Home

Richard went home from the hospital today. He's staying at home with my parents for a few more days and then he'll go back to his apartment in Lexington. The doctor said that he shouldn't go back to work or school until the 15th. That worked out well for school since he's on fall break this week. As far as driving, he can't do anything for three months. He's having some pretty bad headaches right now, which could be resulting from the stress of being in the hospital, the toll the seizures took on his brain and his giant fall from bed. All things considered, he is doing well. Hopefully he'll learn to make taking his anti-seizure medicine a priority in his life and that perhaps the reason he didn't have seizures (before this one) was because he was on his medicine! If you are so inclined, please continue to pray for Richard that he would remember to take his medicine and go to his doctor appointments like he's supposed to!

Thank you for your prayers. I'm grateful that he's doing well, and my mother seems less stressed than last time. I personally felt the weight of prayers yesterday. I was able to focus on my law case study (due tomorrow) and get it finished last night before 9. Thank you for responding to my request for prayer, it means a lot!

Update

They moved Richard out of ICU today into a normal room, and think he might get to go home tomorrow. His face is pretty beat up from his fall out of bed on Thursday night, but he's also having a lot of shoulder pain. He is suffering some memory loss related to the seizure, but no one things it'll be permanent. They think that he hasn't been taking his medication appropriately all the time and that is why he's having these issues.

Thank you for your continued prayers. It looks like he should be out and able to make it to his next shift at work on Tuesday. Granted, he can't drive himself there. He'll be stuck on the mercy of others for several months as though who have seizures are legally banned from driving for a certain period of time. Last time it was about 3-4 months. I think they usually recommend 6. The doctor hasn't talked about that with him yet. I'm sure he's curious. :)

My Brother

Many of you know that in May of 2006 my younger brother, Richard (now 21, 19 at the time), had a serious infection that resulted in three critical brain surgeries including the removal and replacement of a section of his forehead. He spent about 2.5 weeks in ICU and had lots of follow up medical stuff including visits from a home health nurse multiple times a week all summer and a Pic-Line in his heart with antibiotics for two months. Additionally, in February he had several seizures that put him back in the hospital for a few days and resulted in a life time prescription for anti-seizure medication.

I just spoke to my mom, and she told me that my brother had another pretty bad seizure on Thursday night and is currently hospitalized in Lexington, KY. My parents are currently driving from the old hospital in Louisville with his medical records to the one in Lexington so that they can compare MRIs in the hope that they would be able to figure out what's going on. According to my mom, he's pretty out of it. He's also fighting the doctors and nurses with treatments (which is normal, he's pretty feisty and did that back in May, a lot.) His girlfriend is there holding his hand, which I think my mom might be having a harder time with than his illness (not really, but she doesn't think it's very funny to joke about. I like to joke about it, because I'm his big sister and it's my job.)

I ask that you would pray for his healing. That the doctors would figure out what is going on, and why these seizures continue to happen. Pray that my brother would quit fighting it so much and trust the doctors, that he would take his medicine as he's supposed to. Pray for my parents, especially my mom, that they would trust God's hand in this. Pray that this wouldn't put my brother any further behind in college than he already is, or effect his grades or memory of what he's learned this semester. (When he was first hospitalized in May of 2006, he ended up having to drop all the classes he had taken at UofL that semester because he couldn't remember it to complete them. That process took about 7 months though, and they put him through the ringer along the way.) Pray that LCC/UK will be much better at working with his medical condition and making up his course work than UofL was. Pray that he wouldn't feel defeated as a result of this set back, and that he would continue to live life as normal once he's better and that he'll stay in school. Also, pray that both my parent's employers would be understanding of their need to be away from work, and not penalize them for this (They were great in May, providing food vouchers for the hospital cafeteria among other things, so there is no need to worry. But you always worry because you never know). Selfishly, I ask that you would pray for me in this too. My role within my family has always been to be the strong one holding things together in times like this and it kills me that I can't be there. Pray that I would have peace and be able to focus on my life here, which doesn't stop because my brother is sick.

Blessings

It's Friday night and I'm spending it working on homework as usual. I've got a law case study due Tuesday and a Qualitative Analysis due on Thursday. I've *started* each but haven't actually begun writing. I am hoping to do that tonight.

