I thought I might feel like a grown up when I graduated college.  Or when I started my first job. Or started paying bills.  It never happened.

And now that I have my own apartment with [real] real bills, I still don't feel like one.

So now I'm thinking it might happen when I get married. Or have a baby.  Or when my baby has a baby? Or maybe I'll never really believe I'm a grown up.

While I do not exactly feel more mature, it does feel very different walking into my own apartment, as opposed to my parents house.

And, while I absolutely love the feeling, I also must say that for the last year I had the best roommates I could have asked for.  I had so much fun living with my parents and walked away feeling closer to them than ever before (I also walked away more interested in Dancing With the Stars and The Biggest Loser than I care to admit).  This time around, they really were more like my friends, and I am so grateful for our time together.

Now I just can't wait for them to visit, so I can show them to same hospitality they showed me.  Maybe THEN I'll feel like a grown up.