Happy Birthday to me!

Yea, okay, so today is my REAL birthday. A lot of people have been giving me grief that I have been calling myself 22 since May or something. Kinda like when youre a little kid and youre like, "Im not 5! Im 5 and 3/4ths!!"

I used to hate my birthdays. Only those who know me really well will know why. Anyway, this is perhaps the first year that I can remember where I feel pretty content with things. 2008 has been really good for me. I've gotten everything I've wanted this year since my birthday last year. I had an excellent senior year, what with doing well grades wise, and being president of the African Student Association. I got my first apartment, which was so much fun. I got my first job offer in the real world (in Chicago, which I didnt take for obvious reasons). I found out boxing is one of the most awesome sports ever. And of course, I GRADUATED from NORTHWESTERN! It must be said though, probably the biggest and most obvious present was getting the Fulbright. But it wasnt the most important...I would have to say...

But the first thing I thought about when my birthday hour arrived was not so much about what I wanted for myself in terms of material things, but I was thinking about what I've been so blessed with this past year. Even though much of 2007 was really difficult, Ive realized in 2008 that what brought me through was the love and support of family, friends, teachers and just other pretty nice people. I have some of the coolest friends ever, especially those I met at Northwestern....Nikki, Ali, Adrienne, Marissa, R, Kelly come to mind right now, and of course plenty more that have been there for me. I think the coolest gift is not necessarily something you can pick up at Nordstroms (although there is this purse I kinda want), but realizing who you are becoming. (Sounds Cliche, but its true!) In the same vein, I've gotten rid of some toxic people in my life, and found new ones who have had much more positive impacts on me. I've reconnected with people from my high school past, which is important, because in high school, I spent much of my time quite closed off and distant. I've spent my college years trying to correct that.

Its about to sound really lame, but every couple of years I make a powerpoint, where I take inventory of goals Ive already accomplished, and make lists of things that I still want to do. I dont share this with anyone, but the last one I made, my sister found on my harddrive. I had long forgotten what I had written, but she was like, "Karen, do you realize youve done most of these things on here?" I asked her to read it to me and I had accomplished a lot of what I had written at the time when I was 18 or 19. Well at 22, its time to take restock and figure out what I want for myself in the years to come, and give God thanks for what I'm "workin' with" so to speak.

So as I get ready to embark on this trip of a lifetime, I know it wont be my last adventure. I have a great team of friends and family behind me. I hope you guys will all still be on my team in the future! (Well, Family, you have no choice!!) Its y'all, with the calls/wallposts/texts that make the birthday happy, nothing that I could really do. So thanks! :)