The Right Choice

Hello all!
First off I want to say that.... MY WALLET WAS FOUND!!! The amount of relief I have is amazing. Thank you to all of you that sent out your good thoughts. I got a phone call from the bar I had left it at right when I was on my drive home. It had been in between the wall and the table in the booth we were in. Same place. For four days. At a college bar. In LAS VEGAS. Seriously, what are the odds of that? I feel I'm very lucky. Very, very lucky.

A brief explanation of why I'm moving. So I had a job fair on Monday. I've been waiting for a month for this, I was all signed up, ready to go, had resumes printed, everything. I got there, saw my ex, and realized the only reason I was there was for him. I wanted to get a job to stay there for him. It's what I was "supposed" to do - go to Vegas and find a good job. I wasn't doing it for me, or because it's what I wanted. I was doing it for someone else and because it was expected. I didn't even go in. I left. Walked out. Decided right then and there that I was completely lying to myself about what I wanted to do and that really, I just want to be at home. I'm young enough, I don't have to commit to anything right away, and I just want to be with my friends and make some money in a place I enjoy. So at that moment, it was official. I was done with Las Vegas.

So yesterday I drove from Las Vegas back home to Missoula, Montana. For those of you that are curious, it takes about 13 hours, give or take. It's a very long, tedious drive...but I'm glad I did it. I'd rather drive than fly to begin with, and even if I had gotten plane tickets I couldn't have gotten on because I didn't have my ID. The bar called me after I was already 3 hours out, and I wasn't going to turn back for it. One of my friends picked it up and overnighted it to me here, so I have money! Yay! But anyway, so I got in at 11 on the dot last night, very tired, but happy. It was dark when I got here, obviously, but this morning when I got up and looked outside, I remembered why I love it here. There's snow on the ground, trees everywhere, and a mountain out the back door. The friends I'm staying with are amazing folks (Hi Jenni! :D ) and they live in married student housing almost next to campus. There was a job fair on campus I was meeting Jenni at around 1, but I got up and headed over at 11 to go see some folks in the drama department. The big reason I wanted to go over there was to see if my graduation application had processed. Guess what ladies and gents....

I'M AN OFFICIAL GRADUATE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA!

*fanfare and streamers* Yes, after five years I'm finally official. And holy crap I'm excited about it. I still don't know what I'm going to do with it, but I have a degree! :)

Today, for those Catholic-type folks out there, was Ash Wednesday. I went to mass with Jenni and Gio for the first time in, well, a long time. It was really nice. I had already made the decision in my mind that when I moved home I would start going to church with them again, and going tonight reminded me why. Can I just point this out real quick? The season of Lent is the metaphorical "going through the desert" and reflection about your life, coming out at the end of Lent with more understanding and peace than when you went in. I am going to be leaving the literal desert, and over the next few weeks will be going through a lot of change and reflection about my life, and will be starting a new journey in a new place that gives me peace. The best part is that I'm starting this journey today (Ash Wednesday) and will be finishing up my move right before Easter. Can I time things or what? How awesome and metaphorical is that??? lol. I love it. Just one more coincidence that makes me believe that I'm doing the right thing at the right time. I can't even describe to you the peace I have here. I walked to campus today. Actually walked somewhere. Without having to be alert or wonder if I'm going to get hit up for change by a hobo. (Not to knock the Vegas bums...they really are the nicest bums I've ever met.) Whenever I come here I get greeted like I've been away for years, which is really a nice feeling. It's good to know you're loved. The whole atmosphere is different, obviously, but physical geography aside, there's something that I just can't describe that makes Missoula an amazing place. I have definitely made The Right Choice.