how did we get here?

At what point did I end up a junior in college? When did we get here and how did I not notice time flying by so quickly?

I met an old friend in the parking lot of my high school yesterday to pick up some stuff from her for camp. We didn't even go in-- I wouldn't dare venture past the m-lot now. But both of us stood there catching up and marveled at how it all felt like it was just yesterday... we pointed out our old parking spots and remembered our days of torture running laps together and couldn't believe it had been years since it all happened. I don't understand where it went or why it feels like we've only been gone a week. And then it got worse...

I went to preschool graduation last night and let's face it, I've been to more of those than I can even keep track of. This year I was graciously promoted from handing out programs to selling dvd's but per usual I got to see so many precious little faces and see how my mom tears up at watching them leave. I sat there during the ceremony watching my old friend Chad proudly watch his oldest daughter walk across the stage (she got the biggest applause of anyone!) with his toddler on his left and his infant in his arms. He kept bouncing the baby up and down and making her playing peek-a-boo with me, acting like the true child-at-heart that Chad will always be. I still can't believe he's a dad. I remember when his oldest was born and to be honest, I didn't even know that he and his wife had three kids now. How did we get here? I watched those babies walk (and often times run) across that stage and couldn't help but think that if I blinked it would be me sitting in the audience before I even knew it.

I had lunch with one of my best friends from high school today, the one we call my sister. We've grown up together to the point that we literally have keys to each others houses. She talked to me today about looking at engagement rings...

Time is such a whirlwind. I can't understand where it's gone lately. How did I get to the point where I will graduate college in a year and a half? How are people getting married left and right? At what point did it happen that I'm dating a boy in med school? Life is flying so fast and I get the feeling it will only get faster from here. It's funny how I can be so impatient and still begging for time to just slow down. God and I had a chat last night about how our days are just mere seconds for Him and how our lives are just tiny pieces of his big time line. If you look at the book of Jonah (post whale swallowing...) Jonah gets upset with the Lord about the little things we have no right to be upset about and the Lord teaches him to re-focus on the more important things of life. All we can and should do is graciously thank the Lord for letting us play a role in His story, not get bogged down with the details, and try and focus in on how we play into the bigger picture He has at work. Will I get there? Maybe... only time will tell. :)