Last night, the world seemed so dramatic and dismal. I think that may have been due to my lack of sleep the night before. I got the meningitis shot on Wednesday- by bedtime my arm hurt so badly that every time I rolled over I woke up. I did not sleep well, and found myself tired, cranky and overly dramatic all day. But, after going to bed last night at 9 p.m., today the world seems so much brighter!

Tonight I had dinner with a new friend. She was introduced to me by the registrar at Baylor, and she is currently a Ph.D student at A&M. We met for dinner at Blue Baker and talked for over 2 hours. I can tell that her friendship is going to be such a blessing to me this semester. It's so nice to find some of "my people" here. There is so much to be said for connecting on a spiritual level with someone.

So, as I prepare to write a case study that I have no idea how to begin, I find myself reflecting on my current life. While I would still say I am excited to be finished up here in 216 days (It's almost to less than 200!!!!), I rest in the knowledge that my life is not that bad. I really know what I'm doing with my job, and though there is always work left at the end of the day, I believe that I do it well. My school work is going well (I got a 96 on our Assessment Test), and I feel confident about my pending job search.

I have been truly blessed. I'm so glad I have the perspective to see that now.

I'm a winner!

I use a google powered search engine called "Blingo". It is google, but with the added bonus that every time you search you might win a prize.

Today I did! I won a $5 amazon gift card. They give everything from that to phones and ipods!

Not only did I win, but the friend who referred me won the same thing (because she referred me).

If you use google often (as I do), you should go to blingo.com instead. You could also "register" through this link and if you win anything, I would get it to.

I'm really excited about my Amazon gift card. :) It's a good day!

Hope

I recently purchased a decorative plaque to hang on the wall that has a version Romans 5:3-5 on it. The theme is Hope. The plaque says:

Rejoice in our suffering,
Because suffering produces perseverance
Perseverance-Character
Character-HOPE

After hanging it on the wall, I realized it is an incomplete thought- it is missing "and hope does not disappointed us." While being surprised that I remembered the rest of the passage, I was struck by how often I leave that tag line off as well.

I think I get so caught up in the idea of God's will versus my own that I forget I'm expected to be hopeful. What I mean by that is I am so sure that what I want and am hopeful for is probably not what's in God's will for me that I am afraid to ask.

The rest of the verse says "And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us" (Romans 3:5). This tells me that if my heart is hoping for something, and I am truly seeking God with my life, it is put there by His love and the Holy Spirit. Wow.

I am so often fearful of the disappointment, that I often forget or even refuse to hope. More often than not, I talk myself out of hope. What a sad state of life! It is not at all what I am called to! By stifling hope, which is built out of prayer and walking with the Lord, I am causing my own disappointment, but more importantly stifling the work of the Spirit! My false humility may actually be hindering God's glory in myself or others.

Currently, there are a couple of "situations" (I use that word only because I can't think of anything else to classify them as) where I have rejected hope. Last night, I truly prayed out of the heart asking the Lord for the things my heart was secretly hoping for inside. I have not felt that peace and confidence in what I hope for in a long time. I felt it last night. I don't know if God will answer them as I would like (I am learning to hope that He will), but perhaps they are there so I learn to be hopeful.

Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings becuase we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
Romans 5:3-5

Off to a good start. . .

Welcome to October! October is one of my favorite months, largely because it begins the obvious change from summer to fall. While it's harder to recognize the differing seasons here, in my mind it is preparation time. I love fall. The bright colors, distinct biting chill, and the promise of impending death and life. So beautiful, and poetic! I know that fall has usually marked times of struggle and death in my own life, that always have a time of new life at some point. I am excited to see the results of this fall in my life.

Both the week and the month were welcomed in by a great Monday. I woke up on time today with the hope of getting my laundry and shower in before starting my office hours at 8:30. Both things were accomplished with ease. My RA one on ones today went very well and we had great conversations about both work and life. The RA class that I co-teach was canceled by the other teacher, as was my 1:30 meeting. Therefore, I spent 8:30-1:30 in the office and then had the rest of the afternoon off.

GLORIOUS.

I am not afraid to take advantage of an afternoon off. So, today I went shopping at the Kohls that just opened yesterday. I found a few great purchases (including two pair of great pumps that will be perfect with the suits I have). I was hoping to find my more options of shirts to wear under my suits, but I didn't find much. I did find some great ones for going out or the office, depending on the pants they are worn with. Oh what a great day for shopping.

