Ok, so here's the scoop!  Last week, I sat down to write a xanga entry about how college graduation was coming up.  Well, it turned into a 5 1/2 pg. single spaced paper all about my college experience.  So I am going to post it here now.  It is obviously rather long and will probably be pretty boring to the people who were not apart of my college experience so beware of that!  I know I probably missed so many stories that I could have written about, but here are the ones I can rememeber off the top of my head.  So if you read it all, I hope you enjoy! 

So I'm about to graduate from college.  Well, technically I do not graduate until August, but I will be completely finished with school May 23rd.  I will walk in the graduation ceremony on May 6th though.  Crazy?!?  I believe so!  I cannot believe the time for me to finish college has come.  I still remember high school graduation and everything leading up to it so vividly.  Now there are 4 years that separate me from that time.  These past 4 years have gone by so quickly, and I have so many memories.  I am so excited about finishing school forever (at least I do not have any desire to do more school), but it is so bittersweet. 

College really is not only a place to receive more education, but it is such an experiential journey as well.  I think I will look back on it as some of my favorite memories ever.  It is like being out on your own but in a protected world.  On a college campus, you really are in a one of a kind environment.  It's like one whole community that watches out for one another.  College students have completely new responsibilities but still do not have all the responsibilities that are in the world.  These 4 (or more depending on who you are) years are a great transition between parent supervision and no supervision.  Although in college we would like to think there is no supervision, there definitely still is.  We have attendance policies to make sure we are in class.  We have room inspections to make sure the trash in our rooms isn't piled high (we probably needed this inspection at Baylor....Alexandria and I were a mess).  We have campus security that can be there on the spot for any type of emergency (even an overflowing toilet).  Once we have full-time jobs, nobody will make sure we go to work everyday because if we don't show up then we are pretty much canned.  There is nobody to force you to clean your apartment; only the embarrassment that you are afraid of experiencing if a surprise visitor shows up.  We cannot call the police on every little thing that we may need help with at home. 

I have been able to experience campus life at two different colleges and by different, I mean completely and totally different.  Even though both campuses were Christian colleges, they both have completely different reputations.  I was able to spend my first two years of college at Baylor University in Waco, TX.  I was so excited about this decision.  Alexandria and I decided that we wanted to room together in November of our senior year of high school, and August could not have come quick enough.  We met up with each other once before school started and picked out all of our bedding.  We were so excited about decorating our new room together.  I remember that we skipped Orientation because we wanted to unpack and set up everything.  The first night we got there I was so comfortable with her (she, on the other hand, wasn't so comfortable).  We sat on the floor, ate bean dip and chips, and just talked.  Talking is one of my favorite things to do with her.  We spent many nights laying in each of our own beds just talking about everything from God to schools to boys (and she liked a lot of them).  We both decided not to date anyone our freshman year of college.  This works out really easily when nobody is pursuing you for a dating relationship anyways!!  The second semester of my freshman year was when I joined Zeta Tau Alpha.  I had so much fun in this sorority.  I loved the events, service, and girls!  It was a complete blast!  My freshman year of college was when I realized that I could actually dance and that I was pretty good at it.  Haha, I love dancing now!  I was surrounded by so many cool girls on my floor too, mainly Megan and Kat across the hall.  The four of us had so much fun together!  Alexandria and I didn’t want to pay for cable our freshman year so we would always walk over to our “suitemates” room to use their television.  It was cool to meet Kat because we had a huge commonality from the very beginning.  We figured out that both of our childhood best friends were playing volleyball at Abilene Christian University together.  Megan is probably the reason Alexandria and I got into the sorority.  She hails from Kingwood, TX and has such an amazing family there.  In the sorority, I had my big sister, Stacey.  Stacey is so amazing!!  I love her so much!  She is getting married in November, and I am so happy for her.  We did a lot of fun things together like baseball games, and traveling to functions together.  She’s cool!  Because of the sorority, I also met Meredith.  I met her the first day we got in the sorority (which was also my birthday and made it so much more special).  Meredith and I ended up having a class together and so I sat by her.  This was where our relationship blossomed.  Meredith, Alexandria, and I became really close.  Ale and I even put our beds together so that Meredith would have a place to sleep when she came to our dorm.  We liked each other so much that we decided to live together our sophomore year.  Alexandria’s mom bought a condo for us to live in a few blocks from the school.  We were able to ride the trolley everyday to school.  I had fun in that apartment.  It was such a cozy apartment.  We had so many more fun Zeta activities this semester.  We started to prepare for a new pledge class.  By the end of the semester was when I became friends with Jey.  Jey and I really did not think we would become friends, but because of some twin guys that we were both friends with and decided to ask to a formal, we became very close friends.  Many people use to think we were twins, and we found this so funny!  I had a lot of good talks with her.  During the second semester of my sophomore year we got our new pledge class, and I got my new little, Ashley.  She is one of the cutest girls ever!  No lie!!  She is so fun and outgoing and crazy!!!  I also met Marianne, the sweetest Lil Sanchez you can ever know!  She kicked my butt in our Poli Sci class!  At the beginning of my sophomore year, I decided a Business degree was not the way for me.  I could not stand the business school at Baylor.  Not only were the classes large, but I felt like I was walking into a high school every time I entered the building.  There were so many people that just stood at the entrance waiting to meet up and talk with their friends.  I felt so uncomfortable every time I walked in.  Well, two weeks before the end of the semester I finally changed my major to Child & Family Studies.  I was so excited about this major.  I knew I was going to have a lot of fun doing these classes and learning all of this stuff.  Of course, I never got into that major because I obviously didn’t stay at Baylor.  I still think it would have been a great major for me though.  I had so much fun while I was at Baylor, and I was so glad I got to go there for two years.  I was able to learn how to love people who had different views from me.  I was able to live life away from home and what I was used to.  Overall though, my sophomore year was probably one of my worst years spiritually at college.  This was one of the reasons that I really desired a change.  When I found out the summer after my sophomore year that I lost a lot of need based scholarship money and would have to get like $20,000 in loans, I realized that it was time to think about another school.

