Parenthood

     Today I taught a two year old how to say nom nom nom when she ate something she liked. Then she started saying it in different voices just like she had heard me do. No I'm not a parent as anyone who has read my blog before would know. Yet this weekend I have been hanging out with a one year old and a two year old who came to live in my parents' house for a few days. These two precious girls have pretty much been the center of my world for the past three days. So no I'm not a mom yet, but I have been thinking about it a lot lately.
     In fact a friend and I were talking the other day and this very topic came up. He mentioned that he wasn't sure he ever wanted to be a father because he's scared he would mess them up too much. This threw me for a minute. It's hard for me to imagine someone not wanting to be a parent because all I've ever really wanted in life is to be a parent. Yet after the initial shock moment I remembered that not everyone is like me. So we talked about it. We had an interesting conversation and one real thought came out of it. Parenthood should be something that scares you. If it doesn't, you obviously aren't ready for it. When you bring a child into this world (or adopt), you become completely responsible for that child's welfare. It's an extremely daunting task. But if you are scared that you are going to mess those kids up, you might be ready. You can obviously admit that you have flaws and that those flaws may affect your children. But the very fact that you care enough to not want to hurt your children shows maturity. Every parent should know that they aren't perfect and that they will make mistakes with their kids. When I was talking with this friend, we also went on to talk about anger issues and how that has affected us and how it might affect our children. But it's not the anger or the mistakes that will affect our children as much as how we handle these things. I learned from my parents that blow ups and fights happen, but apologies must also happen. I learned that no matter whether you think you are wrong or not, if you can humble yourself to apologize for the way you reacted to the situation, you have made the right step towards fixing it. Believe me, my dad and I have had our share of fights, and unfortunately some of those fights have been in front of other people. I have needed to apologize to my dad and my friends for my actions many times. These friends have seen that my family is not perfect, but that we have learned over the years how to handle our mistakes.
     So is it wrong to be scared to become a parent? I don't think so. In fact, I think it's kind of important to have a healthy fear.
     In this Christmas season, we think about the birth of Christ, but what about His mother. I'm sure Mary was terrified. Actually she was so scared that she questioned a messenger of the Lord. Look at this passage:
     "But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.  You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.  He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,  and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.” “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”" (Luke 1:30-34 NIV84)
     We all know how the story goes. Mary accepts her duty and her pledged husband chose to accept his responsibilities as the earthly father of God. I'm sure they were scared out of their minds, but they did what God asked.
     So my point is that parenthood can be a very scary thing. Yet if you are nervous that you may mess your future (or present) kids up, think about the fact that they are part of God's plan for your life. Remember that even if it scares the dickens out of you, if you are called to be a parent, it is one of the most important callings you can ever receive in life. But if, after serious thought and many conversations with God, you discover that parenthood isn't for you, then invest in other people's kids. Because no child can ever have too many positive role models. So hike up your big boy (or girl) pants and learn that it's not fear that has the control, God does.

At the End of Another Semester...

Having just finished my last final, I've been lying here thinking back on the events of the semester (yes, I should be packing, but you know how much I love to procrastinate.) Looking back on the semester, a lot has happened, but then again very little has happened. I completed another seventeen credit hours, but it was just another bunch of classes. I got to teach for the first time in real classrooms, which was amazing. Yet it was just the first few times of many to come. I was in the play; I played tennis; I headed up the social life committee; and I had another birthday. Granted these were all amazing and fun times, but they're not what I'm going to remember most from this semester. Earlier today I was going to spend this blog lamenting about the fact that another semester has gone by and I still don't have a boyfriend. However, then I started thinking about all the new people I've met and how great the friendships I already had have become. I took seventeen credit hours and made several new friends while doing so. I taught in a real classroom and began to understand my housemates even more. I was in the play and some of my friendships returned to a former stability as well as new friendships being formed. So why am I rambling about next to nothing? Because it is something. People are the only real thing that matters. God places people in our lives for three purposes. They are either in our lives for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. Some of the people I have met in college were only here for a moment. They came into my life to get me through some specific event. Other people I have met in college are here for this entire season of my life. Then there's those extra special people who are going to be in my life forever. So even though I'm still single and have still never been on a date, I have amazing friends and a wonderful family. So today instead of lamenting my singleness, I'm going to rejoice in the relationships I do have.

