"i am sixteen going on seventeen..."

"No, no, no. I distinctly remember, your birthday was last year."
"That's the funny thing about birthdays; they're kind of an annual thing!"

-Mother Gothel and Rapunzel; Tangled

Tomorrow my sixteenth year will be over and my seventeenth will begin. At this point, I don't know whether to be euphorically excited or morbidly depressed. I think that, for the sake of my family, I'll choose the former option.

When I was little, I used to think that, by the time I was sixteen, I would be perfect and life would be perfect. I would have the best and most flattering clothes. I would always say the right things. I would be completely grown up. I would never be awkward again. Ahhh... the innocence of youth. Now that my sixteenth year is drawing to a close however, I realize how wrong I was. I'm hoping that maybe seventeen or eighteen will be that magic year of reaching perfection, but I'm not counting on it.

Sixteen was an amazing year, but it flew by. (College has a way of keeping a person busy.) As sad as I am to leave "sweet sixteen" behind, I am excited at the prospect of what seventeen will hold. Who knows what God has in store? Right now I already have grand plans; I will finish college, I will spend a week with my friends in Arizona, I will spend more time with my brothers and sisters and watch them grow up, I will take a photography course, I will go to the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival, I will meet my CollegePlus! brothers and sisters in Texas, I will learn how to cook, etc., etc., etc., the list goes on and on.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV)

I learned so much when I was sixteen. College began. My faith grew along with my theological knowledge. I grew closer to my family. My MacBook Pro, lovingly dubbed Wilson, entered my life. I gained knowledge into the worlds of history and politics. I made so many new and precious friendships. Previous friendships grew stronger and deeper. My brothers and sisters from CollegePlus! became invaluable to me. (I love you all so much!!!)

Anyway, thank you for staying with me throughout my musings. I'm not having a big party this year, but I am going to be celebrating in little ways with the people that I love most. Already I'm excited and I'll be back soon with plenty of stories and photographs.


Love and Blessings to you all!