I Heart Gameday!

It is finally tailgate season as ASU just had their first home football game of the 2011 season. (We won - woot woot!) Next to Summer and March Madness, tailgate season is my favorite season. 

Since my undergrad did not have tailgating, I still get overwhelmingly excited about hanging out in the middle of Raley parking lot with the other grad students from my program, playing Corn Hole (bean bags to those of us from the Midwest), listening to either "Dirt Road Anthem" or "Black and Yellow" on repeat, chowing down on burgers and hot dogs and ending the day with some great Mountaineer football! 

Plus, how can you not love game day when you get beautiful fall days and a stadium that has a view of the Blue Ridge Moutains in the background! 

So for most of the remaining Saturdays this fall you will find me in the "back of a jacked up tailgate" loving life and cheering on App State!

I'll be seeing you...

I didn't want this time to come. I have actually been dreading it for quite some time now. But it's that time when I have to say goodbye to some of the most amazing people I know: The Carruth family. (Insert MAJOR sad face)

For those of you who don't know Andrew and Leigh, you're missing out! Andrew just graduated from the College Student Development program here at ASU and he and his wife Leigh and their little daughter Rorey adopted me into their family this year. From the very beginning of my graduate career, they would invite me up to their cabin for dinner or to watch endless episodes of The Big Bang Theory. Whenever I needed them and even in the times when I didn't think I needed them, they were always there. They hardly knew me but still showed me love and kindness I am not deserving of. As the year continued, they have stood by me through every situation - good or bad. They provided me with a shoulder to cry on, at times a bed to sleep on and the encouragement I needed to get through this past year. I never could have survived with out them!

Now they are off on their next adventure and chapter of life. And I would be lying if I said I wasn't sad to see them go. I'm not usually the type of person who really misses people, but one thing I know for sure is that I will miss Andrew and Leigh dearly!

Andrew and Leigh, I write this to you cause I know you'll read it. THANK YOU! For absolutely everything! I wish there was something I could do to show you just how much you mean to me and how thankful I am for your friendship. You two are so incredible and I am a better person for knowing you both. I'll be expecting to get a phone call from you the day Peanut starts talking. And you better believe that I am going to come visit every chance I get!

So this isn't goodbye cause I refuse to say goodbye to you...plus we'll have our family reunions to look forward to each year. So for now, I'll just say "I'll be seeing you..."

Love you both so much!

"Truly great friends are hard to find, difficult to leave and impossible to forget."

Much Needed Space

These past few days I have been in Baltimore for the American College Personnel Association (ACPA) conference. While I now find myself at home and exhausted, there are many things that I walk away with greatly appreciating from my time spent in Baltimore. I think what I most appreciate was the space that was created for many influential things to take place. Things that may have never taken place, had I not been in Baltimore for this period of time.

I am most thankful for the space and opportunity to enter into what I hope to be a great friendship with my cohort member Courtney. Up until this time, I had only really gotten to know Courtney through the context of our classroom. But now after 5 days spent in Baltimore, venting to each other about the outrageous amount of money we spent on a very disappointing hotel, studying for finals, processing the sessions we attending, creating documentaries on the ACPA experience, tequila shots, and an abundance of laughs, I consider her to not only be an absolutely incredible human being, but someone I intend to have a life long friendship with.

Sticking with the friendship theme, I am very thankful for the space provided for me to get to know some other cohort members in a better way and to really appreciate their personalities and who they are as people. Additionally, I am so thankful for some much needed space to work on redeeming friendships that had gone way off track and nearly derailed. While still a work in progress, the difference in our friendship from Friday to Wednesday is very recognizable.

Going to ACPA also provided me the space to:  think, to discuss, to vent, to dream, to plan, to improve, to believe.  All in a way that I hadn't yet before. I feel as though the conversations I had, the sessions I sat in on, the ideas that were created have given me enough things to reflect on to last me to the end of the semester. This conference only solidified my recently determined passion within the field of Student Affairs. I also feel that this conference instilled in me a confidence in my ability to hold my ground in this profession that I apparently had been lacking before. It is because of the space so adequately provided that I am thankful for everything that took place these past few days. However...

The only space that was not created from this trip involves my waistline and the now clear lack of space. I guess 5 days of eating out for every meal catches up with one quickly. Must find a way to immediately recreate that space!

The Little Things...

Today was a great day.