Waiting and Watching, but Still Pursuing

Celebrity crushes. We all have at least one. That person that we would freak out in the presence of and probably die if they were somehow to magically ask us out on a date. I know that I have several. I like them because they are cute or they have a great personality on the show or movie on which they perform. So why am I not attracted to the same type of guys in real life? Because in reality, I know that cuteness and fake personalities mean nothing. Okay, so maybe I find some meaning in how a guy looks but honestly I don't really find myself attracted to a guy until I know his personality. So why am I grounded in reality in some ways and stuck in a fairy tale other times? Because I've watched. My parents' relationship, for one, has set me looking for the right guy. They love each other unconditionally, even when they get on each other's nerves. And while I obviously wasn't present when my dad was wooing my mom, I have heard the story hundreds of times. He took the time to court her and show her that she was more special than anything to him. Yet when he wasn't so sure about whether she was the one from him, she stepped in to convince him. Love letters, holding hands, long late night walks, and then marriage. Only after marriage did other things come into the picture--things that brought my two wonderful sisters and I into this world. Now, their love story hasn't diminished, instead it has grown. There are still love letters, holding hands, long late (for them) night walks, and most importantly marriage. My parents have faced trials. They've fought. They've made up. They've been scared their life partner wouldn't survive. Yet today they have been married for 36.5 years. So I've watched their love story continue to walk across the pages it was written upon and listened to the story of how it began. I've also learned from my friends. I've watched the hot jerks rip apart the hearts of those I hold dear. I've also watched the sweet guy do the same to my friends. Yet when I start to question whether a love story like that of my parents is a thing of the past decades, I look around me at my sisters and friends. While I've seen the pain and frustrations of failed relationships for both my friends and sisters, I have also witnessed the healing that comes from romance in reality. Both of my sisters are married and have a "beautiful" love story. My oldest sister has been married for seven and a half years now and has two beautiful little girls. The highlights of her love story? Her husband drove 7 hours one way just to ask my dad in person if he could date my sister. They knew on their second date that they had met the "one". They dated. He wooed. She fell. They got married. Since then, they have faced many challenges and really struggled at some points as all marriages encounter, but the difference is that they haven't given up. They kept fighting through the problems and through this they have a beautiful two year old biological daughter and a precious four year old adopted daughter. Their love story has grown. It started out sweet and amazing and kinda mushy for a 13 year old girl, but it has only gotten better the more they have gone through together. My other sister has only been married for a year and a half, but her love story is just a precious to me. She married a boy from our hometown. In fact, she married my best friend's older brother. Yet they didn't start dating or even really "liking" each other until he was a freshman and she was a sophomore in college. Even though he had met my parents and we all knew it was coming, he refused to begin dating my sister until he had received my dad's blessing in person. These two encountered struggles even before they got married. They spent over a year and a half in a long distance relationship, and it pushed them to their limits at some points. Yet today they are married and a beautiful couple. They've faced struggles in their short year and a half, but they have a different view on things than the world. They choose to talk and work it out instead of giving up. Both of my brother-in-laws made a point of asking my dad before even thinking of proposing to my sisters. So all this said, I could go on and on about several of my friends who have just started their love stories--both in dating and marriage--but instead I'll get to my point. Romance and fairy tales still exist. They just take work and understanding to keep the happily ever after a reality. So I'm holding out for my prince charming. Someone that will woo me, and be willing to go through my father before coming to me with the dating and marriage question. The one who will continually work with me and understand me as I am. So here's to waiting and watching for the one my King has chosen for me. Yet I'm not going to just sit here and wait for someone to show up on my doorstep. Don't worry, I'm not a believer in magical appearances of the prince, but I do believe I will meet the right person in God's timing.