Now I'm sitting at my favorite BCS coffee shop with the hope of knocking out a lot of work that's due in the next couple of weeks. In addition to the usual major concepts for every chapter we read (aka busy work), I have my first law case due next week as well as a paper for assessment. Neither one will be difficult, it's just finding time to sit down and knock them out. Since I have nothing until my staff meeting tonight at 8:30, I'll probably be doing that soon.

Yesterday I had my first (and hopefully last) real evacuation of my building. We had a room that complained of smelling natural gas, so I got the chance to pull the fire alarm. After about 30 minutes the fire department determined that it was only sewer gas back-up from the cafeteria next to my hall. (DISGUSTING) I had two students who I caught leaving the building about 10 minutes after the alarm was pulled (a boy and girl, the boy was a non-resident visiting the girl). I decided not to write them up, since the hall director on call, David, and myself put the fear of God and fire alarms in them. I don't think either student will fail to evacuate a building again. Ha. ha. Other than that and yet another fire ant bite on my foot, nothing was too eventful.

This Saturday was the Baylor/A&M football game. Since I didn't have any visitors I was able to work the face painting table all morning which was so fun. I LOVE face painting. We typically purchase paints for the opposing team, and since this week was Baylor I took the opportunity to wear a Baylor t-shirt. That's what the photo is from.

While face painting i ran into my friends David and Erin who had an extra ticket to the game. So, when we were finished face painting I joined them in the student section for the first half of the game. I'll be honest, it was a rather boring game. Both teams really stunk. But it was great to go to another football game, and I now have a sunburn on my left arm to prove I went.

This weekend two of my favorite Belmont Alumni/Singer/songwriters are playing a show at Common Grounds in Waco. Andy Davis and Tyler James are going to be playing after the football game. I'm still up in the air about whether or not to go. I very much want to go, I LOVE both those guys, but I have a couple assignments due next week. I'll have to see how much I get accomplished in the next couple of days before deciding.

Today A&M is announcing that we have two confirmed cases of bacterial meningitis in the residence hall across from mine. Pray for those students and their families. Also, if you work with students, get your shots. :)

Submission, Self-Sufficiency and Independence. . . Where to start?!

I've recently found myself with extra time for reading, and feeling drawn to works by Elisabeth Elliot. Most specifically I am reading Let Me Be A Woman which is a collection of 49 letters that Elliot wrote to her daughter when she was engaged and preparing to marry. I had no idea that's what it was about when I purchased the book. I just saw it on Amazon.com and said that's the one! I haven't been able to put it down since I started reading it, and it really has me thinking.

The concept of submission within scripture is one that I have openly had issues with. As a woman I just cannot wrap my mind around it. I am sure that has something to do with the lack of relationships where I have had to practice it, but I can't even imagine how that begins to take shape, or what it means.

In my mind I think of Mary Winkler in Tennessee. She was arrested my senior year of college for murdering her husband. She didn't contest that she murdered him, but stated that she snapped from years of being "submissive" to her husband and sacrificing who she was to please him. The details of the case are up for debate, but I can see the defeat and the lack of self-confidence in her eyes. (maybe that's just my empathy strength getting the best of me)

If that is what submission to my husband is supposed to look like, I think I'll keep my single life. I can manage my own finances, take care of my car, fix the basics around my house. Until recently I never even thought twice about going to Wal-Mart or the grocery story by myself in the middle of the night.

I'm self-sufficient and independent. I kinda like it that way.

But then I picture my parents and am sure that they are an excellent example of what Biblical marriage is supposed to look like. My mother (who may still read this, I'm not sure) did not marry my dad until she was 30 years old and had been a single mother for five years at that point. Much to my grandmother's chagrin, my mom stepped back and let my dad provide for her and their family. She certainly was capable of taking care of things by herself. But yet, my mom trusts completely in my dad. While he is not the sole decision maker, everything goes through him. My father adores my mother (the only time I've seen him truly angry is when someone has hurt my mom). My mom's submission to my dad is not her saying he's better than her, but rather, her accepting that he has a role, and she has a role. It works so well. I believe that's the way it's supposed to be.

