So this is the new year... There'll be no distance that can hold us back.

My blog is one year old to day. Hum Hum Hum Hum Hum Hum Hum Hum. That was the birthday song, but you probably already knew that.

It's funny how things change in a year. So much has happened in the past year. Junior year started, band trip, my dad was in the hospital, I got my job, my brother came home from college, choral fest, forensics; I mean, that's just a scratch off the surface of the huge amount of really important things that have happened.

At the same time, so little has changed. I'm just going to school and doing all this really ordinary stuff. The whole New Year's blog post is kind of pointless, because in a year, I'll be saying the same things.

I guess I just want anyone who reads this to now how very important you are to me. I don't know if this makes a whole lot of sense, but if I'm different, it's because of you, if I'm the same, it's because of you.

This past year was all about learning that I'm not in control. God taught me over and over again to let go and leave things in his hands and I still don't have it down.

I think the other big lesson this year was learning how powerful the things I say and do can be. The things I say and the things my friends say have such a huge impact on people. Personality and language and even appearance can be such huge blessings, but at the same time, those are the things that impact people around you and they are powerful.

So, friends, Happy New Year. Here's a glass of sparkling grape juice to change, little paragraphs, trust, family, friends, and good old fashioned growing up.