on things i didn't expect to like.

1. The Talmage Building... remember my last post on this subject?

Well, it turns out that stats is actually quite interesting... and (bonus) the hallways smell like men's cologne. Did I just say that?

2. Strawberries

Because I grew up in a home where my mother never enjoyed strawberries, I always kind of thought that I wouldn't either. Wrong! Ever since I got the guts up to try them a few years ago, I realized all that I'd been missing in the berry department.

Plus, don't these resemble strawberries in heaven? I thought so, too. :)

3. Being outside.

I can vividly remember a day in the fifth grade, begging my teacher to let me stay in from recess so that I could keep on reading my book. I hated being cold (still do), and surely she couldn't deny me extra reading time, right? Wrong. I thought, 'when I grow up, I won't have to go outside when I don't want to, and I won't make kids take a recess if they don't want to.' (Also false). But now that recess is a thing of the past, I relish the opportunity to feel the warm sunshine on my skin and to feel the breeze in my face. 

4. Running

Okay, I'll be real in saying that I still don't love running, but I really don't mind it as much as I used to. I still can't exert myself without feeling completely nauseous, but I do love hitting that wall, pushing past it, and feeling great after my run is over. 

5. Country music and rodeos

You can't escape it where I'm from, and after years of being a self-proclaimed hater, I caved. For more details, see here and here. 

6. Traveling.... let's be real, I always knew that I'd be a great world traveler (don't we all?), but I just didn't realize that I'd be able to love traveling more than I hate homesickness.

7. Being a grown up. 

There are definite caveats to this one. The music is not always fun to face. Taxes are a bummer, utilities can be pricy (so can everything else), nobody stops you from filling your shopping cart with sweets, and nobody is there telling you what to do and when to do it- you have to have a mind of your own.

In the same token, I wouldn't trade the growth and progress I get to make for the comfort and security of childhood all over again. I know that I have a lot more growth ahead of me in the future, but for now, even on the bad days, being a grown up girl is kind of rewarding.