My question is, where does the woman that is self-sufficient, and independent fit in that picture? The picture of womanhood that is painted by our society is extremely confusing and contradictory. Elliot and others paint a picture of a woman who is only truly fulfilled in a marriage where she is submissive to her husband. I have yet to find a definition of submission and what that means. Reading her writing though, it seems to be indescribable and appealing. My faith tells me this is the way to go.

However, I am a child of my generation. Myself and the rest of my peers were raised by parents who saw, lived and experienced the 60s and the feminist revolution. While my parents are in no way feminists, they did raise me to take care of myself. I am independent because they made me that way, for the most part and also partially because, as my mom told me this weekend, I've been 30 since I was 3.

My colleagues here at seem to be of two types of women. The first are those who do not ever want to get married or have a family. They only want companionship because they do not want to die and no one notice. The second type are those who seem to think they can truly have it all. They are the ones who want to be the most recognized in our field, and be outstanding soccer moms at the same time. I'm not sure I fit in either place.

I long to some day be married and have a family. I know I have not yet been called to that, but believe that some day I will be (and pray that it will come). While I also feel called to my profession, in the scope of life I care more about being a good wife and mother than I care about being an outstanding professional. My calling to this field is for this season, and I cannot promise how long that season will last. Many of my colleagues would tell me that I am foolish, and cannot understand that perhaps being a wife and mother is a calling. But then, the concept of calling is often beyond them as well.

My answer is that there must be a middle road. More so, I long to learn what this idea of submission looks like in reality. I heard a sermon this summer about submission (there seems to be a trend), and it was one of the best that I've heard. He talked about the single woman's call to be submissive to Christ. That it is preparation ground for marriage, but not that the husband becomes Christ. Rather, that each man and woman, when truly living their God given roles, draw each other closer to Christ through that relationship.

I really believe that in this season of my life, God is teaching me about what it means to be submissive to Him. I do not believe that lesson is one that is left solely to women to learn. It's just the one that is meant for me right now. I think it's a fitting lesson for me to be learning as I begin taking steps towards the next season of life (a real job!). Submitting to God's will and call in my life, and trusting that it all works for good is a timely lesson to learn and depend on.

I'm finally taking my car into the shop tomorrow to get the cigarette lighter fixed (it's only been broken since January). I'm also getting an estimate of how much it would cost to install a tow hitch to it for moving. . .

Yikes. . . anyone?!

This picture is of my friends Sarah and Tiff (L-R) and myself at the Baylor v. Texas State Game this past weekend. I drove up to Waco Saturday afternoon to go to the game and visit with some of my dear Baylor friends. I attended the game with the Baylor student services grad students (Baylor's equivalent to my grad program). After Baylor defeated Texas State (not by much, they are going to have to step it up if they want to beat A&M on the 29th), a few of us headed to Chili's for an after game celebration. Sunday I went to church with two of my BaylorBound leaders and then met the rest at my favorite Waco restaurant- The Clay Pot. Lunch and fellowship was GLORIOUS. It was so good to see them all!

I also surprisingly ran into my friend Becky at the Baylor game Saturday. Becky is an Alumna of Baylor, but just graduated (May 07) from my grad program here at A&M. She also did her summer internship at Belmont with our mutual friend Matt. So, needless to say, Becky kept me sane last year and it was such a blessing to run into her. She and I got together for coffee on Sunday afternoon and it was so nice to catch up and hear about her life. Plus get her take on my current one. She's such a great friend.

Saturday before heading up to Waco, I had a "lunch date" with one of my old RAs. It was really nice to see her and hear how her summer went and talk about mine. I should be seeing more of this year, as she's involved with the SisterSHINE program that I'm going to be a spiritual mom for.

Since coming back I've been in a funk. I did not get as much school or work related things finished before I left as I had hoped and now I'm feeling pretty far behind. In reality, I'm not behind at all. I'm still ahead of where I would have been last year, but I've gotten used to doing school work in advance. So tonight I spent a while at a coffee shop catching up on things. Tomorrow I will be doing the same thing. I will probably be there from after class on. I want to get everything for this week finished, and get started on next week so I don't have to worry about it.

