Rectified.

I'm sitting in my class right now, watching my kids goof off while they work--for the first time--on their college resumes. You should see them. They are so bright and vibrant and full of life and I want to give them the world. But the best part is, if I do my job right I won't have to. They'll take it for themselves. I may have decided that I don't want to spend the rest of my life teaching, but I am so incredibly happy to be doing this right now. I love these kids so much, even more than I thought I would.

And it's making me even more grateful for the people in my life that supported me when I was their age. The people that saw the potential in me the way I see it in my kids. It's so touching to think about now, seeing it from this side. I was so lucky to be so supported by such good people--my family, Shannon, Mrs. Britten, and many others.

Today was kind of an interesting day. I've been listening to Regina Spektor in my car and ate at Doc Green's for the first time since I left Atlanta, so I've been thinking a lot about home. But it's strange - I haven't been feeling homesick, I've just felt... home. It's nice.

I hung out with Joe last night and we had lunch together today. It's been really nice. More comfortable all the time. We're making plans. We're making plans and I'm (knock on wood) not freaking out or running away. It feels good. Really, really good.

But the main reason I wanted to write is because I've been meaning to write about something in here that my friend Amy and I have been talking about a lot this week. Which is that in certain ways - my life here feels like the rectification of my college experience. I had such lofty ideals of what college would be life before I left - that my roommate would be my new best friend, that I'd meet a whole lot of friends just like me, that I'd feel challenged and fulfilled at the same time. And for the most part, college didn't live up to that. It isn't that college wasn't great--it was--and I wish I had realized how great it was earlier than I did. But it didn't live up to the unrealistic expectations I had of it, and now it seems like CF is living up to them instead.

I do love my roommate, and I've found all these people that I have so much in common with that--really, for the first time--I feel like I've fully embraced the person that I am. It wasn't when I expected it - but it's far better. I love this life.

Back to my kids.

Paz!