With it being three days until Christmas (as hard as that is to believe), I'm going to take a break from present planning to write about a certain "gift" that Tindall, Christina, and I received in October.....a new addition to our Chi Omega family!!
So thankful for you grand-little!!
Bethany joined the ranks of perfect little sis's after a week of gift-giving and mystery clues. Well, at least Christina tried to trick her into not knowing who her big sis was. Bethany later informed us that she knew the whole time...oops?
I had a lot of fun last year preparing all of Christina's clues and presents, and it was just as fun this year getting to help her get ready for her little sis.
Bethany and I have a pretty cool friendship story that technically began way before we even met each other, but that is too long to write on this blog. Essentially, it's a God thing that she went through recruitment, pledged Chi O, and is now the newest member of my family. And I couldn't be more blessed by her!
Waiting on our new addition and feeling old!
I can't believe that it has been over two years since Tindall was the one trying to trick me. I knew from our first "owl pal" date after I pledged that I wanted her to be my big sis, and thankfully she wanted me as her little. Although both of our lives are extremely busy, I cherish the time that we get to spend together when we make the time to do it. She is role model for me to work hard in everything I do, and I praise the Lord for bringing us together as family!
Fast forward to one year later, it was my turn find the perfect little sis. Before recruitment even started, my friend Jenni Lynn told me that I needed to meet Christina because we were so similar. Well, she was right! Christina was the very first girl that I talked to during recruitment, my owl pal on Bid Day, and then became the best little sis in the whole world. She has now become one of my very best friends. I am so thankful for her!
Five generations of family!
This year, the pressure was on for Christina to become friends with a girl that would be her little, my grand-little, and Tindall's great-grand-little. Long story short, Bethany fit the bill pretty well. She has blessed me immensely, and if Tindall and Christina were typing this with me I'm sure they would agree.
So, Bethany, know that you are loved so much by your Chi Omega family. We can't wait to have fun with you as you grow in Chi O and on the campus of Mississippi State University. Oh, and the pressure is on for you next year :)
Tonight, I got to hang out with a woman who is a mentor of mine, role model, and honestly one of my best friends. Shannon consistently allows me to "do life with her". Whether that be dinner, grocery shopping (don't underestimate the fun that two people can have in Walmart), coffee runs, or keeping her kids while she gets her hair cut, she always finds time to invest in me. I never feel like I have to be fit into her schedule. If I need advice about anything, to vent about something, or if I'm craving a sweet treat, I'm always told to "Come right over!' without any hesitation.
She has a true heart for guiding anyone in need!
We spent about four hours together tonight that included closing down Panera Bread, grocery shopping, and chatting in her space ship of a minivan...I love that thing. Amidst all of our laughter and eating of baked goods was a lot of learning and teaching that was effortless. Shannon didn't sit down in the booth across from me with the intent of teaching me anything, but as we shared stories with each other I was instructed nonetheless.
First, the word family isn't limited to your biological family. Family is just like home. You know the saying "home is where the heart is?" Well, it's true, and family is the same way. If you are surrounded by people that care about you, challenge you, and encourage you in your walk with the Lord, then you are home with family. I have family here in Jackson, and I have family in Starkville. I am thankful for each of those so much.
Next, Shannon taught me (again) to cherish where I am in life. Life is a roller coaster right now, with questions and choices around every corner. My life is constantly evolving, and has been ever since I met Shannon while I was an awkward middle schooler. As I have grown older, we have grown closer, and she encourages me in each stage. I have a year and a half until I am thrown into the "real" real world, and I need to trust in the Lord's plan each step of the way.
Shannon taught me that you are never too old to squeal like a twelve-year-old when the other says something exciting.
Late night in Perkins during Summer 2010. I love you Shannon!
She, along with her husband Jon, constantly teach me what it is like to have a relationship where Christ is the center. They trust each other, love each other, learn together, and encourage each other. Tonight, while Shannon and I were sitting in the minivan chatting about who knows what, Shannon received a text from Jon saying that all of the laundry was caught up. About an hour before that, she had told me that she was going to have to spend the day tomorrow doing laundry. Jon did it all for her while she was out spending time with me. Shannon's response when she read that message was, "I have a perfect husband." So, I guess I owe some thanks to Jon for not only allowing me to steal your wife for a night, but for teaching me how to love my future spouse one day.
