Giant Steps

I love visiting my grandparents on their farm. I've loved visiting ever since I was a little girl. As I've gotten older, my visits may not come as regularly, but my grandparents still love for their grandkids to come. I have tons of memories of all of the fun things we did and adventures we had - running through the creek, getting chased by mean longhorn cattle, throwing "dinner parties" (while getting to use my grandmother's good china!), driving the farm truck all by ourselves - the list is so long.

But one of the things I love most about my grandparents is not just how much fun they made it for me when I came to visit them but also for the way they stepped into my life at the times when I needed them most. Beginning my freshman year of college, they became the strong people who moved me into my dorm (those dorm beds weighed A TON!!), the people who moved me out as well, the people who came down for every birthday and holiday, the people who were always a phone call away when my car broke down or when I ran into another pole :), the people who were waving at me when I came to from getting wisdom teeth out, the people that called just to make sure I was alright, the people who cheered me on as I got my Aggie ring, and most of all, the people who made themselves my biggest supporters and fans.

So, the other day as I was sharing a rare (as of late) visit with my grandparents on their farm, my grandmother came into my room at her usual early hour in the morning, ready to talk as always. :) A sleepy me whose eyes were barely open half listened. And she made a comment about what "giant steps" I had taken towards maturity and wisdom since my freshman year of college. (She always chooses my worst hour to want to chat and become nostalgic). As I listened to her talk about how proud she was, I made myself wake up. I too began to think of how far I have come from that freshman in college, excited yet scared - some fear just a normal part of the college transition, and some from the difficult and really hurtful family situation I was in. I honestly didn't know how I was going to be able to make it through four years of college at that point without my dad's support or involvement in my life (literally and figuratively). Thanks to God, my amazing mother, and of course, my supportive grandparents who stood in the gap, I have made it to this point in my life!! Yes, I still have very far to go, but it's true that as I look back to my first year of college, I indeed have traveled giant steps to get here from there.