Saying Goodbye...But Just for a Little Bit...

     Today, I wish a happy second Heaven day to my grandfather. Two years ago today, he went home for eternity--leaving the rest of us stuck on this earth for awhile longer.
     Grandpa, while I know it seems like only a few moments have passed for you, to me it seems like decades have passed in these two years. I'm twenty-one now, and Cyndi married that silly boy, Andy. She also graduated college, while that beautiful younger cousin of mine, Karissa, is about to graduate from high school. We sure miss you when the big things happen, but I certainly miss you during the little things too. Every time I head out to you house, it's still weird to see Grandma without you. She's doing good though. I know she misses you on a daily basis, but she's still going. When I go to Dewey, I think about how you would ask me if I'd found a guy yet. Well the answer is still no, but I'm still praying and looking. I really miss you but I love how your legacy still lives on in many, many ways as well. You have children that are following the King you taught them to love. Those kids taught their kids to follow God, as well. You saw all of this happening while you were here, but now your grandchildren are passing along a legacy of love and prayer to their children just like you did for them. Remember those times you would squeeze ketchup all over my plate and I would eat it all? Every time I reach for a ketchup bottle, I think of my missing grandfather. So while all of these things may make me sad and miss you here on this earth, I remember after just a few seconds that you have it better than I do right now. You are in the place you always longed to be. On this day two years ago, you met your Maker and it became the day you had been dreaming of all your life. So here's to wishing you a happy second Heaven day.
     My grandpa was a great man of God. He spent his whole life chasing after God, not fame or money. He served as a pastor in many towns and helped to serve the people of those towns with his hands as well as his words. Out of his marriage to my wonderful grandma, he raised five wonderful children. The middle child of this lively bunch, followed in my grandfather's steps and became a pastor as well as a wonderful father to three beautiful girls. For the first twelve years of my life, I lived in the same town as my grandpa and was able to see him in action. From many sleepovers and sick days spent at my grandparents' house, I saw the constant prayer and love that went to his family, friends, enemies, and any one else around him.
      It was hard to say good-bye to him two years ago and it's still hard to sit here and think about the fact that it could be many, many decades before I get the chance to see him again. Yet that's just the thing, I have an assurance that I will see him again. I may miss him for awhile but in just a few short moments in the terms of eternity, I will see him again. I know that because he lived a life committed to our Heavenly Father and that I strive to do the same, someday I will be with him for eternity. Until that day comes, I will try to follow in his footsteps and run after my (and his) God--the one true God of the Bible.

     --In loving memory of the greatest prayer warrior I have ever known, Reverend Donald LeRoy Rothfuss--
Happy Second Heaven Day

Focusing on the Little Things...