My mom has worked at LeTourneau University in Longview since I was a senior in high school.  Because of this, I knew that if I went there I would have free tuition.  This would be a nice change to the many loans I had already taken out (I was lucky my first two years to have almost $16,000 in scholarships and grants so I didn’t have too expensive of loans).  So in July 2004 I made the decision to switch schools.  It was actually a great step in my relationship with God.  I literally felt like a wall had been torn down that was keeping me from really experiencing or seeing God’s hand in my life.  I know without a doubt that I was supposed to be at Baylor for the time I was there, but I know that it had ended as well.  My brother, Matt, was already attending there.  I also was already friends with Emily who I had met working at the LeTourneau summer camps the year before.  So I had a few friends going into school.  Emily and I actually did not click right off the bat which is crazy for Emily because she befriends everyone.  It took us about a month before we started to hang out with one another.  Then once we started we never stopped hanging out.  I realized just now that when I connect with someone, I’m persistent about being their close friend.  Back to LeTourneau, I decided to go back to being a Business major since I already had a lot of classes for the degree.  I thought that maybe the business school would be different than at Baylor.  It is completely different.  The classes are a lot easier, but the teachers are more personable.  (Side Note:  I realized though about two weeks ago that I do not really have a business mind and I really do not see how I finished this degree with a 3.7, at least that’s what it is right now).  My first class was Psychology.  I was somewhat nervous about going to a new school as a transfer, but I knew the campus so well that it made it a little easier.  So I walk into class and sit down.  After the professor’s wife calls roll, I realize that Lucas is in this class with me.  He completely ignored me when I walked in too.  He says it was because he thought I saw him and didn’t want to say anything, but I really didn’t see him.  I was new and didn’t really want to talk to anyone so I didn’t look around to see if I knew anybody because I didn’t think I would.  I had a lot of fun with him in that class.  We spent many 11 meeting hours going to lunch together.  Well, I decided to minor in Christian Ministries.  At the time, this was because I was still thinking I wanted to open or run a Christian camp.  My first class for this minor was so much fun!!  Who would have thought our group would become so close!  This class was where I first met Rachel and Brittany, my roommates now.  My first chapel experience at Baylor was interesting too.  I walked into chapel with Sarah (who I wish I had gotten to know better while she was here – I got to hang out with her recently and I had a lot of fun) and Emily.  Might I add that it was my first chapel at a new school and immediately I hear Emily say, "Hey, there's Matty."  So I go up to him and give him a hug and ask, "Where are you sitting."  His response is, "You should go sit with your friends."  My own brother didn't want to sit with me on my first day of chapel in my new school.  I was very upset with him.  Things got better and my first semester my junior year ended up being really cool.  I got a job working in Student Affairs/Student Services.  I had a blast working there everyday.  I got to hang out with Mrs. Debbie and Mrs. Deadre.  They are wonderful ladies.  I was also able to teach 7^th grade girls Sunday school my whole junior year.  I loved my girls and loved getting to teach.  Laurel, Veronica, Joy, Morgan, Elizabeth, and Bailey were a wonderful group to have for my first attempt at teaching.  They were so eager to give their opinions and to talk.  I loved it and I loved sharing the knowledge that God had given me to these girls.  I may not have been the best teacher (definitely never the most prepared), but these girls really helped me.  My next semester was a lot of fun too.  This was when Bradley and Laney decided to come to school here.  I was so excited that they were here because I missed them a lot!  This semester was also when I decided to live on campus the next year.  I was living at home my whole junior year.  I love my parents a lot, but I do not think living at home during college is the smartest idea.  It may save money, but the experiences of dorm/apartment life are totally worth the money.  Emily and I definitely wanted to live together and we needed to find two other roommates so we could live in the apartments.  Well Rachel and my relationship had started to grow during my second semester at Letu.  This started whenever we rode together in her car to Emily’s house for a slumber party.  We talked so easily to one another about different stuff.  This is easy for her to do, but not really for me.  When I can easily talk to somebody then I know I have connected with them.  We also have ex-boyfriends in common so this was something we could talk about (although it was her boyfriend at the time).  Rachel and Brittany are both from the lovely place of Florida.  They are extremely cool girls.  We decided it would be fun for all four of us (me, Em, Rach, and Britt) to live together next year and so we applied for the apartments.  We, of course, got in.  I also decided to apply to be a Peer Advisor for the next year, and I got that job.  I was set for a great senior year.  Before my junior year ended though, I was able to go on spring break to Florida with Rachel and Emily.  Let me just say that we had a b-last!!  From cartwheels in the park to Jesus hats to hairy biker men on the beach to the Friendly’s worker to shopping in Orlando to the Cheesecake Factory to the comedy club, everything about that trip was so much fun (except when I became frustrating on the trip home).  My junior year ended great.  Then on to summer.  I decided to live in summer housing for a month while I worked on campus and took summer school.  I had the opportunity to work in the Education department.  I really loved this job and working with Mrs. Carolyn and the other ladies was so much fun!  I took two classes – English in American Films and Astronomy.  Once the month was over, I left for my internship in Houston.  This was the best internship ever.  I was able to live with my sister and brother-in-law and do an internship at the largest church in America, Lakewood.  I worked under Clayton, my bro-in-law in the children’s ministry.  I was able to be there on the churches big move into the Compaq Center.  I was able to be in some of the videos for the children’s ministry (one involved me wearing a huge purple dinosaur costume).  I got to do administrative stuff which I love to do (weird, I know).  During this month and a half away was when I found out that my dad had prostate cancer.  So in August, my dad, mom, sister and I flew to Florida so that my dad could have surgery (this was my first time to fly….I have now flown 3 times).  They were able to catch it quick and I am thankful to say that my dad is now cancer free!  Praise God!  When I got back from Florida, I started stuff with Peer Advising for Orientation.  Peer advising has been a blast.  My group is great!  All 14 of them are awesome people!  I haven’t been the greatest peer advisor this second semester, but I’m trying to make up for it now.  I also got to finally move into my apartment on campus with my 3 wonderful roommates.  I was so excited about starting my senior year.  I played my first intramural sport at LeTourneau, flag football.  Since then I have played many others like volleyball, ultimate frisbee, and softball.  In October after 4 ½ years, God brought a dating relationship into my life, I found it in my best guy friend, Lucas.  I didn’t know that when I told God I wouldn’t date my freshman year that it meant more than just one year.  I remember thinking to myself that the next guy I dated I didn’t want to date unless I knew him really well.  I remember praying that I would be friends with the person I dated and then realize after becoming close with him that I wanted it to be more than a friendship.  I never wanted to have prior motives for becoming friends with a guy.  This was how it started with me and Lucas.  Of course, now things are just well, complicated.  In November, I started working at the bookstore on campus.  I like this job a lot, and I really like the people that I work with.  In December, my best friend from growing up, Amanda, got married.  I was able to be a bridesmaid in a wedding for the first time.  The wedding was so beautiful and I had a lot of fun!  I miss her and her family so much!  My last semester of college has gone by so quickly.  It has been an interesting semester.  I only took 12 hours this semester, and I have been working about 9 hours every week.  My birthday this year was amazing.  My roommates surprised me with a surprise birthday party at my parent’s new house.  It was amazing!  My mom, dad, and I went to eat at Olive Garden and then my dad said he needed to stop by the new house to turn something off.  Well we walked in and I immediately saw streamers on the chairs and thought how I couldn’t believe they fooled me.  It was great!  Valentine’s Day was a lot of fun too!  My roommates and I made shirts that said “Will you 15-B My Valentine?”  15-B is our apartment number.  We thought we were clever!  Emily and I got each other Valentine’s Day gifts too!  It was a good day!  Then came spring break.  All I did was get my wisdom teeth pulled.  It actually went fine.  It took the oral surgeon 25 minutes to get all four of them out.  Over Easter Break, Emily, Brittany, Rachel, Kanoe, and I went camping.  It was fun to do it with just girls.  We set up the tent by ourselves.  We built a fire by ourselves.  It was the best trip ever!  We had some late night fun with lake water and a movie.  We were also woken up by some boys who think they are extremely sneaky, but it was still a great trip.  So now here I am with only 2 weeks left this semester and a 2 week class left until I’m done.