The one thing that Shannon teaches me so often is the importance of "doing life with others". She has three daughters: one four year old and twin two year olds. The lady is a superwoman. However, she never tells me that she is too busy for me or that the house is too dirty for me to come over. If her kids are throwing a tantrum, she doesn't tell me to leave. She simply hands me a baby and asks for help. And, just like tonight, she uses errand-running as a time to catch up, not a task that prevents her from seeing me.
I want to have an open-door policy that applies to more than just the front door of my home. I want it to apply to my life in general. I want an open home, mind, and heart that is here for anyone that needs it. That is my prayer as I grow older, and I thank Shannon for inspiring me to use my passion for people like she uses hers.
So, friends, I encourage you to find your Shannon (as cheesy as that sounds). Find someone that you can confide in, challenges you, and encourages you. However, I also believe that mentoring is a full-circle act. Once we are poured into, it is our turn to pour into others. So, not only do I think it is important to find your Shannon, but we all need to go be a Shannon for someone that needs it.
Lend an ear, give a hug, and do life with someone. You never know how much it could impact them!
"Tis the Season for Christmas, family, friends, and no classes for a while. Oh, and for admitting (again) that I am a bad blogger. I haven't posted since August. AUGUST. Oops.
I think in my last post I said that classes for the fall semester had started two days prior. Well, they are now over! Yep, I'm finished with my first semester of my junior year at Mississippi State. I'll write more about how that feels in another post...but no promises this time :)
During the drive to Tennessee last night, I was thinking about what I was going to do over the month-long break (in between belting out country songs of course). Along with the typical Christmas-time activities, I'd love to blog more about this past semester. And get a Pinterest...I promised myself I would hold off until after final exams because of my tendency to become obsessed with all things crafty. I managed to do it!
I've given my blog decor a little Christmas update, and now it's time to give an update on the fall semester. I'm going to do separate posts for larger events, but here are some short snippets of some fun things that happened while in Starkville!
At the end of August, I got to travel to the Ocoee River for the 2011 Roadrunner retreat. We left early Saturday morning in a Mississippi State charter bus (not gonna lie, that was pretty cool), and arrived at the Ocoee around lunchtime. We ate, fellowshipped together, rafted, and conquered the river.
Our raft trumped all other rafts.
A few days later, it was time for one of the more popular parts of sorority life: swaps! We had a NEON SWAP at State Theater. The DJ was crazy, the outfits were even crazier, and it was a fun way to kick off the sorority social side of the semester!
So many lights....so many people.
About a week into the month of September, it was time for
Chi Omega's first date party of the semester! This time we switched
things up though and had a DOUBLE date party with Kappa Delta! Chi O
loves KD. It's pretty much a known fact. The theme was "Welcome to the
Jungle", and it was a blast!
Big Sis/Lil Sis was still a month away...she was meant to be my grand little the whole time :)
The month of October brought another fun social event: Chi O Camo! Every other year, around Halloween, we have this date party. It's a night full of all types of camouflage, bright orange, and fun. This year it was at the Hunt Club...how appropriate?
Holly also had a date party that night!
These were just a few random events from this semester! I have more things to blog about later. Thank goodness I have a whole month of no responsibility to do it right? Right. Until then, 'Tis the Season for rest and joy. And blogging.
While I am often too prideful to recognize my shortcomings, I will be the first to admit that I have failed miserably at this whole blog thing. It has (I think) been almost two months since I have posted, and that is absurd. However, in my absence from this blog, my life has been a roller coaster. And not one of those roller coasters made for little kids that travels four feet off the ground. Think upside down, twists and turns, Batman the Ride at Six Flags kind of roller coaster. Yeah. BUT, all of that to say, it was absolutely the best summer of my life.
My ambition is to periodically post things about my summer in between posts from current happenings here at Mississippi State. However, y'all saw how awesome I was at keeping my original ambition of blogging regularly, so we'll see how this goes. Fingers crossed!