     Long time no post...Sorry about that folks. This crazy duck lady has been so busy that she's lucky her ducks can survive without attention. Between stepping up to a position of leadership in basically every extracurricular I'm involved in and being a junior education major, I've barely been able to breathe. It's been an interesting semester to say the least.
     Then you throw the turmoil and conflict that has been up heaving our nation these past few months and I think my brain is about to explode. I'm not a very political person. In fact, I normally just try to avoid the political scene and discussions. Yet our country is in a kind of scary place right now. Sometimes it just seems easier to hide from it, but right now it almost makes my brain want to explode.
     Anyway, I've been trying to keep myself busy on the small items that make my life enjoyable so I don't over stress on the things I can't control. These things can be as little as the fact that I can lay down and watch one of my all time favorite TV shows and block out the world. But I've also been remembering in this month of thankfulness all the things my Heavenly Father has blessed me. To start off the long list, I have a family that couldn't love me more even if they tried. I recently turned 21 (whoop whoop) and to celebrate my birthday my family came to visit me. Actually, my sister drove like 1500 miles just to see me perform in a play and help me celebrate another year. We had a large family get together at my grandma's house and then spent the afternoon playing games. Yeah, I got presents, but the truth is I didn't really notice the presents in the midst of the fun I was having with a family that loves me and everyone else in the family. I also have some pretty great friends. I live with three girls that put up with a lot from me. I can be temperamental. I can be extremely annoying. I can also get quite depressed at times. Yet even in my crazy irate moments, my housemates are my friends. I don't know what I would do without friends that support me and teach me hard lessons. Two of these friends live way too far away. They attend different schools and I just don't get to see or talk to them enough. Yet even when we haven't talked in awhile, I know they are there and more importantly I know that they are thinking of and praying for me.
     This thought leads me to the biggest thing of all for which I am thankful: Prayer. I have parents, sisters, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends that pray for me. I also have teachers, coaches, and mentors that pray for me. A benefit of attending a Christian university. With all the turmoil that happens in my life and the craziness that is happening in our country and world, I am extremely thankful for prayer. No matter what happens in the future, no one will ever be able to stop me from talking to my King. He has promised to always listen to me and always answer me. Even though this answer is sometimes "no" or "wait", I can always stand on the promise of a listening ear.
     So when the big things start to overtake you, remember the little things and focus on the one big thing that matters: the God of the Bible...
     That's all for now. I'll try to update you more as the semester draws to an end. And if I don't survive the semester, I hope that one of you will care for my 14 rubber duckies. Have a quacky and prayerful day.

Happy New Year! (and the Quacky Schedule)

     Why is January 1st considered New Year's day when we spend the first 20 to 25 years of our lives basing time off of summer breaks? Think about it. About the time we start to comprehend time and how it works, we head off to school. This means our year starts sometime between the beginning of August and the middle of September, and it ends sometime between the beginning of May and the end of June. I'm about to turn 21 and when I look back on my life, I determine the path of my life by what grade I was in, not what year it was at the point. With this being the case, I have never really become excited for New Year's Eve because it has always meant that it was almost time do go back to school after Christmas break. BUT the start of a new school year is completely different.
     The start of a new school year means new classes, new friends, new clothes, nowadays a new living situation, and more importantly new school supplies! Every year when I was little I would get super excited to go to the store and get fresh pencils, markers, notebooks, folders, and tons of other school supplies. The older I got, the less I needed, and the sadder I became. You don't know how exciting it is for an enthusiastic learner to walk through isles of erasers, pencils, paper, calculators, pens, markers, crayons, poster board, and oh so much more. However, as I got older, my money turned from being spent on new pencils and notebooks because I had more than enough from previous years. Instead in started to be spent on new clothes. Exciting. But not near as joyous as the smell of freshly sharpened colored pencils and scented markers to the learner. Then college starts. Oh boy. Bring back the excitement. You get new clothes! You get new school supplies! AND you get items for a whole new bedroom!!!!
    Then you get to where I am at in life. I'm a junior in college. What's exciting about that? I've been here a couple years. I know the ropes, but I still have two years to go for my undergraduate degree. So what do I have to keep my motivation up? What keeps me from just giving up and saying it's too hard? Simple answer? I don't give up on anything. Complex answer? I'm involved in so many different things that I don't have time to get bored. This year means practicums--my first opportunity to get into a classroom and actually teach a few times. It means the chance to take fun classes and not just gen-eds--classes like croquet and creative writing. It means another opportunity to act in the university's bi-annual play. It means my first year of being Social Life Director and Student Representative to the Alumni Board--meaning I plan a lot of events. It means I don't have to live in a dorm anymore--instead I get to live in a campus house. There are so many other things I could mention, but you don't want to read about every second of my life.
     So any way, I guess my point is to wish you all a Happy New Year! No it's not January 1st, but to me and most of my friends (even quite a few of the adult friends) our year has just begun anew. So rejoice. Enjoy the new things and revel in the old things. Commit to make it a great year. If you have finally grown up and your world doesn't revolve around the school year, think back to when it did and encourage those people who have just celebrated new beginnings.
     Well, have a quacky day and go pick up a new package of pencils just for the sake of the good ol' days.

