Don't slow down.

GUYS. 

As I was going through my countdown app today looking at my many reminders, I realized something. 

Tomorrow? Miss Emily will have been Sister Elliott for six whole months. 

Which means....I GET TO SEE MY BEST FRIEND IN 365 DAYS. 

There'll be a whole lot more of this ^^^^ sooner than you think, but not soon enough for me to handle. 

She's my best friend, my honorary twin, and my adopted sister. 

And having her across the ocean in Paris has just about killed me. 

She's a whole year out, which got me thinking about how much can change in a year. 

Last year at this time: 

-I was still a journalism major

-We said goodbye to Sam and sent him off to Guam
-President Monson made the announcement of the missionary age change that has rocked every aspect of most of our world's for the last little while

-I was still going home on the weekends to work at a little Mexican restaurant

Now? I've changed my major twice, Sam's (and everybody else and their dog) is creeping up on his year mark, and I've worked at the same restaurant for almost a year.

I've worked an entire summer as an A-Teamer, joined a sorority, been in two other singles' wards,  and moved three times. 

If you'd told me a year ago--the me that didn't leave the apartment building or do anything with anyone other than her roommates--that I'd be juggling two jobs, 15 credits, and the friends I have all over campus, I probably would have laughed in your face. 

But time changes thing, and we learn things about ourselves we never would have without that change. 

Without change, I never would have found the second home I have in Logan, or the adopted families I have in Kappa Delta, A-Team, or my favorite SigEp boys. 

Without change, I'd still be hating my classes and not looking forward to school. 

Without change, I wouldn't have started talking to my friends from high school again and wouldn't have Sam, Jackson, Jared, Jon and Bronson as close as I do. 

Without change, I'd probably still be sitting on my couch in my apartment, associating only with the people I went to high school with, and not doing anything to get involved at Utah State. 

The moral of the story is, a lot can change in a year, and change isn't always bad. It can actually be a really good thing. 

Em's been gone six months, and I already know we're both growing in ways we never imagined. 

She's still got a year left, and who know's what will be different by the time she gets home. 

All I know is that I'm happy with where I'm headed and with the person I'm becoming.......but mostly I just can't wait to have my best friend home. 

Let the countdown begin!