blessings all over the place

I think yesterday was the greatest day ever. UGA HEROs raised over $306,000 this year which was something I never truly believed possible. I may have acted confident in our goal on the outside but inside, I think I did not have enough faith to believe in us. I have never been happier to be wrong in my entire life! When that total was announced yesterday, I have never been so surprised and overwhelmed and happy and satisfied. I have been so blessed to have been given the opportunity to take even a small part in this organization for the last year. Good times and bad, I have learned more about myself and what it means to live by faith than I ever imagined. I played at the HERO Olympics all day yesterday with my new little friend Josalyn and had the best time ever acting like a goofball kid. Too bad I can't spin around like a used to, I almost got sick on one ride while Josalyn spun me around in circles which is really sad! She taught me how to dance a little better(not much improvement there) but also gave me a chance to know where the money we raise can really help these children to have not only one day of fun, but a lifetime of growth-let's hope. Thank you to all of you who supported me this year and put up with my many many fundraising pleas- it all came full circle yesterday, I promise!

Add on top of that emotional rollercoaster the fact that the #1 and #2 football teams in the country lost last night, giving us a (small) chance at a national championship game.....what a day what a day. And that, my friends, is why December 1, 2007 was my greatest day so far. Where do I go from here?

it's all about adjusting.

It's been an interesting week since my last post. I have had to deal with a pretty bad mood that's been hanging over my head for no real reason, which is not exactly fun. I am learning to do a better job of communicating because of some recent events and hope that I can be a better friend for it. I learn so much from my friends and even if I don't always want to hear it, I know it is important to hear criticism and hopefully do a good job of taking it gracefully. let's just say that part of my personality needs some improvement.

On the flip side, I kind of love that all the stores are starting to put up christmas decorations. i know some people get angry since it isn't even thanksgiving yet, but i really do just love this time of year. i went into starbucks today and they had peppermint mocha! woohoo! i am a total cheeseball but i love it! I can't even believe how quickly it got so cold and i am already running out of warm clothes but yay for sweaters and scarves! especially the scarves part.... be prepared to see that allll winter long from me :)

Well, that's all for now from me. Please pray for me to get out of this funky mood soon- we'll all be better for it!
peace

it's good to be in athens.

After what was probably the best fall break of all time, it really is good to be back in athens! I still can't really believe that football game saturday but am so glad to be here with all of the amazing energy and pride I think we all have right now. It is kind of weird to know that was most likely my last time going to St. Simons for GA/FL but we really made the most of it and had a blast!

I am still no closer to figuring out next year but am just in love with this place and the people around me and look forward to sharing everything on here once I do have an idea of where I will be and what I will be doing. In the meantime, I plan to really take time away from school and stress and just focus on knowing people and loving people. It's funny, I think I thought that since I had been here so long already that I had met all the people who would be my greatest friends but I was SO wrong. I constantly meet new people who teach me how to be a better person, which I believe is our purpose right now. College is for becoming a better person and taking a little bit of everyone you meet along the way, both the good and the bad. I can't even believe what a difference four years can make in your life. I have changed so much since freshman year and have learned more than I ever imagined about how to relate best to people and how to look at myself in different ways as well. I have a lot more to learn, though.

Since I don't really have a whole lot more to say abouot life, I just want to give a shout out to anyone who reads this to please please vote for the University of Georgia Hero Olympics on www.grablifegivelife.com so we can hopefully win some money for a great cause! We are in the top 5 right now and need to stay there so help me out- it only takes 10 seconds! Thanks and sorry for the advertising ;)
-Peace-

back and better than ever...

ok, no false promises this time. Instead of trying to catch up on everything that has happened since I wrote on this last time, consider this a fresh start. I have been doing so much thinking and praying lately, that it seems like there is a lot going on in my head that could be on here. I think the biggest reason I haven't updated in a while is that I just didn't have anything exciting going on but I do have a lot of thoughts so here goes.

This is such an amazing time in my life. I am completely and totally unsure of what life holds for me after this year and college is over, but as scary as that is, it is the most excited I have been in a long time. I love the idea that the next step is not laid out and that I am not signed up for anything definite yet. My parents may not exactly think that's the best idea, but as usual, they are being so supportive and are eager for me to set out in the next direction. Any ideas? I am definitely up for suggestions at this point! It's funny that I am not really scared to death or even that worried, it is more of a peace about not knowing and believing enough in myself to think I'm going to be doing something. Let's just hope I don't eat my words in a year.

