+so we will become a happy ending

Oh time. A little time is all it takes to settle into something new, right? That's what has been goin' on lately. A whole lotta plotting about the future - GRE, Grad School, Travel, Job. I've been able to get the gym daily and feel good about the food I'm eating. Plenty of time for friends and awesome quality time with Devon. I'm headed home to Birmingham for the weekend. No one can say it enough - Summer. is. awesome.

Beyond that, there is nothing much to report. Just a blanket of happiness that is settling quickly on my time here. Nashville, Tennesse. Who knows what city 2010 will bring!

+we share a heart, we share the stars

When I focus more on my faith and my relationship with Christ, I begin to feel small and humbled and very open-minded towards others...naturally...it is the way that Christ views humans - as works in progress and people who are struggling and striving and learning. I like that view, I just have a hard time closing my Bible and dealing with the disparities between what Christians believe and how Christians act...

...me being the first one guilty.

But it is hard to be humbled in quiet then to view lack of humility. It is hard to gain perspective and insight and then to view lack of willingness to have perspective. It is hard to try to love and to be compassionate and then to view critiques and judgements. So I guess my version of Christianity makes me frustrated, struggling, and really just confused a lot of the time. I want so badly to have the mindset of Christ - the one that can view the world and not be dragged down and weary because of it.

I would love to go to bed at night and understand that God created the people around me and that all I can do is love 'em. Instead, I get stressed, I feel obligated, I worry about how other people are feeling, how they feel about me, how they are doing personally, if they are opening up enough, if they are wishing they were with someone else, if they benefit from being with me, and if I'm asking them the right questions. I do all of this without taking my days minute by minute and just accepting life as it comes.

My prayer is just to be confident in the actions I am taking, realizing that people may or may not love my actions and choices. People will always be disappointed or annoyed or talk badly about everyeone else. So why should I expect any different? And spending nights and days worrying about it will not get me anywhere. So here's to living in confidence and sound-reasoning!

+teach me some melodious sonnet

Wisdom is something I've been asking God for a lot this year so far. It's something I struggle with. I feel like a wise person sometimes and then I make mistakes and assumptions and I remember just how weak and naturally full of flaws I can be. This morning I read,

"Wisdom is supreme, therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding."
-Proverb 4:7

Oh, Lord. What does that mean? Why do the words "though it cost all you have" chill me a little bit? I am beginning to search for what that means. I wonder what the original intent was. What do I need to give up? What can be sacrificed for wisdom's sake?

+and yes we live in desperate times, but fading words and shaking rhymes

It's sweet to be home again in Nashville. While I really long to be back in Colorado with it's lack of humidity and easy-going lifestyle, Nashville is home and will continue to be so until at the very least December. I love it here and it has been good to be done with work for the weekend and spend time with friends from out of town, my room mates and with Devon. We went on a photography adventure down to Bicentennial Mall this evening and enjoyed a cooler evening. Cheers to the weekend!

+oh! when is it coming? keep the car running

Colorado. Oh, wait. Say it again...Colorado!
I just got back from my traversing across the midwest with my friend Laurajean. LJ lived on my hall the first year I was an R.A. and is my good friend nowadays. It was amazing that we did not have any problems with conversing and enjoying one another's company, and despite the whirlwind of it all, I'm sitting here and breathing and so thankful for the experience!
We began our journey after I finished this year as an R.A. and made it to St. Louis, MO or a hotel room by 1am. How appropriate to head west bright and early after catching a glimpse of the Gateway Arch?

70 West, Kansas, and hours is all it takes to make it to LJ's glorious home and we made it in time to watch a sunset over her backyard as her mom prepared a feast of veggies, fruit, cheese, and chicken. Hello Rocky Mountains, a welcome view after the plains of Kansas. Not that I hate it. In fact, I had more butterflies in my stomach from passing Lawrence and KU than ever.
Our first day we spent downtown Denver, Colorado - riding the light rail, getting gelato, visiting the State Capitol, the local stores, and seeing everything we could see - which includes the atmosphere, culture, lifestyle, and climate. I was thorougly impressed with the fitness level of the people and wasn't surprised to find out that Boulder, Coloroado (just North of Denver) was named the #1 Fittest City by U.S. News and World Report.That evening, we met up with my good friend Erinn and her fiancee David for dinner. Erinn and David attend the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs (South of Denver). So strange to see Erinn in an environment other than Birmingham, Alabama. So good to see David again and get to know him even more. One year from now the two of them will be graduating from the Academy and marrying one another two days later. I will be back in Colorado for that wonderful time!
My second and final day (a quick trip!) was spent driving up to the Rocky Mountatins. We first visited LJ's camp, Camp Timberline. A peaceful cluster of cabins and recreation area, I can see why she has gone every year since she was young! It's also where she and her boyfriend Stefan met, so it was neat to see the places where their relationship formed (which I have documented in handwritten letters-all in all? quite cute).
Estes Park was next on the agenda with a peaceful lunch at Casa Grande by the river walk. After lazily exploring the little town, we decided to head back to the airport to get me checked and boarded. Oh, what an inexperienced air-traveler I am. I got my toothpaste confiscated. I obviously do not understand ounces.