I'm going to start by writing about the event that consumed my life from August 1, 2011 to August 15, 2011. Chi Omega Recruitment 2011. Every sorority girl, Chi O or not, can vouch for me when I say that our exertion during these weeks is only understood by those that live it. My man-voice finally healed, but I know many girls that still have a raspy lounge-singer like tone to their words. My body still aches to sleep for days, but we all know that that is not possible seeing as how classes started two days ago :). Basic story is that rush is hard work, especially for the Recruitment Chairs of every sorority, and the dedicated girls that work under her. But, I am done complaining. Now on to sharing what the weeks entailed! Warning: this post is very cheese-filled. There's a surprise at the end if you make it there.
Party heads!
My involvement with rush this year actually started way before August 1st. I was blessed with the opportunity to be a "Go Greek Day" (Water Party) party head. Mary Margaret, my co-party head, and I began planning in the Spring to make the day creative and fun. Our tasks were to build a T-shirt display, an involvement board, and an academic board that shows off what Chi Omega has to offer. With the help of other members in our chapter, we were able to pull it off! Just a few staple gun incidents and hot glue burns were had in the process :).
Our costumes for "Come Together"!
Another part of my rush involvement that started in the Spring was practice for Theme Night! For those that do not know, Theme Night is the day of recruitment in which we get to show our personality and the diversity of our chapter through acting, singing, and dance performances. I'm not an experienced actor, and those that know me well know that I am NOT a singer, so dancing it was! I was very excited to find out that I would get to participate in Theme Night again this year. We had a practice in the Spring, and then came back a few days before the rest of the chapter to finish preparing. Our first performance in front of people was on August 7th for our Parent Preview, and it was a blast. On the actual day of rush, we got to perform seven times! That day went by the fastest for me.
Oh, just chillin on the balcony.
For the other days, I prepared along with the rest of the chapter like normal. All of Chi Omega had entire-day workshop from August 4-August 10. Go Greek Day was the 11th, Philanthropy Day was on the 12th, then Theme Night, Preference Night was the 14th, then BID DAY on August 15th!! For the most part, we were at the house the entire day, with certain people staying after to set up for the next day. Being a natural people-person, I did a LOT of talking over the week. I'll admit, it was pretty tiring by the end of the day, but I enjoyed getting to meet so many people. It is especially fun to get to see girls that you connected with during the week at the Chi Omega house on Bid Day :)
For a sorority girl, Bid Day is like Christmas. All of the work that was done over the past year finally pays off. For some, their life-long best friends are now their sisters. For others, girls that they fell in love with over the week are now their sisters. It a family fest, and one that can not be matched. For a fraternity boy, Girls Bid Day is an excuse to park your truck alongside the road, fire up the grill, crack open a can of Natty Light (or a Coke if you're my kind of guy), and yell at the parade of excited girls walking/running to their new houses. Since Chi Omega's Bid Day theme this year was NFL, there were plenty of fellows there to check out our cute new hooties. Or maybe it was my rapping of the Chi Omega version of the song "Black and Yellow" (Red and Yellow...ha...get it?) that attracted them to our house. Sure, we'll go with that one. Here's more pics from Bid Day:
My sweet Bid Day buddy that I got to know that week!
Jennifer an me with our Jackson girls!!
Bid Day was our exact two year friendiversary. Get it?
Call me weird, but I LOVE rush. I really really do. It might not look like it when I'm about to talk to my 28th girl of the day about all that Chi Omega's are involved in, but there are other aspects of rush that make me love it. For instance, each year I seem to get to know someone in our chapter better. Not necessarily someone that I didn't know, but someone that I didn't know well. Whether it is an unexpectedly deep conversation over dinner after Theme Night performances are done, or a new-found similarity with a pledge sister during conversation exercises, someone always surprises me. And I love every realization that happens.
Another reason that I love rush is that it makes me so proud of my sorority. I never get tired of telling people that we have the most members involved in campus organizations, that Miss Mississippi 2010 was from our chapter, and that Chi Omega at Mississippi State has had the highest GPA on the row for TWENTY YEARS!! Ok, now I'm just bragging...but see what I mean? :) Rush also not only makes me very thankful that I got in Chi O, but wonder how I ever got in Chi O. It's a beautiful thing.
Pref Night fancy-ness.