Summer with the Ducks and a Million Other Things

      It's been a while since I last blogged. This summer I served as the children's ministry intern at my church. For most people that would have been a daunting task. For me it was so exciting. Yes it was tons of work, but it's fun work. Different work. Every summer since I was old enough to hold down a part time job, it has involved hard, physical work. I have mowed lawns, cleaned houses, babysat, painted houses, and oh so much more. This summer I still painted houses, but I also got to spend the summer planning events and teaching the wonderful children of my home church.
     So did I spend my summer playing with kids? No. I spent my summer ministering to children. There is a huge difference. Most people don't even realize how much work goes into different events. I did three main things this summer: Children's Church, Mondays with Miss Mysti, and Vacation Bible School. Children's Church didn't happen every week but it happened a lot. I couldn't afford spiritually to be with the children every week. I had to be fed myself. This is an issue that a lot of people in ministry positions forget. We cannot be in continual ministry. We have to allow God to speak to us and not just through our daily devotions, but through the fellowship with other Christians and the wisdom that comes from more mature Christians. So, I make this point not because I want to preach at you but because it explains why, even though I really wanted to, I knew I could not minister to these children every Sunday. However those Sundays that I did work with them, we were emphasizing witnessing. Have you ever tried to teach a kid how to share the love of Jesus with their friends? It's a lot more difficult than I thought it would be, and for awhile I wasn't sure that I was even getting through to them. Then one Sunday close to the end of the summer, one of the girls came up to me to tell me all about her friend--a friend that she had been sharing Jesus with over the past few days. I was excited, but at the same time I knew it had nothing to do with me and everything to do with God. He did some awesome things this summer.
     Remember that thing I called "Mondays with Miss Mysti" just a little bit ago? Yeah, big name for saying I spent my Mondays playing in my backyard with groups of children. Okay so maybe I did just spend some of my summer playing with children, but every child needs some time away from home with other kids during the summer. In fact for a certain age group, I even let them spend the night "camping" in my backyard. I still can't decide if I went crazy or if I just underestimated what that night would be like. Don't get me wrong. I had bucket loads of fun with those kids, but trying to get ten children in the same age bracket to sleep at a decent time is nearly impossible.
     The piece de resistance of the summer came in mid-July with Vacation Bible School--an extremely tasking week. Yet the results--the results--were worth every minute of work I put into the five short days. That week the kids of our church managed to raise over $350 to send 10,000 vaccinations to the children of Africa through MAF. It was awesome to see the way God was working through those kids and that week was just  the culmination of all the things He did this summer.
     I was extremely blessed this summer. I also did many things like attending kids camp, youth camp, and district conference. Yet working with those kids and seeing God do amazing things through them, that made my year. The one thing I regret from this summer? I spent too much time working and not enough time enjoying. Being home with my parents is become a rare and wonderful opportunity--one that I need to take advantage of as much as I can. The lesson to be learned? Work your heart out for the Lord, but never forget to stop and enjoy the blessings He has provided for you.
     Well, be watching for an update on the start of the school year soon. Oh and pay close attention because I shall shortly introduce you to Lieutenant James T. Duck and Colonel C.S. Quackerton, the newest citizens of Big Blue Tubs.

Quacking...Oh Sorry, Packing...