Back to Nashville before midnight with Devon ready to help me finish moving. By 3am I was moved and collapsed into my new apartment for the summer in Belmont Commons. What a wonderful trip. I cannot wait to return. Denver, Colorado and Laurajean, you have made for one incredible experience!

+will you go along with me all down the road

Summer in the City.
It's about to begin.
I am living with two great girls this summer in a townhome of sorts at Belmont. We decided there is so much we want to do in Nashville that we'd (geekily) create our own blog about it. So if you read this, you should read that too :)
Here's to two months of exploration!!!
http://summerinthecity09.wordpress.com/
I just blogged about The Perch. Do check it!!!

+love lifted me, when nothing else would do, love lifted me

I shouldn't have neglected to post about my weekend. But I did. I went with Kindall to the Poke Sallet Festival in her hometown of Gainesboro, TN. I went last year but we went at night and the festivities were winding down. This year I got to experience a ferris wheel ride, a funnel cake, and petting zoo while many people were still into it. We dodged the rain and had a day of it. It ended with a gloriously homecooked meal at the Duke's before back to studying and Nashville. What a sweet break it all was! And such great pictures from it all! I put the rest on my flickr, but here are some goodies.

This weekend was also the first meeting of the girls I'll be leading a Bible study for. I haven't been able to do that in so long and the girls seem eager to learn and ready to get to know me. High school seems so long ago when you watch it from the end of college, but it's definitely where God wants me and I couldn't be more honored!

+there's a northern town where my rent's all paid

This morning at 6am, our Student Life Center lobby looked like it was mid-day. Lights on, conversations going. No one even looked tired. It is amazing the personalities that finals week brings out on the campus. Normally my early mornings are stolen time. Time where it feels like no one exists on campus. But it's nice to have some company - even if that company is extremely stressed and complaining.

Today I have my final two exams - Economics and Spanish. My idea of celebration for today is a comfy sweatshirt and pajama pants snuggled tightly under my heavy blankets and in the ambiance of my warm lighting of my bedroom. I'll be content at looking at the collaged walls of picture, sayings, colors, and designs as I put on some of my favorite music - maybe Chris Thile or Damien Rice or something that can soothe me into a deep sleep. No alarms will be set and no plans will be made, just simple rest that can only come when all finals are over and the next season of life is lurking at the end of the week.

+lift your head and look out the window

It’s Friday night and I am with dear Kindall Duke at Starbucks. We are studying for our respective finals that are happening at the start of next week and enjoying the company that only laptop computers and a stack of textbooks can provide. Devon and I went to Sam’s Sports Bar and Grill for pizza dinner and I’ll have to admit I didn’t even know it existed before this evening. A short walk down to Hillsboro Village? Yes, please.

My English final went so well today. I am going to miss my American Lit class. It was so good to me – I learned a lot and stayed on top of it. The final wasn’t too hard and Dr. John was one of the best professors I have had at Belmont.

I just ordered a few of my favorite pictures I have taken this semester. Normally I like to be artsy and only print the ones that I have framed well and took the time to have good lighting and focus, but all of the sudden with the nostalgia of friends graduating and being grateful for friends, I ended up ordering mostly pictures of me and friends. Maybe one day I’ll grow up and just like landscapes, but for now, the subjects of my photos will be those that I love and who love me. Philippians 1:3.

You know summer is quickly approaching when the number of cars on campus dwindles and the air is very warm even at 10pm at night. I'm looking forward to another couple of months in Nashville, Tennessee minus the classes and busyness. Bring on the Summer!

