Spring Break in a nutshell

Here is my long overdue recap of my Spring Break. I will try to keep it as short, sweet, and to the point as I can...:

1. Saturday night was hang out time with mom and was wonderful.

2. Sunday I got to be back at New Cov (!), got attacked with love by Emily, Taylor and Dad got home from Kansas City so it was awesome to see them, and I went to Vantage Point with a group of my guy friends (I love the boys dearly, and the movie is flippin' amazing - I definitely recommend it!).

3. Monday night I went to Southwest's choir concert with my dear friend Carolyn (it was great to spend time with her), got to see my choir director's beautiful new baby girl, gave lots of hugs to lots of friends from high school (including Bryson, he makes me happy and gives good hugs), and my mom made pasta shells for dinner, which is probably my favorite meal!

4. I spent Tuesday afternoon at my high school talking with Jake and Mr. Bob, and I snuck down to the choir room to see show choir and got to see their show for the first time (awesome by the way!), and that night I watched American Idol with my family!

5. Wednesday I went to dinner with my mom at Red Robin and that was awesome because it was time with mom and I got to see my friend Chris (he was working) for the first time in forever! Then I went to Easter choir practice, and talked to Jeff, Kyle, and Dustin afterwards (three of my favorite people in the world).

6. Thursday I had lunch with Suz, and it was awesome to be able to catch up and spend an afternoon with her. That night I went to Emily's to go play bingo with her and the family she lives with. Bingo ended up being cancelled, so we went to Village Inn and Wal-Mart, and had an awesome time! It was nice to meet the people she lives with, they are really neat, and it was wonderful to see Emily (she's another favorite).

5. Friday I chopped my hair off, had lunch with Chris (more details later), Kayne came over (!!!), I went to the Good Friday service, went to Kelsie's birthday party and got to see a bunch of my friends I really didn't see all week, and I went bowling with Dustin, Josh, and Tim!

6. Saturday was spent with Kayne and was amazing. I love that kid with all of my heart! Saturday was also a hang out at home with the family day, so that was awesome.

7. Sunday was Easter and I got to spend it at home! I sang in the Easter choir, went to New Cov, had a nice dinner with my family, watched basketball with my dad, and went to Dustin's and watched I Am Legend with some of my good buddies!

8. I had lunch with J to the effrey on Monday, so it was great to get to spend time with him, he's pretty much my big brother. My family went out to dinner that night, so it was fun to spend my last evening home with them. I have the best family.

9. Tuesday I went back to Greenville!

I had an absolutely amazing week at home, but the thing that took the cake as best moment was lunch with Chris. I haven't seen Chris since graduation, so that was almost two years ago! He's one of my best friends, so I was so excited to have a chance to catch up with him about the past two years. He came over afterwards and he played the piano and sang, so that was incredilbe. He's so talented, and he's moving to Las Vegas in June for a recording opportunity, and I am so excited for him. I'm so glad I got to spend time with him, I'm so blessed to have him in my life. Actually, I'm so blessed to have everyone that I got to see while I was home in my life. Bottom Line: I have amazing friends and family. So, there is Spring Break in a semi-small nutshell (very small for me though!)!

He was a trooper

Well. Today Replacement died. He was quite the fish. Lucky number 7 managed to survive us (and multiple cat attacks) for over a year. I guess all good things must come to an end. He will be missed.

Learning to Love Unconditionally

I am the proud mother of 25 children (well, 43 if you count Storm’s boys). Each one of the girls is amazing in her own way and has blessed my life. After my experience as a resident chaplain thus far, I have a whole new respect for mothers. Never in my life have I been so proud of someone as I have been of my girls. I can’t quite describe to you what it feels like to watch the girls take an idea and work worth it to form it into something incredible, and that is seemingly of no benefit to them. I’ve also watched them make tough decisions that while may be incredibly difficult for them, are the best option they have for their futures and the protection of their hearts. I’ve also never been more disappointed in someone before. It’s hard to watch someone you have so much respect for shoot someone down with a single word, or watch them give up when you know that they have so much more inside of them that they could give so that they could make the hard way work and not have to settle for the easy road. I’ve also never felt like more of a failure. Letting these girls down is the most terrible thing I’ve done. I’ve sat in my room before crying and trying to figure out what I did wrong, wishing I could rewind the past few hours so that I could fix everything, so that I could be there that time, so that I wouldn’t let them down like I did my first and only shot I had at the situation. I now know what it feels like to sacrifice all of me for someone else, what it looks like to drop everything I’m doing and everything I have to do so that I can be there for someone. I’ve learned humility in realizing that if I want to support and love these girls, I can’t do it on my own. If I try to carry them by myself, I’m going to trip and fall and drop them. I’ve also never had my heart broken quite like I have this year. I now understand to a greater level what it feels like to have a child leave home. It’s near impossible to let them go and try and make it on their own. It’s hard to say good bye and trust that the time, effort, and love you put in will have impacted them in some way and that they have to tools to carry themselves now. Watching one of my girls go is like losing a piece of my heart. I don’t think I could ever be ready to watch one of them walk away, away from me, to bigger and better things. Not because I don’t think they can do it, I know they can, but because I’m simply not ready to admit that my time is done.