I have been incredibly blessed in my friendships this year and all throughout college. I am learning so much from everyone around me and really taking everything in right now because I really do want to grow and understand the lives of people around me. I love hearing everyone's stories and experiences and figuring out where I fit into all of this. To me, life is about relationships and our interactions with one another can really change everything if we let them. I absolutely would not be the person I am right now or who I will become in the future without each and every person who has been placed in my life and hopefully will continue to be placed in my life. I really am learning to appreciate just the time we spend with one another and not worry so much about the things I have to do or places I need to be.

I hope to be able to write more throughout this year and to see how much I am learning and working out as I get closer to life outside of Athens because I think sometimes half the struggle of getting somewhere is just understanding the journey. Can't wait to see what's coming up, so stay tuned.

living and learning...

So much for being better about the blog over in London- I have been terrible and am going to attempt cover what has been an amazing and full summer in just one blog post. yeah, right. I'll just write a few different posts...



Well I have learned a lot again this summer and am starting to come to terms with the fact that we are getting older and have to start making real decisions about the future soon. Especially since over here I have been meeting people already working and living in the city, I have been thinking a lot about what to do after graduation- not a fun thing to think about but definitely a necessary one. I really feel like I could do anything and be anyone and that is an amazing and scary feeling to have right now. Obviously I have a whole year before I have to make any huge decisions about where and what I will be doing, but if I want to do something crazy like move to London permanently, I have to start that process now- and that's not out of the question for me. If I don't go and do that now, when would I? Still a dream, but a dream that could actually happen someday.



Well Spain and Cadiz was as amazing as I remember it- maybe even sweeter the second time around. I survived on my limited Spanish and really took everything in and loved being there with Annie too! It was so much fun to see the same places we went to last year as well as seeing where their group loves to hang out. I even got to have Plaza Mina gelato- still the best in the world if you ask me! Taylor came too which made it so much fun to have someone else from our group to hang out with and reminisce about everything and everyone and all the stories we have. Not the same without having everyone there but I will always have a special attachment to Cadiz and always love that place. I'm already trying to plan my next trip ;)

More to come in the next few days....sorry for the long wait!

remember me???

oh wow.... i don't even know where to start at this point. i am looking at pretty much everything i own right now which is covering the floor of my bedroom (still not in suitcases!) getting ready for what i hope will be the best trip of my life. i leave tomorrow night for london and am feeling a little bit of everything right now. i am a little bit worried about the first leg of my trip since i will bbe getting to london friday morning, flying to jerez, spain on saturday and getting on a bus to cadiz to see annie! talk about a little jet lag. i thought i would be totally fine traveling all by myself around south of spain but now i am pretty relieved that taylor is coming with me! soo weird to think that this time last year we were studying down there and living the life. i never thought i would be back a year later to see it-and eat the gelato- again. my life really can't get much better at this point. so while i am still anxious to see how all that traveling works out, i am extremely excited to live in london and live the day-to-day there. with all the excitement i am also pretty nervous that this won't all live up to how i have built it up and hope i can just sit back and let myself take it all in. hopefully my summer last summer taught me how to do that better and i think i will be able to soak it all up. i am so pumped to meet all the people on my trip and live with katie! our location in london couldn't be much better so that is already setting us up for an amazing time! so many people are coming through london this summer too- whitney and forbes, alison nester, haley gardner, and my sis are all going to come at some point so it willl be refreshing to see all of them. well, i am going to attempt some sleep now- wish me luck and look for some more interesting updates from the other side of the pond shortly!

where is everyone?

after about two days of staring at my room and hoping the boxes would pack themselves, i finally broke down and starting putting my life away. i have way too many picture frames and whatnot, i decided. how in the world did i accumulate so much stuff and how does it not even look like i have made progress?! i really wish i lived a little bit neater so that this would all be a breeze. my mom is coming up tomorrow to take a load back so i am not stuck like i was last year with no help! i so reallllly wish i was done with school like so many people are but i really don't want to leave athens yet at all. i haven't gotten a chance to see everyone i wanted to before summer snuck up on us and now so many people have already left. so sad!

i haven't really felt like being extremely social lately though which is kind of weird considering i am not going to see anyone for about 3 months. not really sure why i have been in such a funk but i am just going to attribute it to finals?! even though i am not that stressed so its not all that. anyways i hope i perk up soon before i am hanging out in the ec bored out of my mind! i am pretty excited to see my family and La and jess though! i miss them all! ok well now that i have avoided being productive for another thirty minutes, i guess i should get back to it. more thoughts soon though because once i am in marietta we know i'll have lots of time on my hands...