But, by far the biggest reason I love rush is that it brings our chapter together. While Anne Barry was the best Recruitment Chair in the world, she couldn't do it alone. It took a team of girls working together to perfect each dance, talk to each girl, tie each bow, pin each T-shirt, time each party, hang each backdrop, and scream their heads off when our doors open to the potential members waiting outside. A telltale sign of the quality of an organization is the emotion evoked when thoughts of it ending come to mind. During actual rush week, the first tears were shed after the final performance of Theme Night. For some seniors, this was their last time to ever dance for Chi Omega. Y'all know me, when I see people cry, I cry. So I couldn't stop the tears from escaping as I hugged senior Jenni Lynn after the final finale that night. However, nothing can compare to the tears had during the final Preference Party. Pref is already an emotional occurrence, so combined with crying seniors, and the potential member sitting in front of me balling because she felt at home, I lost it.
Chi Omega Phi Delta Chapter Class of 2009. Best pledge class ever. Juniors. I can't believe this is us.
Rush week is draining. Physically, emotionally, and psychologically. However, it is the love for Chi Omega that fuels our bodies and keeps us moving until Bid Day. Sweet Bid Day. When describing why I love Chi O, my mind always goes back to this quote from Pref Night:
"Chi Omega friendship is worth more than gold, it's not had for the asking, no place is it sold. You can't find it by looking in a book on a shelf, you just have to be a Chi Omega yourself." :)
Ok I promised, here's the prize for making it to the end! Special thanks to my friends at Union University:
As an intern, not only do I have some unusual tasks to complete, but I have the opportunity to do some pretty awesome things. This past weekend, I had the privilege of traveling to the Ocoee River for some fellowship and fun with our high school students. Our team of twenty-one was (in my opinion) the perfect size for having fun like a family.
This trip also marked a first for me--the first time I ever got to drive on a trip. I know what you're thinking...isn't this the girl that got eleven parking tickets this school year? To answer that question, yes it is (oops), but do not be worried. The only thing I transported was all of the luggage in the back of my handy dandy Jeep. Oh, and a more than willing Alexis Pham :).
She was one of the biggest blessings of the trip for me. Not that I expected our car ride to be pained (let's be real here...either one of us could talk to a lamp and be entertained), but it's always a nice surprise when a six and a half hour drive can feel like twenty minutes. We passed the time talking about life, singing at the top of our lungs to everything from Taylor Swift to N*Sync, and waving at the other two vehicles in our caravan as they went up the exit ramp that Kris didn't give me enough notice to also take. No worries, we found our way back. It made for a funny story and a few punches once we finally made it to our destination.
When we arrived at the camp, we were instantly swept away to the ropes course. I had only done something like this once before, so I was really excited. And, it is always fun to watch and participate in team building activities. The first obstacle was the log, which required us to re-order ourselves without falling off. This resulted in critical thinking, a few stepped-on fingers (sorry Reed), and LOTS of laughter. The next thing we came to was a group of square platforms that decreased in size. Our goal was to get the whole team suspended off of the ground for at least three seconds. I'm not sure if we completely accomplished this, but the girls definitely beat the guys :). Then came the most challenging task yet...the wall. I'm not sure how tall it was, but essentially we had to get the entire team over it with a limited number of lifts and pulls from each team member. But, we did it! Well, Reed and Ryan pretty much got everyone over. The only thing I did was help pull myself and tiny Rebecca Botter up...but I have a pretty good bruise to show for it! Hahaha. The last team building thing we did was the Spider Web. The task was to get every team member through to the other side, without touching the web, and most holes could only be used once. Once again, the guys were our MVP's, and us girls channeled our inner cheerleaders as we made our way through the openings.
Once the lower ropes were completed, we moved on to the high ones, harnesses and all. It would be difficult to describe them, but I can say that they are MUCH harder than they look. Only a few were allowed on the activities at a time, so that left most of us down on the ground for a while. However, the coolest part of it all was hearing our students cheer for their friends in the air. Constant encouragement and clapping were heard. Not a single person, leader or student, went up on the course without hearing their name called accompanied with a "You can do it!" or "You're almost there!". It was so inspiring.
