good news, bad news, more good news

i feel like there are a million things i want to blog about. the problem is, i have no idea where to start.

well, there's ultra happy news recently (sort of recently... i mean, we've seen it coming for a long time, but it just recently happened). scott (*clears throat*) FINALLY proposed to tracy. she said yes (a good thing, indeed!!!). now they're getting married. ok, not now. but soon. like, next summer. and i'm trying really hard not to worry about the fact that the wedding might be when the nicaragua mission trip is. i've told mom, "i'm thinkin' they might have their wedding when i'm not here." i mean b/c come on... if you're really getting married w/in the next year, chances are i'll be a little ways out of the country. geesh. so please, nobody get married, and ESPECIALLY, nobody DIE when i'm gone. ok????? (so... that took a jump, from telling the big news. but you know how that goes.) oh, by the way. of course i'll be here for the wedding. or else mom would kill me. and i really only have two brothers, so i need to be there when the big days occur, b/c hopefully it'll only be twice in this lifetime. (two brothers, two weddings. comprendes?) yay, leisha's going to have a sister-in-law... woohoooooooooo!... i like tracy... :-D

btw. i like emily, too. (emily, how are you??? you're going to be TEACHING soon! i am SO excited for you... you're going to be an absolutely amazing teacher! i can't wait to see you again...)

there's also not-so-happy news. today i found out that an old friend from elementary and middle school (and even during high school, although i never saw her except once a year at puddle jumper days, when she was naturally not quite at her best) overdosed on meth and died the other day. her name was jennifer murry... does that ring a bell to anyone out there? (andy? scott? she played football a bit, and kicked serious butt in basketball back in the day.) she was 21. good grief. (grief, indeed, but not good... who ever came up w/ that term, anyway?)

i feel like i have a million things to accomplish before the end of this month, but time is flying way too quickly, and i'm not ready for ANYTHING. feeling overwhelmed. a bit. study abroad is almost here, and naturally, i'm not ready. excited, sure, but ready? i don't think so.

i have a "date" on tuesday evening. actually, i think we're calling it a "fun time" instead of a "date," to take the pressure off. his name is jonathan, he's from olathe, he's a computer engineer-type person (sorry, i'm illiterate when it comes to all those smart people computer-type terms), a christian, italian, w/ a great sense of humor (so far)... (note: he's been to 18 countries! and he's tall! ha!) we're meeting up for dinner, and seeing "hello, dolly!" at starlight afterwards. mom and grandma will be there at starlight, as well, so if things don't go well, mom has offered to pull her gimp act. (gotta love that woman!) i have the feeling it'll go really well though, and i'm looking forward to it, more than i can say. me, on a date. weird! lol! (oh wait! it's not a date! ok, that makes it better!) ;-)

i miss you! yes, you! andy, jody, emily, beks, anybody and everybody who happens to read this. i miss you all! don't be strangers!!!

all for now.*

*-- finally, an update. ok, so that really wasn't so painful...