     College. One of the hardest times to feel settled. Once you get used to being at college, it's time for another break. Once you finally get used to being at home (or wherever you spend your breaks), it's time to go back to school.
     Right now I am supposed to be Quacking (or packing for those of you who don't speak Quackerton). It's the last thing on my giant to-do list. Yes. That's right. I survived dead week and finals. I finished up all of my extracurriculars. I am done with my sophomore year of college. Well except for moving out of my dorm room. I've been working on packing--slowly I might add--for over a week. But now. Now it is crunch time. I have to be out of the dorm by Saturday. Technically, I should be moving out tomorrow morning (24-hours after my last final), but I am staying for graduation to see all of my senior friends grow up and leave me. So I have some extra time to move out. The hardest part of the packing is deciding what can and will fit in my tiny little car for the journey home. While Bruce (my car) thinks he is a big strong man, he is really quite small and can't hold that much. Then you throw in the fact that I have three and a half boxes of mason jars to return to people at home. Well simply put, I won't be taking much home this year. However, I do have to move everything from the college to my grandma's house to store for the summer. So far I have about 3 tubs, 2 bags, and several small boxes packed. So here's what I'm struggling to decide on whether it should go home or stay here:

         - Textbooks (I would really like to burn them, but I can't sell them and make money that way.)
         - Stuffed animals (While I would love to take all of them home with me, I have several more at home.)
         - The Ducks (Do I really need them over the summer?)
         - Miscellaneous junk (Is it necessary to haul it all home when I may not even use it over the summer?)

I'm in a quandary here. Either that or I am procrastinating again. Most likely the second one, but hey I'm an overachieving procrastinator. While I may wait till the last minute to complete everything, I still get it all done on time and very well. So here's to procrastination and my last night in a dorm room forever (I hope. Since I will be living in a campus house next year.). HUZZAH! Squeak, squeak squeakerton.

With the End of One Thing...

     "We spend our time desperately craving to get to the end of this adventure and move on to the next. Yet as the end actually draws near we want time to slow down because we forgot how: brave we were to make it through, much fun we had making fools of ourselves, blessed we are by the friendships we have built, long we spent working through this phase, and how many things we learned as we walked through this time period. So often we think we are just getting by when we could be thriving. So take your time and enjoy this moment because soon enough it will only be a memory embedded on your brain and entwined with your heart."
      These are the words that came to me last night as I was laying in bed trying to fall asleep after a very full but fun weekend. Over the past four years, my life has shifted and rearranged many times. I have had so many people come into my life, but also many leave it. People constantly remind me of the phrase, "God places people in your life for either a reason, a season, or a lifetime." I have a hard time dealing with change. In the past, I have dealt with it in ways that I regret, but now...now things have changed (ironic huh?). I have learned to rely on God more than people and accept the fact that some people only get to be around for a little bit. Does that make it easier when people leave? Not really. But it does make the pain more understandable and it becomes easier to move on later.
     So why am I going into the sad rant about people leaving and times changing? Because it's almost summer and every year things change with the summer. We leave school and head off to do our own thing over the break. Very few of us are close enough or have time to see our school friends, and if we do it's only for a short time normally. We go home or somewhere else. We spread our wings and learn how to fly or we go back to our nest and sleep the break away. We grow and change over the summers. You are never the same person you were in May when you come back to school in August. And then there are the seniors. The seniors are about to exit college life for the real world, and leave the rest of us behind.
     This year I have grown exceptionally close to several seniors that will be graduating on Saturday. I am proud and happy that they are done and will be exiting college. Yet I am also sad. Sad because I didn't get to know them sooner. Sad because I didn't spend more time with them. Sad because I don't have more time to spend with them. Sad because, in many ways, I wish I was graduating with them. I know that their graduation doesn't mean our friendship has to end, but it does mean it's going to make it a lot more difficult to keep in touch. They will all go different directions, and I will be here--stuck in the land of prolonged adolescence. They will be starting new lives while I continue on with the same one.
     In the end, our lives will all be memories flashing into the present from the past. So the question is, do you want your memories to be of you spending your days watching TV by yourself or you enjoying the time you have with the people God has placed in your life? Remember, a memory is just a moment of time etched into your soul forever. So make them worth it.