After we completed the course, we headed back to the main part of the camp for dinner and to get settled into our homey, cute, country, spider-infested (ok maybe just a few, but it felt like a million), cabin number eight. Then, it was time for one of the most heart-warming times of the trip. Our whole crew of twenty-one trecked out in the field to play an intense round of Ultimate Frisbee. Many of us, including me, were surprised by our skills, and my team came away with the victory. Right after we finished, Jen and I left to prepare for the devotion. Behind us we heard "Good game!" being said, high fives being given, and "What do y'all wanna play now? How about Wiffle Ball!" being happily yelled. We love having students that not only love to learn together, but play together as well.
That night we participated in an FSM trip tradition...late night game night. We began with Catch Phrase and ended with a few hilarious rounds of Mafia. I do have to say, even though Maggie McGrath tried her best to convince everyone I was guilty, and I am known to be an awful liar, I came away the victor. It was the first time I had EVER won mafia, and I was quite happy :)
The next morning came bright and early and way too soon. Especially after fitting two people in a smaller-than-twin-bed bunk that Lindsay graciously shared with me so that I wouldn't have to sleep on the spider-infested floor. A little extreme I know, but nobody likes spiders right? Anyway, we ate breakfast, us girls didn't put on makeup, and we headed out to get our gear for rafting. At this point all of our adrenaline was pumping. I had been rafting once before, but most of our crew had not, so anticipation was high. Long story short, we survived the rapids, and the phrase "Forward Two!" only rang in our ears for about three hours. There was a lot of laughter, a lot of screaming, and a LOT of water. I have to say that I was proud of our raft of the "Fellowship Four". Alexis, Hunter, Ryan, and I held our own against the Ocoee, and our guide Stan the Man only yelled at us a few times...success in my mind!
However, the best part of the trip wasn't the ropes or the river, or even the Cheesecake Factory stop that we made for dinner on the way home. The best part was getting to experience and share "Drift Prevention" tips with our students. The first night, Kris started us off with some encouragement to not drift from our faith, especially for our students about to go off to college. Then, Jen and I set up four stations for the students to experience God more deeply. "Be Forgiving" had them writing names of people they need to forgive, and tossing those rocks into the woods. "Be Prayerful" had them writing prayer requests on pieces of paper that they put in a bag for us leaders to pray for. "Be Still" had them out in the field, just being still and enjoying God's creation. Finally, "Be Thankful" had them writing on a canvas things in creation that they are thankful for. The next afternoon, before we left the camp and headed home, Jen and I gave our friends some helpful hints on how to not drift. We related each of the pieces of equipment used when we whitewater raft to "equipment" that we need to stay strong in our walk with the Lord. It was a very cool thing to experience, and it made me appreciate Jen's wisdom that much more.
Sorry about the length of this post, the trip was just THAT GOOD. I still can't believe that I get opportunities like this. I enjoy every second I get to spend experiencing life and ministry with these people. Tomorrow is July first, meaning I have one month left as the summer intern. While that is so weird to think about, it makes me super excited to make every day of this month count doing what I love. Oh and Kris? Sign me up as a leader for the third annual Whitewater Express Trip...please and thank you. :)
About a week and a half ago, Fellowship had the privilege of helping out with the Sam Bomar Night at the Jackson Generals.
Sam was a student in FSM that was tragically killed in an accidental shooting a little over a year ago. He was just a year younger than me, so I pretty much grew up with him in the youth group. Specifically, I got to experience his zest for life during Student Impact my senior year of high school. He was a wacky kid, but when he started opening up about his walk with the Lord, you couldn't help but listen intently.
Love these people.
Because he touched so many lives during his short stint on this earth, a volunteer team of parents and friends began the Sam Bomar Memorial Scholarship Fund. Sam was taken up to Heaven just a week shy of graduating from Madison Academic High School, and his dream was to go to UT Knoxville. Sam's parents wanted to give other student the opportunity to fulfill their college dreams even though their only son was not able to.
Mommy the volunteer doing her sorority pose.
To raise money for the scholarship fund, the Jackson Generals (a minor league baseball team based out of Jackson) has allowed a night to be dedicated to him for two years now. Fellowship's role for both years has been to work the concessions. It is just as crazy and fun as it sounds! Personally, I was in charge of organizing the volunteers for this year. I was blessed with a team of FSM leaders and students that were more than willing to sacrifice their time. Some were even still jet-lagged from a mission trip to South Africa! Yet, everyone joyfully served. It was beautiful to see the Body of Christ come together. And, let's be honest, we had a BLAST doing it.
