I'm having a moment.

About a week ago, I decided to just do it. I turned in my application and paid my deposit for my study abroad program in Nice, France. I texted my dad and simply told him "I'm going to France. Just turned in my app, paid my deposit." He replied "Wow. Cool" or something of the sort. And then I called my mom, and told her "So I just wanted to let you know I'm going to France for a month to study abroad." and explained the trip in some detail to her.

Fast-forward a few days, and I'm on the phone with my best friend, Ashlee, and she tells me she wants to come. In a few minutes, we have dates decided and flights picked out. We start discussing plans for the two days we are in Paris, and the 7 we are in Nice together. We book a hotel in Paris.

Fast-forward a couple more days, and I'm on the phone with my dad, going back and forth about whether I should book a round trip now, or wait to book the return because I'm not sure where I'll be flying out of.

Then it hit me.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Is this actually my life? These are real, CASUAL conversations I have had over the past week? The fact that I get to decide in such a nonchalant moment to "go to France"- WHAT? And then I call my parents, and literally get nothing but 100% support and a couple "how exciting!"'s?

My life is unreal. I can't even explain the level of blessed I am. To have these opportunities, to live this life. I have to take this moment, write this out and realize this is not normal. This is not what 22 year olds, or anyone for that matter, decide on a random Wednesday. But this is really my life!

I mainly write this to remind myself how incredibly lucky I am to have the family I do. If it weren't for their unwavering support for all my ridiculous ideas (move to California at 17, take out enormous student loans, move to an apartment on the beach, apply to law school, actually GO to law school when I'm already in massive debt, take out more enormous loans, go to France for a freaking summer!) I would not live the incredible life I do. I can honestly say I've never been without. And I really don't even mean financially. My grandparents can't wait to get my phone calls, even if all I have to tell them is that I am still alive, still breathing. My parents are with me every step of the way in everything I do. No one has ever told me to do something more realistic or to stop "dreaming so big". And on top of that, I have support from more extended family members than I can ever sit here and name. I get to be whoever I want, and they support it. What is better than that? 

I pride myself in living life to the fullest. Sometimes I know I should slow down, but why? So I can wake up in five years and ask myself why I missed out on that trip to France? or why I don't have a law degree? That lifestyle would be impossible without my family. I'm just blown away that I spend my days in Downtown San Diego, sometimes my weekends are spent in Las Vegas, sometimes in Laguna Beach… I really do realize my life is not the norm. Sometimes I'm sure I don't deserve all these blessings, but I know I am always grateful.