What Day Is It?

     Banquet night...the time where you start partying early and end late...wait no, start early and end early...no start late end late...NO, wait, I got it...start late and end early.
     In all actuality, this night of the semester is one of the best ever. Maybe I just say that because I am part of the committee that plans it, but I really do love the experience of it. It's a chance to get all dolled-up and get escorted to a fancy meal. But the party doesn't stop there. After an evening meal and stroll beneath the stars, you get a late night skate session (This semester was ice. Last semester was roller.) Finally when the sliding and falling comes to an end, the mass crowds head to one of the nearby IHOP's for some 24-hour establishment breakfast food at two in the morning. Only after the food has been gobbled and the exhaustion has set in, do you hop in the car to head back to campus. By the time you reach the dorms, everyone in the car is either asleep or part of the walking dead.
     So why do we turn ourselves into zombies just a few nights before finals begin? Because it's the one night without curfew, and to the heck with it, who needs sleep anyway. We're out having fun and literally so sleep deprived that we start to act drunk. It's the time of night when the giggles reign and fears dissipate. It's the last social hooray before we buckle down for the stress of finals and say goodbye to our friends until the studying is done. But really I do it for something more. I do it for the high I get from seeing something I have helped plan all come together and turn out beautifully.
     You see for me banquet doesn't just happen one night and then is done. For me, it starts days, weeks, and even months in advance. Why? You may ask. Because it takes time to put together an event like that, and I am one of the trusted (or tortured) few that gets to help with all of that work. In the months prior to banquet, the social life committee starts to establish a theme and plan out exactly what the night will look like before the evening is even a sparkle in someone else's eye. As the time draws nearer, we start buying decorations, booking facilities, designing invitations, and hiring caterers. Just a few weeks out and we all start clocking hours by selling tickets, ironing out last minute details, and gathering all of the needed supplies into one place. Finally, we get down to the wire. The night before, the day of, and just moments before banquet begins we spend hours upon hours decorating, setting up tables and chairs, and all those other things that no one ever thinks of until the last minute. Then as we walk in just a little while before the guests do, we can finally release that sigh of relief we have been holding in for days. It's here. We can enjoy. Everyone has fun.
     We sit back and relax other than a few announcements here and there during the actual event. We go skating. We gorge ourselves at IHOP. Then the next morning, we return to survey the damage and start the clean up. So you see, banquet isn't just about dressing up, eating out, skating, and staying up late for us. It's also about seeing the fruition of all our hard work come about. So take a moment today and thank your local social life director, Carrie Roberts, before she graduates on Saturday.

Moments of no Motivation

Procrastination. One word that most every college student knows well. Well that is, except me. HA. I know the ins and outs of procrastination like I know the lines from my favorite movie, and right now I am suffering from the crazy bug of end-of-the-semester flu. I only have one more day of normal classes before finals and all of my normal assignments and tests are completed. In fact, I even finished one of my final projects last night, but that was a fluke. Tonight, I had planned on working on another one of my semester projects: a classroom discipline plan. I had 4 hours of work study and no TV shows to watch. I could funnel the motivation I had last night into tonight and be able to cross that assignment off of my giant to-do list. Well, as you can see, I have gotten no where on this paper. Instead, I have read blog posts, constantly checked Facebook, and continually run upstairs to annoy my co-worker. It is now less than 30 minutes until I get off work and I am finally considering working on my paper. I know I should because I don't know when else I will work on it. Tomorrow I have classes and then Spring Manifest (our creative writing group's presentation night). Saturday I will be so focused on getting ready for banquet (since I have to help with all the set up as well) that there is no way any homework will get completed. Sunday I will probably sleep a good portion of the day as banquet night means very little sleep. Also on Sunday I have events for tennis and social life committee to attend. Then Monday I have a final project due at 4:45 pm that I haven't even started yet. (Thankfully it should be an easy one). So if I don't get this paper done tonight, well I will definitely be utilizing my procrastination skills by Monday night since the paper is due on Tuesday. Well, I'm not exactly sure what the point of this post was other than the fact that it gave me another reason to procrastinate. So I sign off with these words: never decide that dead week is a good week to cut caffeine out of your diet. Trust me, it's a BAD idea.

