First Day of My Last Year of Undergrad!

Today is the first day of my last year of my undergraduate college career.  I've been pondering this for some time.  Well, I have been pondering the past, present, and the future, not so much this being my last first day of a new year of my undergraduate career.  My first day of college seems so long ago.  I feel as though an incredible amount of life has been stuffed into the past three years.  I have made wonderful friends each year, and still have some of those close friendships, for which I am incredibly thankful!  Some of my friendships have lessened.  That's ok, though.  The friendships that I have, now, are the ones I want to continue to cultivate!  They love me and bless me.  They comfort me and encourage me!

This is not one of those stories that ends (or begins with), "If you had told me then that I would be...I wouldn't have believed it."  Ok, maybe just a little, but only about my excitement over all my classes (especially Philosophy and Logic....and maybe Theology).  Yes, you did read that correctly.  I am so excited about ALL my classes this semester!  Seriously!  I have a desire to take them all!  Today I have Theology I and Psalms!  Tomorrow I have Acts and Logic!  Thursday nights are Medieval Philosophy, and sometime I will be having Creative Writing = )

See, best semester of classes!!!

Also, my semester is going to be the busiest yet!  I am praying for more discipline than ever before!  It helps that I like what I am studying, but Philosophy has the ability to overwhelm (especially those papers).

Michael is starting school tomorrow and is so pumped!  I am excited for him!  He gets to do school at his own pace this year (meaning, he can do, hopefully, two years in one!).  Also, he will be playing baseball for the high school!!!  Yeah!  I can't wait to see him play!

Daddy is going to grad school (again) tomorrow!  Have fun, Daddy!

Mama is staying so busy with so much!   Seriously, her weekends are, at this point, busier than mine!

Well, I need to get myself together this morning! 

Have a wonderful day!

Update!

So much has happened since I last posted.

I have moved back to school, finally arranged my room (thank you, Hannah for helping me!), unpacked, gone to TN, saw a rattle snake in the wild twice (coming and going), jumped off a cliff that was 20+feet high (thank you to everyone for having such patience with me!), got to know some awesome people, attended COTA (SO nice to be back!!!), eaten Indian (twice in a week), have visited with Danyelle and Kathleen, done a lot for Connect: CIU, met Freshman, and begun reading for next week!  It has been incredibly busy but a lot of fun!

Being back at church was such a huge blessing!  It was wonderful seeing people and worshiping together!  I just love my church!  It is a very special place with special people!

 I have made many new friends and acquaintances this week, which makes me so very happy!  I look forward to deepening them over the next year!

Looking forward to a normal schedule next week and getting back into the swing of things!

I'll write again soon : )

Vogue. My Current Intrigue.

One weekend in June I was visiting the beach with my family.  There happened to be a copy of Vogue left at the condo and I decided to take it with me to read as I lay by the pool.  I had never spent time reading Vogue, perhaps only ever glancing through the pages.  I have been an InStyle reader for years.  However, I found the articles intriguing and interesting.  They were not your typical skim through and flip the page articles.  In fact, one article in particular has now caused me to focus on a specific subject possibility for graduate school.

I am becoming very aware of how much I lack in knowledge of fashion.  However, just tonight I have learned of one great designer and have explored another designer's collections.  The fashion industry is a very broad industry.  There are many facets that are required to keep it operating.  It is a very intriguing world that is no merely made of models and photographers.

However, an article was brought to my attention regarding a certain Vogue cover.
For your interest, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2022305/Far-far-young-Outrage-shocking-images-10-YEAR-OLD-model-graced-pages-Vogue.html

My Visit With Mama

I realized today, while thinking about my post yesterday, I did not mention the wonderful time I had with Mama and Michael : )

They picked my up from the airport and surprised me by taking me out for a late lunch.  Then, as I am about to return to my table, Michael tells me to go away.  So, I do.  When I am finally allowed to go back to the table, there is a piece of cake with a candle sitting on the table.  They sing/say "Happy Birthday" and then hand me a bag.  I opened my presents and found some wonderful gifts!  Indian (from the country) tea spoons, two Precious Moments mugs for a collection like when I was a child, a Jane Austen movie, "Persuasion", and some gummies (I think there was one other thing but it has slipped my mind).  Anyway, we just had a nice time together!  We played games that night, Mama and I watched a couple of movies over the time I was home, and we just talked a lot!