+oh how could anyone not want to try and help you?

There is sunshine out and it is Friday. I have my American Lit final today, but I feel like nothing can bring me down today. I like that feeling. It's a God-given feeling. The feeling when I give Him enough time to talk to me instead of me always talking. God, thank you for granting peace and contentment when I seek you and understand my place in this big, big world. Amen.

+the only thing i know to do, it to turn up the music and pray that she makes it through

Dead day! No classes, no finals. Two papers due. And lots of meetings and events to go to. But it has arrived. The beginning of the end. Monday night was lovely!

Ra Ra Riot:
1. St. Peter's Day Festival
2. Each Year
3. Oh, La
4. Can You Tell
5. Too, Too Fast
6. Ghost Under Rocks
7. Dying is Fine

Matt Costa:
1. Josephine
2. Sweet Rose
3. I Tried
4. Oh Dear
5. Unfamiliar Faces
6. ...something with secret eyes?
7. Miss Magnolia
8. Mr. Pitiful
9. Whiskey and Wine

Death Cab for Cutie:
1. The Employment Pages
2. Your Heart is An Empty Room
3. This is the New Year
4. Photobooth
5. Crooked Teeth
6. No Sunlight
7. Company Calls
8. Little Bribes
9. Grapevine Fires
10. I Will Possess Your Heart
11. I Will Follow You Into the Dark
12. Title Track
13. Cath...
14. Title and Registration
15. Long Division
16. A Movie Script Ending
17. Bixby Canyon Bridge
18. A Diamond and a Tether
19. Soul Meets Body
20. Sound of Settling
21. Transatlanticism

+and they carry on like long division

It is so odd to be where I am right now.

My presentation at the Belmont Undergraduate Research Symposium (known by all as BURS) went so well. I have the world's most amazing friends who supported me all week long and came to the presentation. I truly feel confident in my research, the written portion and the presentation portion. I feel like I was able to answer the questions proposed with sufficient confidence and I am actually excited to see the assessment given by the department.

This past week or so has been a wonderful whirlwind that I will not forget for quite some time.

As someone who would like to go into a career dealing with student affairs in a university setting, I was looking forward to Belmont's Student Leadership Banquet. It may help that a lot of my friends are pretty involved and it is great to see them all gathered in one place. This year was particularly fun since have been interning in the Student Affairs office and knew everything that was presenting awards. I love my Thrailkill staff and got to sit with them and goof around with them. I also received a Bruin Award which is cool and all, but I am more happy that I am good friends with everyone that got one. I think that means more somehow.

Speaking of awards, I am so proud of Sarah for winning the Second-Year student award. She is one of my favorite people here at Belmont and I respect her commitment to what she does and love her very dearly as a friend. I am glad that her professors see the caliber of person she is and recognized her. It is also good to see her parents and just be able to celebrate Snorton for once!

This past Sunday night, Devon and I had the chance to go to Mercy Lounge to see one of his favorite bands, Cursive. Man Man was the opener - so ridiculous. The show was great, and it was good for me to finally see Tim Kasher, Devon's musician idol of sorts. We also spent the day time playing tennis. I have not played tennis in some time and I was quite impressed that we had some great rallys going.

My formal was this weekend at Cannery Ballroom. It was very beautiful and a lovely evening. Despite my exhaustion it was nice to see so many of my friends looks so gorgeous and enjoy some food, dancing, and conversation. I cannot believe this is the last time I will be attending a formal for AST and feel strange seeing as how I am not graduating in two weeks like most of the Seniors recognized. Lots of feelings.

The President's Concert last night reminded me why it is so neat to be involved. Michael W. Smith and Mr. Thrailkill, the Beaman Family, and more? I feel like I am being arrogant with all this posting, but it is something to document. I am truly appreciative of all the many blessings that God puts into my life.

So now what is there to say? A rainy Sunday that will lead into a lazy Spring Break reunion dinner and my last sorority meeting of the semester. So much occurs in the final days of any semester. I know that everyone is feeling the burdens that it brings.

This week is some finals, some papers, some dinners, and more importantly and FINALLY, some Time.

I am so proud of Sharon's scores on her Med School tests and am so ready to see my family and the Tsays and the Holladays again soon.

Tomorrow is Death Cab for Cutie and Ra Ra Riot with a couple of sweet girls I have come to love and adore. So here's to the end of the year and an epic post that I'm impressed you actually read!