just never grow up, ok??

This past weekend, my mom and I went with my friend and her mom to visit 2 colleges in Oklahoma. Sadly enough, we didn't take any pictures... which is kinda weird considering the fact that my friend and I are both photographers.

Anyway, through this whole entire college-hunting process, I can't help wondering- What's the big deal anyway? Can't I just stay 5 years old forever? I'd so much rather live in my fairytale land of horses and cowgirls, pretending that I could see the Eiffel Tower from the top branch of my favorite climbing tree. Why can't I just remain in the days when my knees were all banged and bruised up from learning to ride a bike with only 2 wheels. When I didn't care what my hair looked like and when mustard yellow socks and sparkly purple jellies were high fashion. When blanket forts were everyday occurrences and Ramona Quimby was my best friend. When I begged and pleaded for a puppy and finally got one with wiry hair and an even more wiry personality.

Through all of this, I realize how much I will miss these days of juvenile uncertainty and trying to find my way around this new and scary world. Someday I won't have my parents around to help me make decisions and it'll be just me and God navigating our way through the last 40 or so years of my life. I just realized how much I will miss my best friend when she leaves for college all the way in Tennessee. Who knows? I may join her. But if I don't, I will miss her like crazy. There's no doubt about it. And we will be Skype-ing and Facebook-ing our way through the year till Christmas comes around. And then we will have an old-fashioned sleepover complete with Anne of Green Gables and a healthy dose of Dr. Pepper. Because life cannot go on without these precious and necessary things.

But at the present, I'm still floundering around trying to weed out choices and make a wise decision. Because after all, this will determine the course of my life.

Taylor Swift just released a new album entitled "Speak Now", and it has pretty much been the soundtrack to my life this past week and a half. I read something today that made me laugh because it was completely true- "Taylor Swift, stop writing songs about my life. It's creeping me out!" :-)
There is a song on her album called "Never Grow Up" and I just about died when I heard it because it's exactly how I feel at this moment. I've decided to share the lyrics with you so that you can see what I mean (All credit goes to Taylor Swift):

Your little hand's wrapped around my finger

And it's so quiet in the world tonight

Your little eyelids flutter cause you're dreaming,

So I tuck you in, turn on your favorite night light,

To you, everything's funny, you got nothing to regret

I'd give all I have, honey, if you could stay like that

(Chorus:)

Oh, darlin', don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up

Just stay this little

Oh, darlin', don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up

It could stay this simple

I won't let nobody hurt you, won't let no one break your heart

And no one will desert you

Just please try to never grow up

You're in the car on the way to the movies

And you're mortified your mom is droppin' you off

At 14, there's so much you can't do,

And you can't wait to move out someday and call your own shots

But don't make her drop you off around the block,

Remember she's getting older, too

And don't lose the way that you dance around in your PJs getting ready for school

(Chorus:)

Oh, darlin', don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up

Just stay this little

Oh, darlin', don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up

It could stay this simple

No one's ever burned you, nothing's ever left you scarred

And even though you want to,

Please try to never grow up

Take pictures in your mind of your childhood room,

Memorize what it sounded like when your dad gets home

Remember the footsteps, remember the words said

And all your little brother's favorite songs,

I just realized everything I have is someday gonna be gone

So here I am in my new apartment in a big city,

They just dropped me off

It's so much colder than I thought it would be,

So I tuck myself in and turn my night light on,

I wish I'd never grown up,

Wish I'd never grown up

(Chorus:)

Oh, I don't want to grow up, wish I'd never grown up

I could still be little

Oh, I don't want to grow up, wish I'd never grow up

It could still be simple

Oh, darlin', don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up

Just stay this little

Oh, darlin', don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up

It could stay this simple

Won't let nobody hurt you, won't let no one break your heart,

And even though you want to,

Please try to never grow up

Just never grow up

Not entirely relevant, but pretty darn close.
Oh, darlin', I don't want to grow up...