May 201_

It's that very special time of year when my hair starts going up in high ponytails to keep it off my neck, when pictures of everyone's recent graduations stream all day on Facebook, when I start wanting to plan something epic for my birthday but never actually get around to it until the day of, and of course, when I start wondering what on Earth I should do with my life.

They say when an event occurs consistently 3 times, it becomes a tradition. Since this has happened in 2010, 2011, and now 2012, I suppose I'd call this point of the year- with its inherent stress and then carefreeness and then worry and then contentment and then spontaneity and then irrationality- a tradition for me. (Need examples? This week alone I've thought about going to Argentina for a few months to teach English, or moving to Austin because I think I'd like the culture, or moving to Southern California and trying to work at Disneyland for a summer/forever. Seriously, someone stop me.)

I don't usually like to tell people about all of these plans, because- as I've learned through this tradition- I never know what will actually happen, and instead I end up sounding like a looney toon. In May 2010 I decided spontaneously to go to Germany to teach English. Because of that, in May 2011, I decided to move to Germany. And in May 2012? Well.. you saw my list. Who knows where May 2013 will have me. But I will say this, as stressful as it can be, it's also pretty neat to be at this place in life. Isaiah 30:21 has stayed my guiding May 201_ verse, "Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, 'This is the way; walk in it.'" Deeep breath.

It'll get figured out. Apparently one. year. at. a. time.