Friday morning I fly home for the weekend. I can't wait! I get to spend my weekend with this lovely girl:(that photo is us in Gulfport, MS on the beach. Ignore how awful we both look, we had been driving ALL DAY and neither one of us had slept much the night before). I can't wait. :)

Well friends, that's all for now. I'm off to bed. I need to not get back in the habit of staying out at coffee shops until 1 a.m. this semester. But, we'll make tonight an exception!

.peace and love.

"I lift up my eyes to the hills-- where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip-- he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord watches over you-- the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all harm-- he will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore"
Psalm 121

Things I'm looking forward to:

* Shopping this afternoon
* A roadtrip to Waco this weekend
* My first football game of the season on Saturday
* Going to KY in 7 days
* Spending a great weekend with Grace before she moves to Italy forever
* Becoming a BASICS/Motivational Intervention Practitioner and Trainer
* UK beating UofL this weekend
* Going to SACSA and seeing my favorite Belmont People including Holly and Amy.
* Spending 8 days in Boston this March job searching, attending conferences, eating lots of good seafood and spending my spring break stressed out.
* Presenting programs at several conferences, including NASPA (keep your fingers crossed!)
* Maintaining deep friendship
* Finding a job that I LOVE!
* Graduating in 239 days
* Seeing what crazy roads God takes me down in the next 239 days. . . it's going to be a wild ride!

My women's fraternity, Alpha Gamma Delta, sends me an e-mail newsletter monthly called "Transitions". This e-mail has information about some issue that the women (and men) mid-late twenties/early thirty crowd are facing. I got this one the other day, and thought it quiet poinent. I'd like to share!

"I recently finished a great book called Refrigerator Rights, and highly suggest you read it. No, it isn’t the newest diet fad, or a guide to buying kitchen appliances. I know most of us have an ever-increasing list of books that we’re going to read, someday, so I’ll just give you the jist: Written by a stand-up comedian turned minister turned therapist, Dr. Will Miller says that humans thrive on intimate relationships - the kind of friendships where you can grab a soda out of each others refrigerator without asking or feeling weird about it.

Who’s allowed in your fridge?

I ask because it seems like my group of fridge friends has lessened somewhat since college. Time and distance have changed things, and that’s unfortunate. I want friends who I don’t have to try so hard with, ones who can plop on my couch and be happy watching a rerun of Back to the Future on TBS. We don’t even have to talk. Just knowing they’re there and that they care is good enough.

Dr. Miller proposes that today’s Americans are increasingly lonely and depressed due to a lack of refrigerator rights relationships. He asserts that we miss out on these types of relationships for two reasons. First, he charges the growing trend of mobility. Nearly one-third of Americans in our age bracket move every year. That’s a lot! Because of our propensity to move around, we often limit our chances of becoming part of a true community. I’ve experienced this first-hand. I’ve avoided joining clubs because I knew I’d soon be moving and would likely be forced to cut my membership short. Likewise, I’ve neglected to nurture certain relationships. The thought of building them up only to watch them disappear seemed too upsetting. Why bother?

Our infatuation with media is the other culprit holding our refrigerator relationships in check, according to Dr. Miller. Instead of growing our social circles, we opt instead for a pseudo-social life – achieved through the radio, TV, and the Internet. During our morning drive we laugh along with our DJ comrades. We think we’re part of their gang. When we get home from work we sit staring blankly at the tube. Our lives our enmeshed with TV personalities. We feel a connection with contestants on American Idol and vote for them compulsively. I have a friend who became so involved with the LOST series, he regularly logged into a forum to share episode insights, speculations and reactions with other viewers. The show became an all-encompassing part of his life. You may say this is pathetic. But I’ll bet you’re thinking, “So? I do that, too.” Face it. Our culture is collectively moving toward isolation.

Whether or not you agree with Dr. Miller’s arguments, his theory is interesting to think about. Are you missing the deep friendships that came so easily in college? Is the e-mail correspondence you keep with your fraternity brothers or sorority sisters enough to sustain you? Make the decision now to build and maintain a network of meaningful friendships that honor refrigerator rights. Get involved. Open the door to opportunity. A heapin’ helping of friends awaits!"

