Novel Experiences

I remember when I was in high school, and people always told me some version of, "Enjoy it, because it goes by so fast." Well, sorry, but high school didn't fly by. It seemed like every day was longer than the last and time crawled by at such glacial pace I thought it would never end... and then I graduated.

Three and a half years later, I'm married, a college graduate, have traveled in 13 different countries, lived in three different countries, was confirmed into the Catholic Church, have my first (dog) child, moved fifteen hours away from my home town, and started (and quit) my first full-time job post-college.

What?

It's been four months since we moved to Nashville, three and a half months since I decided not to attend Vanderbilt, three months since my grandma went to live in heaven, two months since I started my first post-college job, and one day since I quit.

What?

It seems like yesterday I drove to Manhattan and moved into the dorms and (awkwardly/nervously/excitedly) met my roommate for the first time. It seems like only a few seconds ago that we were making some our best memories in Prague at Chapeau Rogue. Only minutes since we met such wonderful people in RCIA at St. Thomas More. And here I am.

I started working at an insurance marketing firm as a data entry clerk in October. I wasn't really sure how it would go, but I knew I needed a job. So I went to work from 7 AM to 4 PM Monday through Friday, suffered through the Nashville traffic, and got my steady paychecks. For eight hours a day, I typed bits of names and numbers into a data base, and the only way I kept my sanity was by commiserating with some wonderful coworkers, listening to TED talks and podcasts all day, and dreaming of the moment when I would become a #1 New York Times best seller. (Still dreaming.) Did you know that John Green, the famous author of The Fault in Our Stars, first worked in data entry? He probably had big dreams, too.

I digress.

It amazes me how our dreams lead us to different places, and force us to become different sorts of people. Ty, whose big dream is to become a CPA and stellar husband, is the most reliable, steadfast person I know. He is comfortable being anywhere, but also appreciates order and consistency in his life. Me? Well, I guess I'm still working out my dreams. Right now, it's to become a writer, whatever that means. I guess I'm already a writer, so I should expand upon that by saying that I want to become a paid writer. And life is too short to wait?

So like I said, dreams lead us to different places. Right now, my dream is leading me to Sharon Springs, Kansas for three weeks to continue working on two books. The first is a two parts fiction, one part memoir novel geared towards teenage girls. My sister, Savannah, who is a talented artist, is going to help me illustrate this book. The other book I'm working on is a compilation of short biographies of rural, Wallace County women and how they've shaped the world around them. I  am so looking forward to getting to know some of the women in my home county and sharing their stories!

Obviously I can't write a whole book in three weeks, but it'll be the beginning of a beautiful project. After my three weeks in Wallace County, I'm excited to announce that I've been offered an assistantship to attend graduate school at Oklahoma State University! I'll be starting the masters of science program in Agricultural Communications. Basically, I'll work twenty hours a week as a teaching assistant, and in exchange I'll have my tuition paid for a small stipend to live on. I'm considering it like a job with a two year contract. :) It will definitely be my best paying job so far!

Nashville hasn't been what we imagined it would be, but then again, nothing in life ever seems to match expectations. Stillwater seems to be a great (smaller) town with less traffic, kind people, and a wonderful, all-expenses-paid graduate education. So here I am, wondering where life will lead us in the next blink of an eye.