My girls call me Big Mama. Every time one of them says that to me, I glow. Some people say that it’s not my job as an RC to be their mom, but I’m okay that in some regards I am. I love them like they are my children. I’ve got to participate in their celebrating, I’ve offered a listening ear, I get to hug them when I’m overflowing with joy for them, I’ve held them when they’ve cried, I’ve let them in to my life, I’ve been proud and disappointed because I’ve seen what they are, and see what they can be. I’ve got to watch them grow in to amazing young women of God, and I’m excited to see what is in store for them next because I know it will be incredible. I’ve learned to love them unconditionally. No matter what they do, no matter what they say, I will always love them. It’s about me showing them that they are worth it, that they are cared about and valued. There is nothing they can do to make me stop loving them, and that’s the way it should be. But for this week, I don’t have to be a mom. I got to send them home to their real moms, and now I’m back with mine. Thank the Lord for moms. I don’t know how I would survive without mine.

O Brother [floor, in Christ, Taylor] Where Art Thou

So Thursday evening I'm sitting in my room, just got back from dinner, and my buddy Greg calls. Greg is on our brother floor, and he tells me that Brad (also on the floor) had this great idea that our floors should play glow-in-the-dark frisbee that night! Making a long story short, I wholeheartedly accepted the invite and we had an incredible time! We seriously couldn't have asked for a better brother floor. The guys are all awesome and have such wonderful personalities and hearts. I love hanging out with them, they are all a huge blessing!

I have a new friend. His name is Mike and I see him pretty much every day at the annex. He's an older man who has been plagued with blood pressure issues that have seriously screwed with him. We have a nice conversation almost every day as we use side by side weight machines. He is a very sweet man. I'm excited to get to know him better.

All this brother talk makes me miss my brother Taylor. Basically I love him with all my heart and really miss him. Good thing I get to go home today...

WOO HOO!!!!!

Lately the weather has been so bipolar...

Last Sunday: ridiculously gorgeous. We're talking flip flop weather! My wardrobe of choice was a t-shirt, capris, and flip flops. I went on two walks that day, and the one that occurred at 11 PM did not include a coat! Welcome Spring! Or so I thought...

Monday: I wore flip flops to my first class, but then I opted to wear tennis shoes the rest of the day because it was raining. And it was cold...again. By night time it was icing. Yes. Sunday was amazing, and by Monday night we had freezing rain, and it was well, freezing.

Tuesday: bring on the snow!!! And, our power went out - which I think had something to do with the combination of power lines and ice. These weather shifts weren't nearly as dramatic as that one time we went from spring weather to snow in about 30 minutes, but they are crazy nonetheless.

Wednesday: all of the snow and ice melted by at least noon. And the meltage includes the 10 inches of snow that St. Louis got...what the heck Midwest weather!?!

Fast forward to today: I think Spring is just around the corner...its supposed to be in the 60s by Wednesday, so cross your fingers that's the case!

Anywho, that's all I have to say. In all actuality its not that exciting, and I didn't think it would be, but it was really just an opportunity to take a break from homework...I should get back to that...

You can call me "Mrs. Buble."

Yes, that's right. Michael Buble and I are engaged...at least in my mind we are. So, Betsye and I went to his concert last night in St. Louis, and it was RIDICULOUSLY AMAZING!!!!!!!!!! If it's possible, I'm even more in love with him now than I was before...and I do believe it's possible. Oh my goodness, it was incredible. His opening act was a group called Naturally 7. It's a group of 7 guys, and they are essentially an acapella group, but they refer to it as vocal play - and they were awesome. They make all the instrument noises with their mouths, and it was insane!!! One guys was a drum set, one's voice was so low that it created frequencies as if he was actually playing a bass, and another could sound exactly like an electric guitar!!! I definitely recommend checking them out. And then there was Michael. Oh dear. What an incredible experience. It was unreal. First off, I love Michael Buble with all my heart, and we are getting married. Second, I have an immense respect for his talent. Third, sometimes he's funny to watch because he's not the greatest dancer, but other times it works for him. Fourth, I cannot believe I just went to a Michael Buble concert!!!!! It was like a dream. He sang some of my favorite songs, so that was really exciting! He's also a great showman. He has a fun personality and jokes around a lot, so that made the concert even better. I could go on forever, but I feel like I've already repeated myself a lot. I'll put pictures on Picasa so you can see a glimpse of our concert experience! But I'll leave you with this...