At the 5K with Sam's mom...such an amazing woman.
The next morning was the Sam Bomar Memorial 5K. It was also held at the ballpark, and all of the proceeds benefited the scholarship fund as well. Jen, Bailey, Sophie, Hannah, and I ran the race together. Well, ran and walked. I'm going to break this down for a second: 3.1 miles + Becca legitimately not being able to remember the last time she worked out = not an award winning performance that morning. However, with the constant encouragement from my beautiful friend Bailey, I finished it, only needing to walk a few times (much less than I anticipated). We all considered the morning a huge success. Oh, and let's not forget that Jen Howell got a MEDAL in her age division. This is a Momma of four that thought she might never run again after a back injury last year. SO inspiring.
But, the best part of the weekend, and the weeks of organizing leading up to it, was the encouragement that I received from everyone involved. My contribution was so miniscule in the grand scheme of things, yet I was blessed with sweet encouragement from organizers that had much more on their plate than I did. From Sam's mom's emails, to Donald literally telling me good job a hundred times (he was one of the jet-lagged ones so we cut him some slack), I felt so humbled by the experience. The person who showed the most joy that weekend was Rayna Bomar, Sam's mother. She is a true testament to the healing power of the Lord.
I have the best job in the world. Seriously. Most summer jobs for college students involve working in an office or waiting tables all day. While there is nothing wrong with that at all, my job is different...I get paid to hang out with students. But not just students, some of my best friends. So, I get paid to hang out with my friends. I'm shaking my head in unbelief just typing it!
Granted, I do actually do work. And a lot of it is spent in an office (well, sitting in the conference room next to an office...I'm just the intern remember?). However, even that is fun for me. Not only do I enjoy yelling back and forth with Kris about my tasks, or covering his desk with sticky notes letting him know that I have accomplished those tasks, but I love the time I get to spend in the church office as a whole. Just today I had some copy-machine issues (now I really sound like an intern) and the amazing ladies came to my rescue with laughter and love, not scolding. It's a learning process, and I'm just soaking it all in.
Most of my work is a continuous cycle of planning and executing. I work with Kris to plan out Middle School and High School Powerplays (weekly youth events), and then execute them on Sundays and Wednesdays. Whatever tasks have to be completed, whatever errands need to be run, and whatever phone calls need to be made happen on the days leading up to each event. The church credit card makes its home in my purse frequently, and I've only abused the privilege a couple times. Kidding! I would never do that...I work for a church remember? :)
Along with planning and executing, I've been given a few super random tasks this summer like:
Purchasing 25 giftcards at Starbucks. My barista loved me that day. Not to mention I taught the people behind me in line a very valuable lesson in patience. Obviously, I'm just constantly thinking of the well being of others.
Unloading, organizing, and re-loading a coke machine. You would think the people that drive the trucks with 2394872947 cans of soda would do this job, but that would just be way to obvious. Of course it was one of my tasks, and I made it out alive and with a free can of Dr. Pepper. (Shhh..don't tell Kris)
And for the grand finale, one my jobs last week was to weed the sand volleyball court. I know what you're thinking...it's just a few weeds right? Like your grandma's garden in the backyard? Wrong. Wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong. This thing was overgrown with weeds and grass. But, we needed it for the Powerplay last Sunday, so it was one of my jobs. Cons: heat, blisters, bugs, tedious-ness. Pros: happy students and tan shoulders.
I hope you know by now that I am extremely sarcastic sometimes. I really do enjoy the wacky tasks that I am given throughout the week, blisters and all. In terms of the volleyball court, it was well worth it just to see the students laughing and playing in the weedless sand. Seeing a giant volleyball fly through the air didn't hurt either. :)
But, the best part of my job by far is the relationships I get to build on a daily basis. I am so very thankful for every minute spent teaching and growing with my students, or laughing a leading with my peers and mentors. Here are a few pictures from the High School kick-off that we had the first Sunday night in June at the Howell's home. It was a beautiful night of food, fellowship, and gearing up for a summer full of fun with FSM.
As you can see, my job is full of smiling faces that are eager to spend time together and learn more about deepening their relationship with the Lord. I couldn't imagine spending my summer any other way!
