The Narrative of the First Day of a New 20-Year-Old

Well here I am, a full-fledged 20-year-old, a one-fifth centenarian, a teen-no-more, a young adult. There was no cosmic initiation into this club, but I still feel like this is some kind of accomplishment. There were lots of "Happy Birthday" messages of various mediums, and a good number of presents, but no horns or trumpets, and no sparkly twisty-turning of my body through the air like in Sims 3 when a person reaches a new age. Oh well, maybe next year for the big 21. Maybe.

Anyway, it was a good day, I really always appreciate the people I'm close to saying "Happy Birthday" to me when they see me, it makes me feel like I've made enough of an impression on them that they notice me and want to acknowledge me. Kristin, Janille and Alex were so nice they even got me a box of Fiber One original cereal and a jar of Pace salsa! My favorites! I was touched, really. They know me so well. There isn't anything else that I would have even asked for from them, really. So that was just another special thing about my day.

Besides being a normal Thursday (no, school was not cancelled for the special occasion) I also got little texts and emails throughout the day from people saying "Happy Birthday!" I woke up, took a shower, saw the texts from my family members who wanted to wish me well, then I went to the Bible Building before class so I could call Grandma and Grandpa and chat for a while. Then I took a "nap" in the dark because I was so early the lights in the room were still off. Then I had class (Message of the Old Testament) from 9-10:50 and learned that I have a test over Genesis on Tuesday.

Then I went to chapel from 11-11:30, as I do every day whether I need the credits or not because it just never occurs to me to not go. Then I had lunch, came back to my room, read some poetry for class, then got on Skype so Grandma and Grandpa could watch me open the present they sent me. Unfortunately Skype hasn't worked very well the last two times we have tried it, so I ended up having to just open the gift over the phone. Oh well, at least I got to see the two of them for a little while in broken, pixelated images.

After that John called me (perfect timing actually) and we chatted for a little while, which was nice. Then I went and checked the mail and the package he had sent me was here, so I opened it right there - a shirt with wings printed on the back! So cute! :D

Then I went downstairs to go to bowling class, and I got two strikes and three spares, yay! I got a 120, my best score yet this semester. Then I just hung around and chatted with Mrs. Rotenberry for a while because she's just awesome. I told her my dad was supposed to be coming soon and she suggested that he come and bowl before I even told her that that had been my plan all along, lol. But I love her, she's always so vibrant and excited, you can't be in a bad mood around her.

Then I came back to the room just as Alex, Kristin and Janille were headed out, so I got online and read my birthday emails and replied to them, and read the card that Alex (my roommate) had left on my desk. Then the three of them came back and gave me a box of cereal and jar of salsa, which I just thought was the sweetest thing. Honestly. :) Then they left to go eat dinner while I stayed and got on Skype with mom (which worked very well, so I wonder why Skype doesn't like Grandma and Grandpa. It worked great at the very beginning! Why is it suddenly going all funky on us??? Not fair...) and she and Elisa watched me open the presents they sent me. Such a good selection of stuff, all made me feel really special. ^_^

Then I wrote little Thank You cards for my friends here and when they got back from dinner I gave them the cards. Now Alex is out running errands so I'm here typing away and enjoying myself and thinking about what it means to be 20 -- along with astrophysics and the nature of the universe and how many licks it takes to get to the center of a vegan tootsie pop. ;P

Anyway, I've really enjoyed the day, and tomorrow is Friday (yay!) and looks like a promising day as well. I'm going to be pretty busy because I've got two tests to study for (Bible and Astronomy) a slam poem to write, a critical analysis to write of a poem I haven't picked out yet, a chapter on Deconstructionist Criticism to read so I can get started on a group project, and a Bible project about poetry and prophecy that I'd like to get a bit more along with, though since it isn't due until November (and hasn't actually been assigned yet) it's a little farther down on my priorities list, but I've also got a Disney movie night tomorrow with the other girls and a Summit lecture to go to Sunday night. Wow, that sounds like a lot! O_O Hm, guess I'd better get started. Well, I've already started, I guess I mean I better keep on going with it all. Yeah, that sounds good.

Love you all!!!!