I spent this weekend at home. Each time it gets harder to come back to Mankato. I'm so sick of school and being away from everyone and everything I love. Neil came home this weekend as well; I didn't know he was going to until Friday afternoon, and I didn't know when he was coming back into town so I didn't hold out for Friday night plans. At about 22:00, my cell phone rang. "So, I got directions to the house of the most beautiful girl in the world, and now I'm standing in her driveway." I go outside, and sure enough there is my wonderful boyfriend. We went back to his house and watched "Next". I've seen it before, but it was good the second time around too. Riding to his house felt like going back in time, to high school, because it was just like when he would pick me up on a Friday night, taking 18th St. just like we always did, holding my hand between the seats and listening to the same country radio. Sometimes I look at Neil now though, and I see him as he is today. I still can't believe he's nineteen already. An engineering major at a tiny college in Boston. He's going places. I'm so proud of him, but it scares me a little that he might outgrow the small-town, good-ole-boy that I am so madly in love with. It's funny how when we've known someone for a long time, we see them as they were when we first met them, and in a way I still see Neil as the fifteen-year-old I first met. My scrawny, nerdy standpartner who wore Hawaiian shirts and helped me with my math homework, then talked on the phone until it was late. Back to my weekend . . . on Saturday I went to Peter's grad party. I'm so proud of him as well. My dad said he thinks Peter is one of the most decent guys I've ever known, and I would definitely agree. Peter's party was quite popular, but he spent a lot of time talking to me. Every time I see him, I miss him more when we part. Sometimes I wonder what could have been, you know? I will say that my high school experience would have been lessened without Peter in it, and I'm so thankful to have known him. I'm sure I'll see him this summer, and maybe on breaks next year, but still. I'm going to miss this. We just look good together. It was even a good hair day for me. Last night, I went over to Neil's house to hang out again and we watched half of "P.S. I Love You" before Neil couldn't stand it anymore. He took me home and we sat in my driveway for awhile before I went in. He was really tired, more tired than he should have been, and he has been all weekend. I'm a little worried about him. Today I had planned on going trapshooting in the morning, but I admit, I wanted to see Neil again, and I haven't been to church in ages. I love my home church. Some people don't like the traditional Lutheran service, but I love it. They say the ritual is meaningless because of its repetition, but to me it's comforting. I think if heaven is eventually going to be my home, I want it to be as comfortable as going home to Our Savior's in Owatonna. I ate at Kernal with my mom and looked at the Sunday People's Press, as usual. I love looking at the engagements and doing the crossword. I feel like the main character in "27 Dresses"; the first thing she does when she rips open the paper is look at the wedding page. I spent a few hours of the afternoon at Neil's house. He slept for a lot of it. I didn't think much of it at the time; he takes naps and sleeps a lot on a regular basis. But fast forward to about 20:00, when he's back in Ames and I'm in Mankato. I'm done grocery shopping and everything. I was talking to Brian, but when Neil called, I switched it over and Neil told me he was bored and starting to get sick for real. I mean, he's been kinda sick with a cold for two weeks, and he gave it to me the first Wednesday he came over to see me, so like a week and half. I'm still feeling it too, but he's thinking he's going to start throwing up and feeling awful, the whole shebang. I really hope he doesn't. This internship is really important to him, and I hate knowing that he's feeling badly and I can't do anything to make him feel better. Here's to two more weeks before I see Neil again, to both of us surviving those two weeks (in more ways than one), and here's to a few good men (Neil and Peter).