LORRAINE IS GOING TO PARIS FRANCE

Last night my beloved, sweet Lorraine got her mission call to Paris. It was quite the affair. There were at least 30 people crammed into our apartment and it was awesome. Yesterday afternoon I texted anyone who knows and loves Lorraine who she might not have already told. Nearly everyone I messaged showed up as well. It was a great group, filled with people from all four of years at college. A good number of boys from our freshman ward. All the sophomore year roommates except one since she was at work. All of Lorraine's immediate family plus a few cousins. A few boys and girls from our junior year. Lots of people from this year, our supposed "senior" year.

After hugging and saying hello to all my friends from years past and present, I took my place near our open door with Trent on my left, standing on our end table, and Jeffrey on my right. I strategically placed myself next to Jeff, as I knew if I were to need moral/emotional support, he would be the one I would look for anyway. (He did a great job providing it as well. I'm pretty sure Jeff and I hugged more last night than throughout the last 2.5 years combined.)

So in front of a packed house, Lorraine finally opened the envelope. She read only a few lines before completely stopping and exclaiming, "Oh my gosh!" and putting her face in the papers.

This is Lorraine's literal dream mission. She has been in love with France for years and has been there multiple times already. The joy on her face was indescribable to me. So here's a picture instead.

Stacy was in the most perfect spot to get all of these pictures, so kudos to her. I gave Becca my Flip to take video of it all, which she did. I'll upload that hopefully this weekend. It was an incredible night and I'm so glad we have the pictures to remember it by, but I don't even think we really need them. For the three roommates and myself, yesterday was an amazing experience. I don't think any of us could ask for more wonderful roommates.

There's Stacy, who served her mission in Chile and who randomly lived with Lorraine and I last year. Stacy is hilarious. Her missionary wisdom never ceases to amaze us. We are so incredibly blessed that Stacy randomly bought the fourth contract in our apartment last fall. We can always count on her for delicious baked goods and snappy comebacks.

There's Becca, who I talk about a lot on here, and who I've known since freshman orientation. Our relationship is pretty much perfect. Becca can make anyone laugh, if not for her own sense of humor but because of her propensity to snort loudly. I'm pretty sure it's impossible for Becca to ever stop loving and helping people.

And there's of course, Lorraine, who I have lived with for 3.5 years now and who Becca has known since freshman year as well. My love for Lorraine knows no bounds. Had I been told freshman year that I would live with her for the rest of my college years, I don't think I would've been surprised necessarily, but more so totally excited. Lorraine and I have been through some rough times, but also some absolutely joyful ones as well. It will be tough to send her off, but I know she'll hunt me down the moment she returns from France in 2014. And it will be an amazing reunion.

As the four of us shared a group hug just moments after she opened her call, the joy and love I felt regarding all of them was simply awesome. I looked at Lorraine, tears in her eyes, and of course I could not help but cry a bit as well. I knew it was going to happen. I told all my friends if they wanted to see me cry, then they had better be at our apartment at 9:30. Becca talked about that moment later. As we were all getting ready to finally go to bed, she said that tonight was the time we went from being friends to being family. There is something to be said for a group of people who just get each other. Apparently people in the ward have, at times, taken to calling us the "Fab Four." (Not a bad reputation to have.)

I'm a firm believer in the idea that you meet certain people at certain times for certain reasons. People are in your life for a reason. I have never doubted that for a moment with Lorraine, or with either of my roommates for that matter. There's so much stuff Lorraine and I have talked about that seems to make sense to only us. Whether or not this is actually true, I don't think I'll ever know. We have the same thoughts, we say the same things, we act the same way. Ours it not a relationship to be taken lightly. Last night, Jordan told me I was acting like a grieving girlfriend sending her boy on a mission. It's a fair comparison, one I proudly accept. 

Lorraine. The love of my life. My dear, sweet ginger. You are a gem,a lady I will never forget. You are the most perfect of all the nunjas to ever exist. I cannot tell you how happy I am to be able to say with complete certainty that everything is dream.

Schoolin'

I spend a lot of time thinking about school. I spend a lot of time actually at school. I spend a lot of time doing school work.

I spent most of tonight reading Oedipus. Yeah, the one where the guy kills his father and then marries his mother and she bears his children and they live happily for almost ever after until he realizes it even though he's been trying to avoid it his whole life.

Let's just say I would rather have been watching the football game.

School is important. I love school. And yet some times I wish I could be as smart as I am without having done any of it. I realize this is completely impossible because without the events of my life thus far I doubt I would even be here writing this. College has really made me appreciate the education I received as a child. Whether it be in social situations or in classroom situations, I know how to handle myself.

There are just days where I wish things could go back to the dynamic of freshman year. Well, more like I wish the same people were around and we could do some of the same things and lots of other new things, too. Fridays and Saturdays freshman year were ridiculous and lovely in the best ways possible. Every day really had something great to offer. The people around me were so utterly fantastic that I could not even begin to imagine life without them, even if right now all we have are letters. [Speaking of which, I got one today and it lifted my heart like only a letter can.]

Sophomore year has been going quite well, actually. I've been staying on top of my school work. I'm not behind on YouTube; though, I do wish I had more alone time to film a video or two. The friend machine has even been put into motion. I've mentioned before my affinity for guy friends and this past weekend has given me hope for the development. Any guy friends I make have a lot to live up to, though. [I don't think anyone will ever replace the perfect man w/ gentle hair & soft as silk hands. And yes, this is an inside joke w/ my best boy_friend of last year. And no, he won't ever be reading this.] Things are as they seemingly should be.

And yet . . .

Maybe how things should be isn't how they need to be.