Extended Status Update

I started to update my facebook status and realized I had too many things that I really wanted to say. Here they are:

*today, I had a wonderful and meaningful, unexpected lunch with a great friend. During that conversation I realized that I currently have ZERO commitments outside of my normal life responsibilities. Master's is finished, soccer season is over, dawn broke on Shanghai Nights. . .I don't remember the last time my life was like this. I'm not rushing to fill those empty spaces. My goal is to try and build some healthy life habits next semester and bring things back into balance.

• Shanghai Nights was the high school drama at our school this year. Think Humphrey Bogart in 1920's Shanghai. It was a story of loss and redemption. The kids did amazing. I really enjoyed being back stage and only jammed a finger instead of falling in a hole like I did last year.
• And as I'm considering how to build more balance into my life, I'm also pondering my goals for next year, prompted by my brother's thoughts on creating a "Finish List" for next year. He's got some great thoughts and you should check them out here

*I put up my Christmas tree on Saturday. I watched A Muppet Christmas Carol while I did so. I feel like I finally can enjoy the holiday season. Although if I'm 100% honest, my Christmas tree is really depressing. I have this amazing full-size tree and only a dozen or so ornaments. Many of them have precious memories of precious friends attached. However, I love the tree at my parents house with all of our handmade ornaments and "Baby's First Christmas" and ornaments that represent special people and times in all our lives. For some reason, this year my tree is a reminder that I come home to an empty apartment every night and don't have any "Baby's first christmas" ornaments for my tree. 

• Probably because I have been spending a lot of time thinking, talking and reading about the topics of dating, pursual and marriage recently. Not because anything like that is even on the horizon. . .just because an article lead to a conversation that lead to some reflection that lead to another article and I'm reconsidering my long-held opinions and beliefs about dating, pursual and marriage.

*There are 9.5 days left until Christmas vacation. UNBELIEVABLE!!! Lots to do in a short amount of time. 6 months ago, I wasn't planning on going back to America until Christmas 2013. However, now I have a wedding to go to. And the closer I get to this break, the more I realize that I really WANT to be with family this Christmas. Can't wait to hug my mama and my papa, sit for a long time with my sister in Panera, have some sort of tv marathon with my brothers, tell stories to Maxton, cuddle with Deacon, have a cup of coffee in Philip and Gina's kitchen and meet Shannon.

See. . aren't you glad I didn't post ALL of this on FB :)