I'm currently talking to my old roomie, Lauren, on-line. I also just added her blog to my friends list on this page. In adding her blog, I realized that I have quite the jet-setting group of former roommates. We all graduate and move somewhere. Lauren moves to Moldova to work with orphans and teach them about business and Jesus. Grace moves to Italy to learn to speak Italian fluently and no-doubt fall in love with a BEAUTIFUL Italian man. I, my friends, move to College Station, TX. . . not sure how I missed the cool boat. I guess someone has to be the one they keep around to make themselves feel cooler. That's what I'm here for, boosting the self-confidence of others! Just kidding. . . kind of!

I wish that I could post the faces I make when writing this stuff. . . it would make the reading more enjoyable for all.

To my higher ed grad student friends. I'm reading this book, titled Job One by Peter Magolda and Jill Ellen Carnaghi, for my Practicum Class. I highly recommend it for those who are job searching, will be soon, or anyone related to higher education. It contains a serious of essays by various new professionals that are often very poignant and dead on. It makes you think, "I'm glad I'm not the only one!"

Do read!

"The word humble comes from the root word humus, earth clay. Let me remember that when I question God's dealings. I don't understand Him, but then I"m not asked to understand, only to trust. Bitterness dissolves when I remember the kind of love with which He has loved me- He gave Himself for me. What He is doing now, therefore, is not cause for bitterness. It has to be designed for good, because He Loved me and gave Himself for me." -Elisabeth Elliot, Keep a Quiet Heart



When I question why things don't work out the way I want them to, I need to remember that.

"For great is your love toward me;
you have delivered me from the depths of the grave."
-Psalm 86:13

246 more days. . .

I just almost had a panic attack. I just left a planning meeting for our Association of Future Student Affairs Professionals Exec Board (I'm the VP). While the Professional Development Chair was sharing her agenda for the year she shared information about time-lines for the job search process for 2nd years. Literally, my heart began to race and the room started getting fuzzy.

I am a 2nd year.

I have had in my mind that the job search was a process that was more than an arms link away. What I have found however, is that the job search process started a year ago. The hard parts are starting to pick up now. The process is well within my grasp.

The fall semester of my senior year of college was a very stressful time for me between balancing class, work, extracurriculars and grad applications. While I still have to balance many of the same things, there seems to be something distinctly different this time. That semester was simply about continuing college.

This is not a continuation of college.

I have to do an actual job search. Nuts. So, right now I'm feeling pretty overwhelmed about the whole process. It's so hard to believe that in 249 days I'll have a Masters degree, be finished with school forever (keep your fingers crossed), and have a job (again with the fingers and lots of prayers). Nuts.

There are some things about my job that I just don't think I will ever get used to. I have learned to handle and tolerate being the "mean person" in conduct situations. I feel that am able to handle those situations well because I see the educational value of those situations for the students involved.

I have also enjoyed thus far working with my students parents. Up until this point, I have been able to really help them trust me and believe that I too want what is best for their student. I enjoy when my students' parents learn to have confidence in my job and the educational process that surrounds it.

Today however, I had a very simple and common roommate problem that blew up. The situation itself didn't blow up, but rather the student and mother simply refused to trust myself and my staff to handle the situation as we are accustomed to do. I had spoken earlier this week to the mother and thought I had convinced her to encourage her daughter to trust me and my staff and go with our suggestions of how to handle it. I was, and still am, 99.9% confident that if she allowed us to do a roommate contract any awkwardness between the two students would be resolved.

Today the student's mother proceeded to tear into me accusing me of being biased and purposefully punishing her daughter because of her religious beliefs and values.

Seriously.

She said that.

I was blown away, outraged, frustrated and discouraged all at the same time. Clearly this women doesn't know me. We've never met, and I've never been rude to her. But, she feels the need to judge my character based on my refusal to simply cave to her request to allow her daughter to run away from the roommate situation. While I know that parents are required to be advocates for their children, where does accusing roommates and hall directors unfairly relate to that? Some of the things the mother would say about her daughters roommate were so unfair and judgmental and I refuse to allow any of my students to be treated unfairly by anyone.

While I've had classmates and professors question my character multiple times in the last year, I have yet to have someone make such a snap judgment like this. I really don't think there will ever be a time where conspicuous or inconspicuous attempts at questioning my character will not truly bother me.

Chickering and Reisser's Establishing Identity vector talks about learning to accept feedback from valued and respected others rather than any Joe Shmo. While I think it's easier for me to only accept valued and respected feedback in some areas, I am rocked to the core when people I don't even know question my character.

