museum literally a few blocks away; at the same time, a part of me will miss the fried catfish, the hour ride just to get to the shopping, and the natural beauty that is literally outside my window in my little town.
Not to mention my friends: When I moved there two years ago to finish my degree I would never have imagined that it I would have experienced, and learned, and grown as much as I did. It's because of my friends there that I was able to do this and move (somewhat) gracefully to the other side.
At the end of the day, I am so happy that my body will be residing in the same place as my heart.
That, dear friends, is an occasion worth celebrating.