Five Years of Yao

Hello. My name is Amber. I am an Ikea-holic. It has been a mere few hours since my last visit to Ikea, and my third one this week. I have purchased things on all three trips.

Jen needed to go! It wasn't my fault! I was just being a good friend. I even helped her assemble!

Anyway...

I was saying to her today that I think we did a pretty good job of getting to be twenty-two. When I was in highschool, I didn't think about 22 as a possibility. Logically I knew 22 (and beyond) existed, but I didn't consider it at all. Jen says it's because in high school, people tend to focus on the "now" so intently they don't consider the future so much. I think she's right.

I can vividly remember the visceral thrill of finishing the last final of eleventh grade and realizing I was the most upper of upperclassmen: I was a Senior. I found Jen in the hall clutched her arm as I said it, "We're Seniors." What a cool moment. It was such a big deal.

That was five years ago. It seems so long ago, and then, it really was ONLY five years ago. A lot and almost nothing has changed. A war has been fought, pop culture has changed, there was a wedding, virginity was lost, relationships have begun and ended, complications have been had, life changing trips were taken, illnesses were discovered, education was obtained, lessons were learned, accidents were had, there were rough transitions, nights spent crying because "the world was ending", nights spent laughing because everything was perfect, hair was cut ( ! ), SO much. I think Jen is the ONE thing that hasn't changed in my life in years... except of course she has, but in the best ways. So this one is for Jen. Thanks for being consistent... and awesome.

P.S. I got in trouble for not saying how wonderful her wedding was... Jen's wedding was the wedding to end all weddings. It was fantabulous. Seriously. And her makeup came out totally beautiful.