Finally home. It is so good to be home. It's weird though. This is the first time I've been home since being at college without Matthew. I went on spring break both years without him, but I wasn't at home. Grand Rapids seems so sad without him here. But I still love it and it will always be home.

Bad game on Saturday. Really bad game. It's a good thing I'm a girl. If I were a boy I just don't think I could support the Wolverines anymore. Ah well, there's always next year.

I have been cleaning out my closet. For the first time. And packing up all the leftovers in boxes. Preparing for the big move. I have a lot of junk. A lot. You have no idea. I had no idea. About half of my "home closet" is going to Mabs or Goodwill. The other half will be boxed up and put in storage in VA until Matthew and I start our lease on our apartment. My books are all keepers so those are going into storage as well. All my old scrapbooking stuff is pretty much worthless shreds and scraps, so that was tossed. I had so many random gidgets and gadgets I'm never going to use. So goodwill will receive those as well. My CDs, DVDs, and my stereo will all be boxed up. My bed will stay until graduation. My parents will bring it down then and we'll put it together in our new living quarters. (squeal) I get our upstairs leather couch and chair as well as the matching suede loveseat that was moved into my room for storage until graduation. It's so nice to already have a bed and furniture for our house. We also have three coffee table options, but I registered for one for now. Just in case someone is feeling generous. I've been eliminating the things I won't have room for and do not need and trying to sort through what I will use in our small little apartment. I feel pretty good about my new life. It's going to be much less cluttered and much more organized. I can't wait to move out.

My parents are still trying to sell their house. The plan is to get a small apartment or condo in GR and get another nicer condo in Playa Del Carmen where they'll spend most of the year. Since the hospital is almost complete down there it would be nice for my parents to be able to be down there to oversee the final stages of construction and the opening. I can't believe it's almost done. It seems like they've been working on it for forever. It will also be nice to go visit Playa on vacation. Be a nice getaway. Matthew doesn't care for the super hot weather though. I don't mind it one bit.

Both of my saxophones are sold and gone. Kind of sad, while very necessary. I can't think of any reason for me to ever use them again. So the extra money will sure be nice. I got a lot more for them than I thought I would. I hope to be able to put it all in savings for later. It's still sad to know that all those years of practice are now worthless. Maybe I'll pick up something I can use more. Like guitar or violin. I played both for a little while. Trying to learn them and then giving up when I didn't have enough time to devote to it. Maybe now is the time.

I have been reading a lot this semester. A lot for school and a lot for pleasure. It surprised me when I did a book count. I didn't notice I had been whipping them out so fast. I just love to read. I feel so sad for the illiterate or for those who do not like to read. I just don't understand. The characters in the book become my best friends. I feel what they feel, I love, I hate, I revenge, I cry. I go places I never would even dream of going. I learn different languages, I can cast spells, I can rid on the wings of the great eagles. How amazing and it only takes a matter of sitting down in a comfy spot and opening up the pages of a good book. That's what everyone should aim for this holiday season. Read a good book. Inspire yourself. Spend time learning some history, even if it is fictional history! Dare to dream. And then, go out and change the world. Use your new knowledge to make a difference in someone's life. Pass the book along, teach someone else to read, take your feelings and help someone in need, open the door for strangers, help an elderly women with her groceries, wait patiently in line. Ok, so all of this isn't taught in books, but books sure can change one's perspective.

Elections are coming up much faster than I think anyone realizes. Who will you vote for? Have no idea who's even running besides Hillary Clinton? Look it up. Care about our country. Care about what our grandchildren will learn to be history. Or more importantly, who will be running out country to be sure our grandchildren will have a chance to exist. No, I'm not kidding.

Hungry now. Later.