I guess it’s good that I can look back on specific times in my life and think how those times were great to me.  I miss my childhood.  I miss junior high (who can say that).  I miss high school.  I miss Baylor.  I’m sure I will miss LeTourneau as well.  There is something I miss about each of these times.  I would never go back though.  I would not relive any of these times for anything.  I am thankful that I have had such great experiences, but I am thankful for where I am as well.  I am such a blessed girl!  Many times I wonder why am I so blessed or why have I not experienced hard times like other people I know.  I really do not know the answer to those questions, but I am thankful!  I am thankful for my God who steers me in a direction that I need to go and then once I am there will walk with me through a new situation.  I am thankful that He helped me to find people to love and to love me in this situation.  I am thankful that God provides for me not only financially but physically, emotionally, and spiritually.  I am thankful that God helped me through a time of huge change in my life.  I am thankful that He blessed me with a family that always wants me.  I am thankful that he helped me to figure out what I want to do with my life and will continue to help me with this.  I am thankful that He has given me great opportunities to serve Him and serve His people.  I am thankful that He can heal people.  I am thankful that He offers forgiveness every time I screw up.  I am thankful that He blessed me with somebody to share who I am with.  I am thankful that I have friends who will surprise me.  I am thankful that He reveals things to me through prayer.  I am thankful that I can say that I have had a best friend at every point in my life.  I am thankful that He sustains me when things are hard.  I am thankful that He has helped me to finish this chapter of my life.

