My Heart Like a Kick Drum

If you're an Avett Brothers fan at all, you probably recognize the title of this particular post, and you might even be aware that they recently played at Nautica Pavilion in Cleveland. You might even think I was there.......... Yeah, I wasn't. Womp womp wommmmmp. But this is not a depressing post, dammit! 

I remember posting at the beginning of summer last year, and to think of where I was at mentally, emotionally, spiritually at that time, I have to smile! 2011 Emily would double over in laughter if someone had told her then where she would be a mere 12 months later. I'm all for traditions, so here's the second ever year in review via blog post:

1) Loved. (Repeat of last year, yeah yeah, I know - this time it was different)

2) Learned more about myself than I could ever expect, especially second semester. Not having Lighthouse in your life gives you a lot of "me time" to think about these things! I figured out if I can't be honest with myself how I'm feeling, there's no way I can be honest with anyone else about it...sometimes ya just gotta let it out, and cry on the way home from Kroger ;)

3) Actually, truly, fully, completely discovered the meaning of the phrase "friends become family". There's never been a doubt that UD is my second home, but the people who enriched my life this year are people I can genuinely say wholeheartedly will be in my life forever, without a doubt. 

4) Celebrated and experienced all that turning 21 means, surrounded by said family. (Usually at good old Milano's) 

4a) Blue Flyers, Yuengling, Blue Beer Day, Dublin Pub..... #memories 

5) Went gluten and dairy free! Sure, it didn't last forever, but I have practically kissed milk out of my life. Who is this girl!? 

6) Stopped journaling. This makes me kind of sad, but my logic was something like this (in 20 years I'll be kicking myself for this ) - I don't want to write when things are going so well and I'm happier than I've ever been, I feel like I'll miss a minute of it or jinx it! 

7) Here's a shocker: went on a different retreat, not Lighthouse. Reflected on what both meant for me, realized how different of a place I was in from one to the next. Met even more pretty cool people. One thing I didn't do at Metanoia...eat butter cake. It just looked too gross to even try. I didn't bother using a pen to cut pieces for myself or anyone else because there weren't any knives. Nope, didn't happen.

8) Traveled to and from Medina too many times to count, but always accompanied by my favorite person to spend 3 hours in the car with, or do just about anything with for that matter. I'm a lucky girl. 

9) Hashtagged the heck out of everything

10) Spent considerably less time at Club Roesch, studying my life away - still had my best semester ever academically all the while going out on weeknights for a beer at Milano's, sleeping on the balc, and just generally shooting the shit with my roommates far too often (#idonthateit)

11) Celebrated half a year with a man I am pretty in love with, seriously...who would have guessed that would happen!?

12) Also spent considerably less time at the Galley, this will change come senior year - I'm back on campus baby! Flex on flex on flex! (I will never call it debit, dammit)

13) Fully experienced what community means, how hard it can be sometimes, but how worthwhile it is.

14) Set myself up for a pretty incredible senior year...

For the first time in a few years, I don't have a summer job! Well, you can count working for Papa H a job, but let's be serious, I'll be working in the basement - aka I don't have to shower, brush my teeth, or even put real clothes on (relax, I will do at least the second one of those things...). I took the first week to get readjusted to being home and make mental goals for myself of how I want my summer to look. Now that I've retaken my own room, I'm excited to unpack my junior year, set myself up at Pine Hill for the next three months, and enjoy what could potentially be my last summer at home in a way different than I have before. More focus on simplicity, more time for prayer, more listening, less talking, visits, books, music, exercise, studying hard (yeah, I'm the idiot who didn't block out academics for the summer), just being me, spending time with people I love. Oh yeah, did I mention adventuring in Alaska with my brother and sister-in-law and their precious daughter? T-minus 8 days! Bring it on, west coast!

I don't want to wish the summer away, really I don't! But at the same time, I know I have so much to look forward to in the fall: a new job as an RA and what that will look like for me, the challenges of it, the joys of it; Lay Marianist Formation - this is finally the right timing, I couldn't be more thrilled; having the incredible opportunity to co-direct Lighthouse with a very special lady in my life and get to know what is undoubtedly going to be another beautiful family of a team; all the shenanigans to be had at Stewart Street Apartments (boys, you know you'll be seeing lots of me, prepare yourselves accordingly...I call Paul's bed); cycling class with half of the (former) girls of 57 Woodland; and living the heck out of every single moment. 

For now, though, I suppose it's time for sleep - just 6 more until a reunion of some of that UD family before we each go off to our own individual callings for the summer. For anyone reading, shoot up some prayers for all of those adventures we'll be going on - whether they're across the world or around this beautiful country - I have no doubt God has guided all of us to where we're supposed to be and He has such big plans for us to share His love in such unique ways this summer! Let's be serious, without a job, I'll be back to blog from Alaska sometime next week! Yay, God :)

We're Not the Same, But That's What Makes Us Strong

I'm sitting at work, the front desk of VWK, with 19 minutes left in my shift - is that enough for a new blog post? We will have to see!