I am so thankful I was able to go home and visit!  I miss home.  But, hopefully over the upcoming year I will have more opportunities to visit!

Thank you for a wonderful time home, Mama!
I love you!

Consider It a Genealogy

A thought literally just struck me.  I have been finished with my summer job for one week.  This one week has been filled with a great deal of busyness, fun, and relaxation.

I visited home for a few days and was able to visit with some wonderful family and friends!
Playing games with my family, Nick, and Drew was wonderful.  We perfected our arguing skills (maybe not) and had fun.  I was finally able to go swimming in the river!  It was the first time in almost two years!  I spent time with Elizabeth, Michael, Isabelle, and Amelie!  Oh, that little baby is so sweet!  I could hardly let her go to her mommy!  And, I saw Nanny and Aunt Anna!  And, oh my sweet cousin Abi.  Do you know, she wore pink because she was coming to say goodbye to me?  How precious!  I was able to see the Shavers!  Oh, I loved seeing them!  And, I got to see Scarlet, Todd, and Jonah!  The latter two wanted to kidnap me and keep me in the basement.  And Nick came over after a long drive to hang out! 

I know reading that must have felt like reading the genealogies in the Bible, sometimes, but thank you for persevering.

I am now at the beach.  Today was spent swimming in the ocean, boogie boarding, playing with jelly fish, reading, tanning, and observing a dead sea turtle that washed ashore.  It began to bleed from the eye right in front of us.  It was very old.  Yesterday, while waiting for my delayed flight, we went to Sams.  While there, I was perusing the book aisle and found a book with a painting on the cover.  As I looked at the painting I thought it looked familiar.  I flipped the book over and sure enough, the reason I recognized it was because it was a Vermeer.  Anyway, I bought the book.  It is so interesting.  Also, it is not going in the direction I thought it would.  Intriguing!  Love it!

I apologize for the shortness and the uninteresting information included.  Just think of it as Matthew 1...preparing you for what is to come : )

Maybe I will be more energized to write tomorrow.

The Day I Thought Would Never Arrive

Here it is.  Almost.  I leave tomorrow...on a jet plane!  A small jet plane.  I am heading into the wild blue yonder, the friendly skies, etc. etc. etc. to fly HOME! 
I must chuckle to myself, all the cliches in the world (a hyperbole) are popping into my head.

I finished my internship/summer job this evening.  It was a very nice last day.  I left things as neat and organized as I could, said my goodbyes, and went out to dinner with my cousins!  It was a wonderful time!  I love having the opportunity to spend time with them!

I have begun the trying task of packing.  Really, I am so tired of packing.  I just want to throw it all out (my clothes, mainly) and start from scratch.  After VA I fly back to FL, head to the beach, back to Orlando for a night, and then up to Columbia Daddy and I go.  I want this next week and a half to creep by slower than a snail!

Well folks, that's all for now!

"In My Own Little Corner"

TWO DAYS TWO DAYS TWO DAYS!
^ the number of days I have left of work.
THREE DAYS THREE DAYS THREE DAYS (less than)
^ the number of days until I go home for a visit : )

Now, today at work I found myself standing, gazing out the window.  Suddenly, "In My Own Little Corner" from Cinderella the Musical popped into my head!

I realized, that song fits me well.  I can be sitting in a room and be miles away.

And, just because this was always one of my favorite songs...

Oh my gracious, how I love this song!  Please take note of the way her dress swirls!

OkOk, just one more...maybe. 

Alright, I think I am done...only because I cannot find a good recording of the Stepsister's Lament.

I hope you enjoyed my walk down memory lane (my memory, maybe not yours).