I'm not sure it's a bad thing to be bothered by that. Being a women of noble character is something that is foundational to who I am, and what I do, so anytime that's questioned I should be bothered. Right?

I am sure that this is not the last time that someone will unfairly make assumptions about my character. I wonder, as I grow in professionalism and in personal ways, if that ever gets any easier.

Within the last year, such situations seem to be happening to me a lot. I'm learning how best to respond to them. I can't help but remember a conversation with a good friend this summer about being back at A&M and the things I was fearful about. Having that conversation in the back of my mind I am encouraged to respond to this situation differently than I did the ones last year. Last year I allowed myself to really question my character and the person I have been shaped into. While I accept that this sort of thing will always bother me, I know that there is a purpose behind this time. There is a purpose for me to be attacked, and somewhere down the line I may be made privy to why that occurred. Perhaps it is as simple as preparation for future helicopter parents. Who knows.

Sorry about the cathartic nature of this entry. May you and it remind me, and yourself of the promise of purpose behind every experience. Even the crappy unfair ones.

I'm sitting in my favorite College Station coffee shop trying to catch up on life. I am not being overly dramatic about the catching up on life. I have lived a full and happy summer, and as soon as it was over, I was thrown back into life at A&M.

I spent this summer at Baylor University working in their Department of New Student Programs. I visited there in November to "interview" with the staff there, and felt as though it was where I needed to be. I am so grateful that I spent my summer there, and could not imagine a better place to work!

I worked with Orientation, Line Camp and the BaylorBound leaders and their training. I really enjoyed the work that I did, as well as the people I worked with. The staff in the office were AMAZING not to mention a hysterical group of people to work with. My students were a great group of people- so genuine and also pretty funny. I learned a lot about myself personally and professionally this summer. It was the break and experience that I needed heading into my last year in grad school.

I arrived back in BCS on August 1st and we started training on August 3rd. It's been full steam ahead ever since. I did manage to slip sleeping almost an entire Saturday in there. After a week of hall director training, my RAs came back and they had a week of training. My staff this year is amazing! They work together really well and I can tell that they are in this job for the right reasons. I can't tell you how happy that makes me!

We just opened the halls this past Sunday and 70% of my building moved in that day.
It was a very busy day. It went smoothly over all, minus a few issues. Our building is continuing to have issues with hot water working consistently. Also, I continually did rounds on the floors climbing stairs, grabbing boxes, and taking them out to recycling. It was a long day!

Saturday, I drove up to Baylor for The Big Even for Welcome Week. It was such a blast! There was a great 80s cover band playing and almost everyone dressed up in accurate outfits. It was really nice to be able to see the last stage of summer programming, and to see my students and coworkers again. I only wish that I had been able to talk to them more and see them for a longer period of time!

Currently my parents are in town visiting. It's been a really nice laid back visit. I believe that they are planning to make a few road trips this week to various places in Texas. Plus, my dad hung up my curtains and fixed my license plate. He's pretty handy!

Classes start at A&M next Monday. I'm taking Higher Ed. Law and Assessment. Additionally I have a Practicum (or internship) class that I am registered for, but completed the hours this summer. I am doing a third practicum in our Student Conflict Resolution Services/Alcohol and Drug Education program office. I'll be adjudicating a few cases, and developing a training session for student leaders teaching them to recognize signs of drug abuse in their student organizations. My hope is that it can be used for the RAs in the fall. I'm also co-teaching an RA class this semester with a full-time staff member. I'm not sure what that is going to look like yet, but I should be learning more about it soon.

I will also be a Spiritual Mom for the Aggie Sisters for Christ SisterShine program. The women in SisterShine volunteer as mentors to high school aged women in Bryan/College Station. They each are in smaller groups with a Spiritual Mother (aka me) who meets with them, and mentors them. I'm really very excited about this opportunity. The thing I missed most last year was being able to be freely intentional about faith with my students and this should provide me with an outlet to do that. I cannot wait to find out what students I'm going to be working with and see what this experience will be like!

I am very hopeful that this year will be great. There seem to be a lot of great things up ahead and if all else fails, I'll be finished with school (hopefully for good) in 263 days. Wow!