This Lady is About to Quack...

     The end of the semester brings about mental and physical exhaustion for pretty much every college student. People outside of the college life would figure that finals are the things students dread the most. Well they would probably be partially correct, but finals are just the last nail in the coffin. We have just entered into dead week. Students start to panic as semester projects begin to come due. Those assignments that were explained at the beginning of the semester and that were believed to have plenty of time to complete before their due date: THEY'RE DUE THIS WEEK! Those tests that are over the information you covered in the last few weeks, you know the weeks that all you could think about was the fact that summer was coming: THEY HAPPEN THIS WEEK! On top of all of the assignments and tests, all of those organizations and activities you are involved in want to honor you or celebrate the end of the year during THIS WEEK!
     So let's see here, this week you need to: complete all of those last minute projects, study for all of the tests for which you forgot to take notes, attend all of your regular class periods, make sure you get in all of your work study hours so you don't end up owing money for school, attend all the events for your extracurricular activities, and start packing to leave for the summer.
     Then next week you have to: attempt to study for the tests that will determine whether you pass or fail the semester, receive little sleep because of the studying, survive on excessive amounts of caffeine and sugar, and then actually take the tests.
     After you have completed all tests and assignments for the semester, you have to say bye to the friends you haven't seen for at least 2 weeks because of dead week and finals week. Then you have to shove all your stuff into storage and take home the small amount of stuff you will actually use over the summer.
     Finally, if you make it to that point, you can just BREATH. In and out. And then sleep for about 10 weeks before you have to return and begin it all again.

Hello Dead Week. Goodbye Social Life and Sleep.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Part One

Lately, I've been reading a book entitled, The Ladies' Book of Etiquette, and Manual of Politeness: A Complete Handbook for the Use of the Lady in Polite Society. Sounds like loads of crazy fun, right? Okay, maybe not, but I do find it kind of intriguing. I have to admit that I just downloaded it onto my kindle app on my iPod because it was free, and I only started reading it when I was bored. However, I am only in the second or third chapter and it has already made some really good points. So I am intrigued to keep reading this book from the 1870s. Maybe it will make me a better lady, or maybe it will just annoy me, or maybe I will just continue to find small nuggets of wisdom. So I'll keep you updated on what happens, but before I sign off, I'll share a few of these thoughts with you.

“A lady is never so well dressed as when you cannot remember what she wears.”

“It is, unfortunately, too much the custom in America to wear any article, or shape in make, that is fashionable, without any regard to the style of the person purchasing goods.”

“If neatness, consistency, and good taste, preside over the wardrobe of a lady, expensive fabrics will not be needed; for with the simplest materials, harmony of color, accurate fitting to the figure, and perfect neatness, she will always appear well dressed.”

“Adaptiveness—Let each dress worn by a lady be suitable to the occasion upon which she wears it.”


Think about it...

Content in Being Alone

In our culture today, I seem to be an oddball. I am twenty and single, and I like it that way. I've never had a boyfriend, never been on a date, and I don't really care. Don't get me wrong. I don't want to be single forever, but I definitely don't mind that I haven't been in a relationship or "fallen in love" yet. You see, I am waiting for the one God has for me, and I will wait--content in God's arms--until my prince appears. However, I have gained a lot of wisdom from watching others. So while some people may think I am insane, I don't mind. I'd rather be right where I am supposed to be in God's story line of my life than in the arms of the wrong guy. So lean back and watch where this path leads me. This blog will probably contain crazy rants and possibly mundane moments in my life, but overall I hope it shows you that being single isn't all bad.