A great day that I needed desperately! It wasn't because of anything major but because of a ton of little things that caused me to feel joyful for the first time in a while. It started off by finally getting to go to church at The Heart here in Boone. Last time I had been able to go to that service was back in September. On top of that, today in Boone it was nearly 60, sunny and perfect! Need I remind you that it is still January and since I'm a Minnesota girl, I have NEVER experienced 60 and sunny in January before. That in itself should make anyone really happy. Yet small, but great things kept coming up.

For me, today I found joy in a fountain coke from Jimmy Johns, hearing Miranda Lambert's song The House that Built Me on the radio (and then about ten more times through youtube). I found it in driving with the windows rolled down. And through some much needed vitamin D attained by a great hike up at Beacon Heights.

As well as working on my research project with a great partner - YAY Meg! By driving down some Tennessee back country roads with Rebecca and Grant singing amazing songs from the late 90's while trying to avoid hitting the possums that like to dart out in front of oncoming traffic. Joy was in some Postsecret cards that stuck out to me for one reason or another.

New Secrets Each Sunday at www.postsecret.com

 Conversations with friends and family. Verses that say just the right thing at the right time. Taking a day for myself instead of doing homework. All of these things, small as they may be, are the things that caused me to have a pretty remarkable day! So today, I'm thankful for the little things in life!

Day with Dibbs!

Remember, the greatest gift is not found in a store nor under a tree, but in the hearts of true friends. -- Cindy Lew

This week I got to spend a day with my good friend Sarah Dibbern (Dibbs). This hang out time was greatly anticipated since I had only seen said lady once since the end of May. During our time apart, Sarah carefully constructed a list of things that her and I would be doing during my time here in MN.

Dibbs with "the list"

With the list in mind, we set out on our little day of adventure. First, we set off to do some shopping. She introduced me to a store named Charming Charlie. LOVE! It's this incredible jewelry store where the jewelry is all separated by color with all the handbags, belts, and other necessary accessories to match. Heaven on Earth I tell ya! After some more shopping, a run in with another great friend from college, and forcing Sarah to humor me and take some goofy pictures...

Yay Sarah!

...we were off to go ice skating in St. Paul. Yippee! As a child, I always had dreams of being a figure skater. On the lake behind our home, we would always clear off a spot to go skating. And while my brothers were off snowmobiling or making snow forts, I was busy daydreaming about skating for Olympic Gold with the likes of Kristy Yamaguchi and Michelle Kwan. So, needless to say, I was so excited to relive my childhood dreams.

 However, it had been quite some time since I had been on ice skates and although at one time I was very sure of myself on skates, I was certain this ice skating experience was going to be a shaky one at best. We went to the outdoor rink by the Landmark Center and for only $2 it was a pretty great way to spend the afternoon.

Landmark Center in St Paul, MN

Story time: While waiting in line to rent our skates, Sarah spots this guy that she had a crush on all summer. I, not knowing who the fella was, asked her to point him out to me so I could be on the look out. "The one with the black hat and coat, over there by his family." "Okay. Got it." I was thinking that a little rendezvous on a skating rink made for a pretty great story, a "Meet Cute" if you will. (for more details on a "meet cute", watch the movie The Holiday) Sarah, on the other hand, was not having it. She did all that she could to try and stay away from this guy. I threatened her that I was going to shout her name every time he skated by me, but after she pleaded with me that I keep my mouth shut, I respected her wishes. Later on when we decided to retire for the evening - fall-free I will have you know - we were about to walk out of the warming house when... dun dun dun...her crush appears! FINALLY! He greeted her with a sincere enthusiasm, and I merely stood back and observed. But the one thing I finally noticed was that the guy she was talking to WAS NOT the guy I thought she pointed out. This entire time I thought her crush was some other guy in a black hat and coat skating around with his family. Wing-man fail! Sorry Sarah! But after a nice little chat with her crush, Sarah and I left to round off our evening with a nice dinner.

All in all it was a great day with Miss Dibbern and I am thankful for the time I got to spend with her. Dibbs, remember you are always welcome to come visit me in North Carolina. Love you!

Ladies of ICS 05

Five years ago, 10 other ladies and I traveled to Europe and Africa with Northwestern College for the Intercultural Studies Internship (ICS). Before we left for the trip, we were a bunch of perfect strangers. We had no way of knowing that those two months overseas would cause us to be life-long friends.

The ladies at a lake in South Africa

Since the trip, even though life has often separated us by land and sea, we always do what we can to get together and catch up on life. This past weekend we had another holiday rendezvous and it was so good to see these girls! Having a few "type A's" in our group, we all take our turn sharing where life has brought us over the year. Here's the low down on the ladies of ICS 05.

