((Your true friends won't care about what you have, where you live, or what you drive. Your true friends care about who you are. That's a real friendship.))

I got to thinking the other day about moving out and starting a 'real life' where I'm on my own and I have alot of mixed feelings about it. Sunday night my mom and I were looking at some of the pictures from this past year on the Michael's Photography site (before they deleted all of them for the new year) and while we were looking at football pictures she said "Are you going to miss it?" It? What went though my mind was something like..

"...football games, basketball games, pep rallys, being on the sideline of every football game, driving to every football/basketball game..even the ones in Cookeville and White County, the Smyrna game in the rain, IHOP, Waffle House in Brentwood, roaming the halls, being lazy, hanging out after class, not worrying about anything, laughing at just about everything, being on TV, making fun of everyone else, having the time of my life, turning 18, eating home cooked meals all the time, being the only senior in a class, making fun of Bell, the Riverdale/Christmas pep rally, everything that has to do with Dante, both homecoming games, both homecoming weeks, being in the car show and the parade, not caring about what people said about me being in the car show and the parade, finding the love of my life, dancing in the prom fashion show..and not caring if I made an idiot of myself while doing so, spring break in Panama City, being hated for about a month, the senior slide show, an awesome senior week, figuring out I shouldn't play baseball/softball, prom night/after prom, being out bid on all the prizes until everyone else ran out of chips, walking across that stage, hearing my family and friends cheer, taking that little slip of paper we all work hard to get, standing for the alma mater one last time, throwing my hat in the air, walking out of Murphy Center a graduate, and making the last official summer of my childhood the absolute best one ever.."

I just smiled and said "Yeah..it was a blast."

Looking back..I feel like a jerk. I kept saying forever how I had to get away from here and how I hated Murfreesboro and God only knows what else I said as an excuse to leave. I feel horrible for just wanting to up and leave for the reasons that I told everyone..and I'm sorry.

This is an exciting new chapter in my life and when it boils down to it, I just wanted a change of scenery..to open my eyes to a new town and try life there for a while. The football team had something to do with it too..heh.

I'll miss seein' everyone and bein' around to hang out like the old days and I hope that all of you find great success in life with whatever you decide to do. I guess this is it because in

17 days

I'll have to grow up..we all will. Wish us all luck..

I've thought about listing all of my friends and giving them some words of encouragement or a little joke that always made them/us laugh but that would take alot of time so I'll say this..

To everyone at MTSU: for the past 10 years you guys have been my life. In some way, big or small, you have left a lasting mark on me that makes me a better person because from being around all of you as long as I have I feel blessed to have known such great people. I'm definately going to keep in touch with you guys for as long as you'll let me, ha. I may not have always been the best friend but I know in my heart you guys will always be there for me and the same goes for you. I'm leavin' with nothing unsaid. I love you guys.

To everyone at UT: I'll be seein' you guys and all of the bad traffic on August 20, heh.

All my life I've been around UT. I guess it's finally time to show it. My truck is already "UT-ified" and I've got a few UT shirts..I'm on my way.

There is nothing more I could have asked for than to have lived the life God gave me these past 18 years. For every mistake has come something great, from every storm there has come sunshine and that's how it's always been for us. You stay classy, Murf'sbura..

Goodbye Murfreesboro, hello Knoxville.

peace.out