Well, block leave has come and gone in the blink of an eye. I sent Caleb off to Savannah this afternoon, while I stay behind to make some progress with school. Another four months or so of not seeing one another sounds pretty intimidating, but I’m confident that time will move quickly, as it always seems to. It feels strange to be “on my own” again. Let me tell you that leaving the airport today was not one of my proudest moments. If I’ve ever been a hot mess before, today took the cake.

Whenever there’s a moment in my life that I feel like I need to imprint in my heart forever, I buy a new album. I listen to that album over and over and over again, and then every time I hear it, for the rest of my life, I will always remember where I was the first time I fell in love with it. Music is amazing like that. This was one of those moments, and the lucky band this time is The Shins. I’ve put the responsibility on them to get me through the next few months, while keeping my sanity intact. I know – big request, right? I’ve depended on Brand New for so long that I thought I’d give them a break (just kidding – I’ll probs still listen to them daily, as usual). It’s so funny, though. I can tell you exactly where I was, and what I was doing, when I first listened to Deja Entendu and The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me, and ever since, those albums always take me back. I love that music can do that. It’s like having the ability to time-travel.

It’s not necessarily that I want to recall this time as the happiest experience ever, but more to remind myself that I got through it. With every obstacle comes another, and it’s nice to listen to the words that got me from moment to moment and know that I’m okay. Sorry if that just got a bit heavy. The bottom line is that The Shins’ Port of Morrow is going to be my lifeline for awhile, and it’s fantastic.

There isn’t some grand point to this post. I just thought I would let ya’ll know where things are with me right now. I should be able to get back on track with blogging, now that leave is over. I’ll be able to get into a routine, and blogging will be included in that routine. I also have a couple of journals that I received for Christmas. I intend to write every day, even if it’s just a quote that I’ve fallen in love with. I need to get back on track with my writing. Somewhere along the line, I’ve become a huge failure when it comes to getting something down on paper on a regular basis. I didn’t bother making New Years Resolutions, so consider this not-so-much a resolution, but a promise to myself. Writing makes me better in so many ways, and to deny myself that kind of freedom is such a waste.

Another week is nigh, my friends. Make the best of it. Thinking of you!

xoxoxo
Ash