It's March, and somehow, we survived February without obnoxious amounts of snow, ice, negative wind chills, and cold in general. In fact, on that day that only comes once every four years - it was 70 degrees. I didn't hate it a bit.

I swear, Father Time is on fast-forward because I find it impossible to believe I am officially more than halfway done with the second semester of my junior year of college. Yes, that means there's only 2 and a half semesters left. Let the grad school applications, "last time at/doing/for...." events, squeezing the life out of every second even more than I already do, and any other senior activity begin. Well, not quite...you see, there's the whole "last summer" issue to attend to. Much to the dismay of my boyfriend, I will be spending two weeks in Alaska with my brother, sister-in-law, and baby niece - probably fending off all the crazies featured on Alaska State Troopers, right Johnny? #jokesonjokes But in all seriousness, I get the chance to shadow an Army Physical Therapist on base at a time when soldiers are coming back from their tours overseas. Needless to say, it's a completely amazing opportunity and to say I'm excited is an understatement.

I would guess than three of my summer weekends will be spent in Salyersville, Kentucky, visiting some of my best friends at the UDSAP house. I feel like a proud mom to know the 2012 UDSAP community will be made up of such wonderful people and they're about to have life-changing summers! We'll be communicating old school style - letters, care packages, Morse code, and smoke signals - for 9 whole weeks! Such exciting adventures to be had and I couldn't be more thrilled for them... Jann, Tay, Grace, Anna, Petah - K some A down there, okay? :)

Although I will be sadder than sad to say goodbye to 57 Woodland come May, I am more than pleased to pass the best house at Dayton onto 6 wonderful, beautiful girls and let them share the magic that is the yellow house on the corner. They're going to do great things as an MSC, I'm sure of it. Speaking of - I'll also be sad to say goodbye to living with a house full of girls, there have been ups, there have been downs, tears, and laughter, but I wouldn't trade the learning and growing experience for anything. We've still got 8ish weeks of meals, prayer, lazy Saturday afternoons, and random fun to be had before we kiss junior year and the Darkside goodbye. Who knows what next year will bring - maybe I'll be on a floor of freshman girls? Maybe I'll be in my own apartment? Maybe I'll be up in the Bombing Commons with Yann! Whatever happens is meant to be that way and I'm excited to see what that is.

Happy Monday, everyone. Sorry for such a lame post. It was the best I could do in such a short amount of time! And no, this baby is no relation to me...some things are just too good to be true.

For today: don't sweat the small stuff, it will never be more than small stuff, so don't make it that way!

How Old is Your Soul?

Well since it's been about 3 months, I guess it's past time to write another blog. This, and my own journal tend to be empty for months at a time. Blame it on laziness or the inability to put things into words, whatever the reason, my drought is over! Hey if the world's going to end this year, I better have more than 4 blogs a year, right?

Shall I give the Cliffsnotes update of October, November, December, and half of January? In a nutshell: I fell deeper in love with Lighthouse on my 3rd retreat and last one as a team member. Talk about bittersweet. I think it was the best one, yet :) I was formally asked on a date to Dewey's that has since led to a completely unexpected and beautiful relationship with the kind of guy I didn't think actually existed. How lucky am I? I struggled more than I ever have academically, but did not break and did not give up. Never did I ever think I'd be so excited to see a "C-" on a report card. Organic Chemistry, you won some battles but I won the effin' war! Celebrated Thanksgiving at UD with the most wonderful family anyone could ask for, including - of course - a semi-drunk football game on the new Stuart Field (shouldn't have shot-gunned that beer beforehand). Spent a number of late nights at Milano's watching some of my favorite people turn 21 the only way we know how - with obnoxious electric blue and green shots. Danced on tables at all porch parties, singing "Let Us Love" at the top of my lungs. Laughed way too hard at Club Roesch with the most hilarious study buddies. Was successfully surprised for a SECOND time by one of the greatest people I know showing up in my bathroom, ready to help me ring in my 21st birthday with both my UD and Medina families (complete with an encounter with our very own superintendent). Became a Twitter-believer/user, but more importantly...a hashtag-er #yesthatsaword. Got to see my brother and sister-in-law reunite for the first time in nine months and see their baby girl light up instantly! Became best friends with my 14-year-old sister (that happened way sooner than I thought it would). Took pictures of Dick Clark on the TV on New Year's Eve much to the chagrin of my seven best friends. All in all, I couldn't be happier with the series of events - big and little - that closed a truly wonderful 2011. With that, I'm more than hopeful for what this second semester and whole year has to offer. Positivity is the motto, trusting the bigger plan is the course of action.

Cheers to many adventures to come, late nights at the library, making the memories that are worth more than grades every could be, dancing obnoxiously at the tall tables at the Galley, bottles of Barefoot Moscato, prayers before bedtime, email chains that are probably not as funny as we think they are, a final semester with a balcony, laughing until milk comes out of our noses, and spending money we don't have. Like always, get ready for one hell of a ride :)