2 More Weeks...

That's right -- 2 more weeks and I'll be sitting on my couch in Abilene, TX playing with my little brothers and spending time relaxing. Until then, I'll just finish up a few papers, study for some tests, and spend time with friends who are graduating this semester or aren't returning to Edmond. It's really weird to think that I've spent almost 4 years here in Edmond, OK. I have one more semester of classes, but as I finish up my classes for my major, I realize that this isn't a permanent life for me. I've still got a whole other life to live -- post-graduation; post-marriage; post-success; post-career; post-children, and the list could go on and on...

I find myself trying to freak my parents out with this thought that they will have a 22 year old college graduate daughter; however, it doesn't seem to phase them. Maybe they aren't showing me their feelings about it, but inside, I want them to freak out and care about the fact that their first child and daughter is going to soon be an adult. Are they sure they raised me right? Are they sure that I can fend for myself? Are they sure that they can trust God to take care of me instead of them taking care of me? All of these questions I want my parents to be asking, are questions I think I ask daily to God during my prayer time. Finding trust in God that He'll take care of everything is something so hard for me to understand and actually do.

Since Freshman year, I've taken the month of May to relax and rejuvenate for the upcoming summer at Camp Blue Haven. Being a camper, potwasher, cook, and counselor has helped me understand the importance of being in full energy near or before the summer. This May, I'm a little tight on schedule. I have been talking with Memorial Rd. Church of Christ and OC about the possibility of doing missions through the HIM (Helpers In Missions) program. I've been doing a lot of praying these past few months about where God wants to place me as far as mission work, and I recently had a talk with the college minister here at Memorial Rd. about going to Piedras Negras, Mexico for 2 years. There are a few problems that we could run into, but for the most part, it looks as if Memorial Rd and OC are going to work with me on this. I've been thinking about Piedras Negras for about a year now, and as I come closer to graduation, I'm singling down to one ministry and one place to minister for the next 2 years.

I ask that you keep me in your prayers still. With the last week of classes and finals week, I'll need all the prayers I can get!! I love you all!!

Castle Made of Sand

Here at school I am actively involved in a social service club, Gamma Rho. I was inducted into the club in the Spring of '06, but I wasn't fully active until the Fall of '06. The club is a great way to meet new girls and grow together as a sisterhood and as Christian women. Some of my best friends have come from this club, so I don't regret any decisions or commitments I've made in the past in order to stay involved with Gamma.

Last night, we had our Spring Banquet. We have two banquets every year (one in the Fall and one in the Spring). The Fall banquet is more laidback while the Spring banquet is considered a formal. Both are a lot of fun, plus it's an excuse to get that cute guy to hang out with you for the night. Last night we had our banquet at Castle Falls in Oklahoma City. We had planned on going on a dinner cruise, however, two weeks before banquet, they called and said the boat won't be ready by banquet weekend. Let's just say that we were very upset. However, last night turned out to be one of the best banquet's I've been to in my years in Gamma.

Every year at banquet, we have a ceremony that involves thanking our sponsors, our officers, and handing out various awards. The three main awards are Intramural MVP's, Gammie of the Year, and Woman of the Year. Each intramural sport we play, we nominate and vote an MVP for each team. Last year, I won overall MVP for Gamma. This year, I won Football MVP as Rachel "Cyclone" Almanza. They even put that on my trophy! It was exciting! The Gammie of the Year award is an award that Gamma votes to the sophomore or new Gamma member that represents Gamma Rho. This year, Chelsea Baker, my roommate, won the award. I couldn't have voted for a better person to represent the sophomores of Gamma. The Woman of the Year award is a very special award. This award goes to a senior who is voted based on being an active part of Gamma and really represents the social club, Gamma Rho. It's a very high honor to recieve this award, and when they called out my name last night as Woman of the Year, I couldn't believe it! I've never felt more excited and honored to recieve such an award. It really is something that I'm proud to have recieved. They presented me with a beautiful Bible with my name engraved on it. It was such a sweet and awesome thing to have recieved.

The entire night was just excellent. We had deliscious food, fun music, lots of pictures, and the group I went with was the best group I've been with to a banquet out of all my years in Gamma. My date was Ryan Harper, and he was really a great date! I'm glad that he could get out of baseball practice early so that he could pick us up and take us out to the Castle. After banquet we all went to see the movie Leatherheads. I can't tell if it's because we saw the movie so late, or because it was generally a horrible movie, but it was just awful. I was highly disappointed with all of the hype.

What a great way to start off my weekend. I hope the rest of the weekend is good for me. After a really hard week at school, I'm so glad that I was able to unwind today. I'll be ready for another hard week come Monday, but right now, I'm going to gloat and gleem in my happiness.

God Bless...