Welcome back, BYU-Idaho!

It's finally here, Fall semester 2012.  Campus is once again overrun with lost freshman, newly returned RMs, and disgruntled juniors and seniors who have thousands of dollars of tuition, housing, and book fees...and they're still not graduated.  Okay, so I might be a little bit bitter about the outrageous cost of my books this semester, but at least I attend a university where I won't be paying off loans for the rest of my life.  Instead I get to live pay check to pay check as a penniless student for the next two years.  Since I live in Rexburg, however, the only places to spend my money would be Walmart or K-Mart (Yeah-I know about LuLu Bella and Downeast, but I'll never have the luxury of shopping there while in college) so I think my few nickles and dimes NOT going towards mountains of books and a decent apartment will be safe for the time being.

Was anyone else blown away by the display of American flags in the Smith quad today?  I loved it.  I thought it was a beautiful tribute to those who passed away on September 11th.  I felt an overwhelming sense of pride when I walked through the billowing standards.  I am an American.  I am free.  I am strong.  What a burst of pride, faith, and passion to put me through this semester...loved it.

All is quiet here, just settled into my new apartment over the weekend and since yesterday have been hit with homework like a tsunami in the East.  Kirk helped me move a bunch of my things into my apartment over the weekend then he bailed out of town (he just got in, where does he have to go so soon?) until Monday.  My roommates are beginning to think I've made him up, even though I've seen him both yesterday and today.  One of my new roomies asked, "Does he have marriage potential?  Have you dropped the L word yet?"  Yes, marriage potential, no we haven't said 'I love you.'  We're taking things slow.

Being two months into the relationship and not having said 'I love you' feels weird, yet at the same time it feels comfortable.  I don't know if I could really say that I love Kirk and know that I really, truly feel it.  I really admire him and I'm attracted to him like all get out, but I feel like love is such a huge emotion that I'm not quiet there yet with Kirk.  I'm on the way there, especially with working through all our little bumps and hardships, but I'm getting there.  I hope he is, too.

Happy new semester, everyone!

BYU-Idaho 9/11 Tribute