Hey everyone!  As always, it's been a long time since I have gotten on here to type an entry.  A lot has gone on since my last post.  Last Thursday was Em's 21st birthday, and it was so much fun!!!  For real!  When it was over, I had that same feeling you get when Christmas is over.  I find it so much fun to plan for close friend's birthdays.  Let's see.....well at midnight on the day of her b-day, we had Lucas steal her away.  I asked him to do this last minute, and he did a really good job of thinking of something to do for 20 minutes.  When she came back, we had strawberry daquiris for her (virgin of course), and Rach, Michelle, and I sang "Happy Birthday" to her.  Then on Thursday afternoon was her party.  We had it in our apartment.  We had food and stuff!  There were sooooo many people here.  I think there were like 40-50 throughout the whole night.  Em is really loved!!!  Then the best part came.....we gave Em her present.  Thirteen of us chipped in and got her a Mini Ipod!  That is so the best present for her because she lovessss music!!!  It's so cool to give somebody something that you know they will truly love!!!  We have both been seen walking on campus with it.....she had one ear piece and I had the other.  Rach always makes fun of us for it, but it's so cool to walk and always hear music.

Ok, on to Friday and Saturday.  We had Freshman Retreat so I got to go since I'm a peer advisor.  It was good!  I had fun getting to hang out with my group some more.  I have two guys that have shirts that they wear that say "I Love My Peer Advisor!"  They keep trying to fight for me and get me to choose one of them!  Yeah, like that would happen!  Em and I went to sleep so early while we were there though.  We were the first ones in our cabin to go to sleep.  My only girl in my group did not go to the retreat so I was bummed that I did not get to hang out with her!  Overall, it was good though!

On Saturday night, I was exhausted.  So I sat on the couch for awhile trying to rest, and then Laney showed up.  She came in for the weekend for her birthday.  It was so great to see her and to finally get to see her ring.  It's beautiful!  She's beautiful!  Oh, and if anyone wants to watch Pearl Merchant play at Paradigm, they play Thursday nights at 8.  The link is http://www.paradigmbiblestudy.com/v1.0/.  After Laney left, Brit and I went with Lucas to watch him play at Sam's Place.  It was great to get to hang out with Brit since we do not really get a lot of time together!

On Sunday, I went to Church on the Rock with Daniel and David.  I sure did miss Sunni!!!!!  Then Sunday night, I went to the Shane & Shane concert in Tyler.  It was amazing!!  It always is!!!  Here is a pic that I stole from Lea.  So give her credit for it!!!

I am so excited for this next weekend!  We are going to see Jon McLaughlin and Andy Davis play at a coffee shop in Fort Worth.  They are amazing!  It's going to be great!  If you do not know who they are, go to their sites and listen to their music.....good stuff!!!  Ok, I'm going to go read some for my Understanding Youth class.  I'll write more in like 3 weeks!!