it may not sound like much, but it's where i'm from..

I love my hometown. For so many reasons... I could probably make a list of things with the title "You know you live in Salinas when..."

I have a man that I appreciate so much. I've known him for years.. and when I think back to how I "thought" about him in high school it makes me realize how small of a town Salinas is, and that God can sometimes surprise you with his plans for your life..

Seeing this sign, leading up to the street I take to get to my house, can sometimes bring tears of joy to my eyes when I see it after being away for a period of time, yes.. I love my hometown THAT much..
It is also part of the norm to see a tractor like this on the road, either in the lane next to you, or in front of you causing a traffic jam..

I also LOVE my high school.. It's cheesy I know, but I really do! and last weekend when I was there for my little brother's football game I was so excited to be on the field.. anytime I think about being a high school English teacher, I really only every picture doing it there..

Another thing my town has a LOT of is Chevy trucks.. This is my boyfriends truck, and I LOVE it... I seriously have an attachment to it.

Also, a lot of times, those Chevy's will be driving down the street, and in the front of the truck you can see that they have a cowboy hat sitting there... This always makes me really happy.

I really can't wait to move back home.. I love Salinas... silly I know.. but it's the little things that about it that I love and that make me really happy.. and I might be a little homesick already..

All I want for Christmas is..

..to go on a trip to Disneyland with my man over Christmas break. thats all.

a summer of learning.

I've learned a lot this summer. A lot about me. A lot about Thomas. A lot about us as a couple. There are things about me, that have become apparent to me this summer.. and are things I need to learn to move past to be in the adult relationship I am wanting this to be. I have to learn to move past my insecurities.. and know that if he didn't want to be with me.. then he wouldn't be. We have to learn how important talking to each other really is.. and I think once I'm back at school and talking is all we have in between visits, we will discover that more and more.

The beginning of this relationship has already been a roller coaster.. An amazing, fun, frustrating, scary, exciting, interesting.. roller coaster of a ride, but I wouldn't trade it for the world. I would never give up on it either. This man has stolen my heart, and I have all the hopes (and prayers) that God will do with us what He has planned.

Fall please!

Summer, you've been fun.. but i'm ready for

jeans.

uggs.

hoodies.

my northface.

scarves.

the cold.

the rain.

peppermint mochas.

(did i mention rain?)

and beanies.

Sadly.. I must go back to Northridge (LA) in a few days and will be in hotter weather than here at home.. much hotter weather.. so I still have at least another month of

dresses.

flip flops.

tank tops.

shorts.

and lots and lots of dry heat.

93 days til Thanksgiving.. and 112 days til Christmas break.. but who's counting?

Spreading his wings to FLY away...

Today at 4 am, my little brother Casey went off to the airport with my mom to move to Florida. He is going to be attending Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach. This kid got his pilots license last summer and has been flying as much as he could ever since then. Now he's off to Florida to complete his BA in Aeronautical Science before joining the Marines, and spending a good deal of the rest of his life in the sky. I am so beyond proud of this goofball. He is going to do great.

For the last year(ish), I was only there last summer, winter break and then again this summer, Casey and I worked together at Victoria's Secret in Monterey.. and as silly as it sounds, those have been some of my favorite times in the past year with Casey. My brother is HILARIOUS. He cracks me up so much, and I was always super excited when I got to work with him.

On Sunday we had a going away party for him where soooo many people showed up to see this kid off. This cake that we had made for him made me so happy. The picture on the cake is of Casey on his 1st birthday (I believe) on an airplane teeter totter he got for his birthday. For as long as I can remember this boy has wanted to fly airplanes, and this picture just warms my heart.
Time has been flying by like crazy lately. Look at this picture (below)... my TINY little brother, Cameron, who is 13, is basically the same height as me!! What is going on in the world?? I'm 9 years older than him and we are the same height??!... Ugh..

Casey leaving makes me sad not just because I wont see him until Thanksgiving.. but because I know between him finishing up at ERAU and then joining the Marines... He wont ever live here again.. or at least not at home... and as soon as I'm done with school I wont live at home very much longer either.. which means.. the days of the 3 Walker children all living under the same roof are basically over... and that makes me really really sad. It also means that I have to get used to the idea that I wont see Casey much more than on holidays... last time I checked I was 9, Casey was 7 and Cameron just entered this world!! *sigh*..

I have the coolest family in the world. Not gunna lie... we are all pretty funny.. and get us all around the same dinner table.. and you will be dying!

I'm hoping that at some point while Casey is in Florida our family will take a trip to Disneyworld.. we have always talked about going.. but now that Casey will already be there, it's even more of an excuse to go!

I swear this kid just graduated high school last week.. (it was more like June of '09, but still)

I just feel so blessed to have such an amazing, supportive family. I am so proud of BOTH of my brothers and wouldn't be anywhere if it wasn't for my parents. I thank God everyday for blessing me with them. I love my family. Good luck at ERAU Casey.. we are all rooting for you and will miss you so much.. See you when I see you! (Thanksgiving.)

My summer.. and Country music..

So I know that I already posted about my Summer Songs... but as I sit here drinking my coffee and have Country Music video's playing in the background, and as I think about my summer soon coming to an end, I am coming to realize how much of an impact Country music had on my summer. No, i'm not saying that the music changed the events that occured, or made any events magically happen, but what it did do was join me every day of this summer and because of that, there are so many songs that as soon as I hear them, I think about this summer, being home and spending time with Thomas.

When I hear songs like "Just a Kiss," "Are you gunna kiss me or not," "Don't you wanna stay," "Crazy Girl," "Dirt Road Anthem," "Huntin the World," "Barefoot blue jean night," "Made in America," "Way out here," "Voices," "Remind Me," "Austin"... and sooo soo many others, I am instantly brought back "home," or to Thomas' house.. and I don't ever want to leave.

This summer has been so much more than I could have imagined. So many things have happened, so many things have changed. To be completley forward, my life was changed. I "met" a man that I never new existed... I mean, of course I knew he existed, I've known him for what, 6 years now?.. But I had no idea who he really was. I've never been happier. Going back to school is going to be really hard.. but with frequent home visits, modern technology and Country music I think i'll be ok.

(more) Maybe..

Maybe I haven't blogged in quite a while and I don't really have an excuse (writers block?)..

Maybe I've just been working, and cleaning (and I mean intensely organizing) of my room..

Maybe I'm really starting to realize how badly I do NOT want to leave the boy when I go back to school..

Maybe I'm really looking forward to the lake this weekend...

Maybe I'm freaking out a little bit about my little brother moving to Florida in 2 weeks..

Maybe I'm thinking I should track down a refrigerator for my new apartment..

Maybe I'm looking forward to taking classes that I care about taking..

Maybe I want to just fast forward til May 2012... Maybe..