how did I get so lucky?

Yesterday afternoon, I left my teaching internship and walked home, the same as I had been doing five days a week, for the past twelve weeks. I carried a bouquet of flowers in my hands that my teachers got for me, and I smiled to myself thinking about what was in my bag - silly and sweet cards from each of my students, and a framed picture of all of us, donned with all of their signatures. As I wandered over the overpass and looked out over the freeway at the Manhattan skyline, I realized I wouldn't be making this walk again come Monday morning. Then I realized I wouldn't be heading to campus again to attend class. Then I realized that I wouldn't be doing anything related to grad school...ever again.

I was walking alone, with nobody to talk to, so I did what any person would do with such a realization - busted out my phone and wrote it on Facebook. Duh.

The response was, and continues to be, overwhelming. The number of "likes" and comments on this one little facebook status totally took me by surprise. I knew that finishing grad school was a big deal, and I was ready to celebrate it, but in my own self-conscious way, I didn't think it was that big of a deal. It was a personal thing that I did for myself and I figured it wasn't any more important than all of us just doing our own thing in life. I knew that the people who had watched me go through it - Nick, my family, my closest friends - they would be the ones who would be happy for me. They watched me do hours of homework, tried to invite me out only to have me turn them down for studying, and asked me about how school was going every chance they got.

Yet, when I got Facebook notification after Facebook notification last night and this morning, it suddenly got to my head. My inner diva finally decided to pop out and proclaim to myself, "You go, girl." I am basking in my achievement and feeling so, so proud of myself. But it's because of you all, and your many words of support and congratulations. For that, I cannot thank you enough.

Also, special shout out to one of my best friends from home who surprised me this morning with these:

When they were delivered to my door and I read the card, I got really emotional. Maybe it's because I'm fighting a headache thanks to one too many beers last night, but maybe it's because I am so lucky to have such wonderful, loving, and supportive people in my life.