Warming up in Petris, Romania

Tina is back from her year in Honduras and is currently working at what sounds to be the most dysfunctional alternative school that Minneapolis has to offer. (stay strong Tina!!)  Katrina has just sent in her paperwork to get a visa to head back to Spain. Beebs and her husband Steve (the man who shaved a dragon into his chest hair on the trip) moved up to Duluth, MN as Steve starts med school.

Getting ready for the day outside our "hotel" in Mozambique

 Megan is either going to the West Coast to study counseling or going to Australia for ethnomusicology (the latter could happen within the next two weeks). Emily has bought a house and her and Liz are starting their own business. Jorgen is onto her second year of grad school and is looking to purchase a condo (if she can find something as fabulous as her!) Kristina met a man and got married within the last year. And, Betsy and KJ both had their third child. So much has happened for all of us over the past five years, and it's hard to believe that through moments like these...

Goofy Faces!

...We have stayed such close friends! I know that whenever I need someone, I can turn to this group of girls. And if they keep if up, I will always have a ton of places to visit internationally! The two months I spent abroad were some of the best of my life, and I know that is largely due to the fine women I had surrounding me during that time. Each time I get the great opportunity to catch up with these ladies, I am continually amazed that the Lord brought us all together and I walk away inspired and encouraged. Thanks for everything ladies of ICS 05!

Nothin' like a "sunny" day on the Indian Ocean

Best Distractions

I am the lucky RD on Duty getting to stay on campus for Thanksgiving break. Three cheers for me...or not. I mean who wouldn't want to spend a holiday break on a deserted college campus? Sign me up! In reality, it's probably the best thing for me because I have more work than I can handle at the moment and this gives me plenty of time to work on everything. However, when you are one of the few people left on campus, it forces you to get pretty creative with the ways you entertain/distract yourself. Take for example tonight. My RA Danyelle and I were hanging out in the lobby, she was on duty and I was working on a never-ending theory paper. And the next thing you know we are having our own little dance party. Want to know a quick way to make a dance party for two more exciting? Dance by a mirror or a window. Suddenly a dance party of two turns into a dance party of four! Don't judge. The dance party then turned into me reliving my gymnastics day pretending that the tile floor was the beam. A few cartwheels and pulled muscles later, another dance party breaks out. This time we're dancing on the furniture. And then comes to music play list of all the best songs from the 90's. Tonight's jams were O-Town's "All or Nothing" Destiny's Child "Say My Name" and All Saints "Never Ever". And then finally the building of the fort. That one actually stalled out in the planning stages, but we still have four days left of break so I'm pretty confident we'll pull it off eventually! If anyone has any other brilliant ideas for distractions from work and boredom, please share!

I'm There Too

The song "I'm there too" by Michelle Featherstone has been something of an anthem to me for the last few weeks. It's one of those songs that as soon as it comes on, it makes you catch your breath and it gives you chills. I have been thinking a lot about the lyrics and what it means to be there for someone. In my life I have so many people who have come alongside me and have gone through life with me. And in return, they let me do life with them, which to me, is a huge honor. It's something of a comfort to know that you can turn to them on your worst day and in your worst moments and they'll be there, but that they can also come to you on their worst days and worst moments. But what I have found to be difficult is to have people in your life that you so desperately want to do life with. You want to be there in every single good time as well as the bad. But for some reason, they don't want to share life with you. Even worse, they don't want to share life with anyone. And that breaks my heart. And I guess I understand the mentality behind it all because I've tried to do life all on my own. But I couldn't do it.

There is something that happens when you become vulnerable and you let someone else in. And yes, it's scary as heck to have someone there seeing all your deepest darkest secrets and seeing the "you" you have been so afraid to show. And then they stay there with you and love you through all of it. And that's when you realize that you no longer want to do life on your own. And that having someone there who will stick by you through the good and the bad is the most special gift you could ever receive.

So to everyone who lets me live life with them and lives life with me...thank you.

Lyrics to "I'm There Too"

I see myself in you
In everything you do
And when you’re all alone at night
You know I am by your side
Cuz I’m there too

I see me in your eyes
And I’m the tears you cry
And when you fall apart
And are dying from a broken heart
I’m there too

I see your footsteps in the sand
As you journey on across this land
But if you should fall on your way
Then I will carry you that day
Cuz I’m there
I’m there too
Yeah I’m there too

I see your face in mine
And I know there’ll come a time
When you will take my hand
And I will understand
That you’re there too
When you will take my hand
And I will understand
That you’re there
You’re there too