Happy Christmas, Merry New Year and I hope you’re all enjoying winter…

Well folks, I’ve been home for almost three weeks now and I can eagerly say I’m ready to be back in Valpo. Coming home wasn’t what I thought it would be at all. I was pleasantly surprised by some aspects and very disappointed in others. I think coming home from college for the first time is probably one of the most difficult situations to predict, or maybe I just didn’t do a very good job of it.

Going away to school was something that I always wanted to do, and now, having come back, I’m very grateful that I followed through on that. Some parts of me look at the close friendships that my friends have maintained by going to school together and I’m a little jealous, but I think that is mostly because I feel left out of a lot of things. I know that I’ve stayed close to the people that I care about most, and that’s all that really matters. One of the things that has caught me the most off guard is how much I miss my Valpo friends. There’s something about college, and I think those of you who have been will agree, that makes the friendships a lot more meaningful. I don’t have to be friends with people just because they are in my classes, or on my dance team, or live next door. Instead I get to be responsible for the friends that I make, and if I do say so myself, I’ve done a pretty good job of making some pretty great ones. Because this is the case, I find that I have more in common, and actually enjoy the company of my friends at school a lot more than most of my high school acquaintances. I also think that seeing these people everyday has made not seeing them at all much more of a shock. Throughout high school I was never really best friends with people from school, but instead people from church. Therefore, I didn’t see people all the time like I do at school. It’s been really weird not to see those people at all. I live across the hall from Bethy and Katie and see them almost all of the time I’m in my room. Not being able to just lean back and yell across the hall is something that I miss much more than I thought I would. I also miss how drama free college is. Not all of you may agree, but I think that because we are friends with people we choose to be friends with, there is no need to “pretend” to be friends with people, and the subsequent drama is much less. Yet another simple joy in going to a school where I knew no one.

One of the things I have been disappointed with is the lack of follow through surrounding the people that I left behind. Perhaps it was unfair of me to assume that they would be excited to see me since I’ve been gone for four months, but the people that I thought would make hanging out with me a priority have apparently moved on in life. That’s fine, just wasn’t really what I was expecting. I was interested to see that the people that did make time for me were the people that I probably missed the most, but certainly didn’t expect to miss. Even if I only got to see them once or twice for coffee or lunch, they made time for me, and that really means something. So to those of you that did, thank you- I really do appreciate it and wish we could spend more time together. (and Michael Walcher- I’m so thankful that I got to actually talk to you, even if it was only for a little while. It was probably the best birthday present of all. It’s not everyday a girl gets a phone call from Germany! )

I’ve spent a lot more time with my family than I anticipated, but I’ve enjoyed that too. Sometimes a movie with Mom, or dinner with Dad is more appealing than a “night on the town.” There was a lot of wedding talk, not surprisingly, but it made me realize how grown up we all are. I mean for goodness sake my sister is getting MARRIED. Talk about being in the real world. I also almost feel like I’m finally a part of “the big kids” now that I’m in college, instead of just always being “little Vickie.” I’ve come to realize that I’ve picked up on a lot of little mannerisms of Mom and Dad (for example, the title of this entry… very Dad.. no?) In some ways that’s a little shocking, but also not surprising considering how much time I’ve spent around them in my life.

I can easily say I’m glad I’m not in high school anymore. I went to lunch with Katie today, like we used to, and just being in the school felt weird. I always hated it when people came back from college and acted all superior, but there is something about going off to college that changes you. I love Katie to death and most of the time forget that she’s a year younger than me, but every once in a while I think “wow, that seems very high school.” It’s not that I think I’m better than that, it’s just that life is much different for me now, and I don’t really miss a lot of that.

I also don’t miss this weather- what is WITH all of this rain?

As you can probably tell, I’m very excited to go back to school, and I’m glad about that. It shows that I’m happy where I am, and with the person I’ve become. As we rang in the new year at Angie’s house the other day, I thought back to the exact same day a year ago, and decided I’d rather be where I am, and who I am today than go back to that time. This last year has been rough for me, but I’m thankful for all of the ups and downs because they have made me the person that I am today, and I can honestly say I’m pleased with the Vickie Chambers that is sitting here right now. I don’t regret a single decision made in the last year, even though I know if I had changed certain things life would be much different for me. This is where I saw myself and this is where I am- no mistakes, no regrets, no wish for change. I can only hope that the next year brings just as much growth, although perhaps with a little less heartbreak. This last year has taught me a lot, and I know that I am a strong enough person to get through whatever is thrown my way, no matter how far out of left field it may seem. With my friends, family and Jesus at my side, I’m ready to take on anything and everything- and hoping to do so with a smile on my face.

Right now though, all I can really think about is how much I’m looking forward to Wednesday night at 6pm (CST) when Shane is done with track practice and I can walk over to ‘Berg for probably less-than-amazing food served on a tray and sit down with Bethy, Katie, Derek, Cody and Shane (no more Tim :( ) and talk about our first day of classes and what we expect from the next semester. Follow that up with some fourth floor Halo fun, and a good movie with a certain attractive baseball player from St. Louis and I’ll be in heaven. Maybe “Vail of Paradise” isn’t so far off after all.



Ok, ok, ok…so that was uber cheesy. But it was also way too perfect to pass up.
Love and miss-