When will my reflection show who I am inside?

I'm getting ready to start another year of grad school in Bloomington and I'm sitting in my apartment reflecting on the past year and thinking forward to this coming year.  Lawry has rubbed off on me, I'm becoming increasingly sappier.  In any case, on the whole I feel blessed and I feel cared for... by family, friends, and Lawry.  I think I'm more prepared for the upcoming school year.  I'm looking forward to it, and I'm glad I spent a summer at home.

Lawry wanted to stop at Five Guys to get a greasy hamburger delight after a 10 hour drive to St. Louis.  Delightful! We split the fries because Eat This, Not That told me to.

Then, we drove to Indiana, and we ALMOST missed the state line... but the bumpier roads indicated our arrival.  We got in to Bton, moved me back in, re-set up the apartment, got half-off a pizza, and some delicious ice cream for dinner.

Sappy greetings from IU,
MJ

600 miles later

After about 15 hours in the car, a stop over in St. Louis-Louis, dinner at the Chuck Berry bar in STL, breakfast at St. Louis Bread Company aka Panera, a detour to Jesse James' hideout, the world's largest rocking chair (again), and a highly embarrassing moment at an Oklahoma toll-booth, I made it back to the great state of Texas.  Just finished my first year of graduate school at Indiana and it is crazy to think about the last time I made that long journey.  Without getting all saptastic, life has changed a lot since last August.  Graduate school been quite the adventure with several high moments and quite a few kicks in the hind parts.  All in all, I have been blessed.  God has been faithful, he has provided for me in unexpected ways, he has challenged me in my school work, aspirations and my relationships and he is shaping my life.  It's not always comfortable, but it has been good.  :)
One of those good things is that Lawry got to make the better part of the drive with me.  We met in St. Louis Louis, he met me at the airport!! And, then we drove the 10+ hours to DFW through Missouri all the way to Tulsa and then down to the Dirty Lew.

Lawry really wanted to stop at the Jesse James hideout.  This is us on the the lookout for the town sheriff!

 Once the world's largest McDonalds...

Russell as a frat guy... popped collar, tough guy face, big sunglasses... see big sunglasses aren't just for girls...

And now, STATE LINE Pictures! Not glamorous, I just like 'em for some reason.  Maybe cause the destination feels closer

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOklahoma!!!! Where the wind comes sweeping down the plain!

AND BEST FOR LAST...

AH!!!!!!!! TEXAS!!!!!!! The stars at night are big and bright (CLAP CLAP CLAP) DEEP IN THE HEART OF TEXAS!

And the Oklahoma-Texas line... the RED RIVER!!!

Texas, Our Texas! All hail the mighty state! Texas, Our Texas! So wonderful, so great! Boldest and grandest withstanding ev'ry test! O Empire wide and glorious, you stand supremely blest! God Bless you, Texas! And, keep you brave and strong! That you may grow in power and worth throughout the ages long!

Eating tacos and saying "y'all,"

MJ