awesome –adjective; inspiring awe: an awesome weekend.

Awesome probably cannot describe how this weekend was. I had been looking forward to this weekend, and I was also dreading this weekend. It was a weekend full of celebrations.

First up, my BFF Jennissa's going away party. She is taking a giant step, like I've posted previously, and is on a jet-plane to Greenwich, Connecticut for at least SIX months. That is a LONG time, but I'm super super super excited for her. She will be an awesome influence on those kids and the family. I wish her nothing but the best, and plan on going to visit her while she is there. This wasn't necessarily a sad celebration, it was bittersweet.  Here are a few pictures to commemorate the events that night:

 This is Brittney E. and I downtown.

 The party girl, in the white, and two of her friends.

At trops we ran into a high school friend, Jay M.

Second celebration this weekend was an old teammates wedding and wedding reception. Krystal and Aaron have been together for quite awhile so this was a very centimental day. She was GORGEOUS and he look handsome as well. It was a mini-reunion for the Drury volleyballers. We had about 8 or 9 of us in town to celebrate so it was craziness to say the least. Our day started at about 3:30p, and last until well into the morning. I loved every second with these girls, so the hangover and tiredness is well worth it.  

 Rachel, Me, Brittany C., and Kyrie at the wedding. These 3 girls are probably the 3 that I was/am closest to. Kyrie and I lived together for 4 years, known eachother for longer, so we are really, really close. Rachel has always been one of my best friends as well, along with Britt. I love these girls. There truely is NEVER a dull moment when together.

 Britt and I at the wedding reception

 Kyrie caught the bouquet at the reception and did not put it down at all, not even after it was completely dead (like nothing was left on the the stems at all).

 The four of us that got ready at Rach's grandparents, thanks G-Ma and G-Pa Montgomery!

 Rachel, me, Kyrie and Courtney

 This is probably my favorite picture from the night. Three Amigos :)

And some other girls we played vball with. Kyrie, Callie Jo, Kaitlin, me and Rachel.

It's been an awesome weekend, seriously! I am blessed to have the friends that I have, and am thankful that we can all come together and celebrate moments in life.

"Life isn't a matter of milestones but of moments" -Rose F. Kennedy





monday nights.

it's monday, so that only means one thing...BACHELOR/BACHELORETTE! i'm a reality television fanatic and monday night's are one of my favorites. i've watched almost every season of the bachelor and bachelorette, which is a lot because most of them come back on the show to be the one choosing since their previous relationship quest on ABC didn't last. it's a sick obsession of mine, don't judge.

speaking of favorite things...

this is my most favorite little person. i just cannot get enough of her cuteness!

this week is the LAST week of camp for the summer. thank goodness! we've seen some really good kids, and unfortunatly some not so good kids, so it's helpful for recruiting...and the $$ made isn't too bad :) i'm ready to be done with camps and start season! by no means am i wishing the summer away, but it's going to be a good year for us! our freshman class is a bunch of studs. also this week is a lot of fun things. i get to see all of my friends and old teammates, and i get to meet some of our boosters at the annual sports auction. lots of exciting things ahead...i'm blessed!

dwindling down.

Since my last post, I've been going non-stop! I've been working volleyball camp almost everyday of the week and if I'm not working camp I'm doing something in the office. It's almost time for season to start, so things are getting hectic. I've also not had a computer because of a virus I accumulated...a $125 (OUCH!) virus. I cannot believe I only have 3 weeks of summer left! I'm looking forward to getting into a daily routine, but not looking forward to being gone almost every weekend.

This week is filled with lots of exciting activities. First, we will conclude our camp series with our college prep camp on Tuesday. This is going to be the most exciting camp because we invited have some really good athletes coming to our campus. Then I have to attend our athletic charity auction Thursday and Friday I get to see Jennissa and celebrate her adventure to Connecticut. I'll miss her but so excited for the opportunity she has been given. Saturday is also a big day because one of my old teammates is tying the knot to her high school sweetheart. All of my old teammates are coming into town so it's going ot be a mini reunion. I can't wait to see them all!

Today was kind of a bittersweet day for me. I spent last night in Springfield celebrating my step-brother's marriage to Kelsea. It was such a fun evening! This morning I woke up and drove to Lebanon to clean out my room. My parents sold their house two weeks ago, after having it on the market for 5+ years, so moving day is in 2 weeks. I loved that house, so it was kind of sad to see it go but I'm happy they can finally build their ultimate dream home in the next couple years.

Happy Reading Bloggers :)

4 signs.

my very first blog post! i got inspiration from my best friend jennissa (http://www.inthebeginning-j.blogspot.com/) to blog about my life adventures. although mine are not as exciting as most, i think this could be interesting and fun. where to begin.....

first and foremost was my job that i landed. i cannot express how much i LOVE my job. yes the bills suck, majorly, but at most normal jobs you don't get to wear sweatpants. guess what?? i do! i cannot thank God more for the opportunity he placed in my hands, literally.

i had originally planned to move to youngstown, ohio in mid-june to be the graduate assistant for the youngstown state volleyball program for the next two years. it was going to be my big leap of faith and a far far far move from my beloved family. i just knew i could do it and i'd get past the homesickness and it would be awesome. WELL- i flew out to youngstown in mid-april with my mom. it was by no means a 'cheap' trip. airfare was expensive, renting a car cost a ton, and the gas to and from apartment places and what not was expensive as well. i was so excited to get out there that i think i masked my unhappiness deep down inside. we first ventured to some apartment complexes that the coaches suggested and after touring a couple i literally looked at my mom and said 'no thank you, i cannot live here' (SIGN 1). my mom had the same feeling and was not about to let me move that far away from home and live like that. at this point i still had 2 more days there, a long time. the second day was more promising, we found apartments literally a block from campus that were perfect. they would pair me up with a roommate, furnished, etc. and i really thought that was it, i was set to move. i started telling the coaches about my find and i learned that the student-athletes lived there so it was going to be something they would have to check out and see if i could live in a different area of the complex (SIGN 2). so i was back to square one, and i started praying. i needed some guidance because i was feeling uneasy about it all now but i didn't want to disappoint anyone or feel like i'm letting them all down because i backed out. later that night we had just gotten home from watching the team scrimmage and we were laying in bed when the national news, CNN, had st. louis' lambert airport on tv with tornado damage, where my car was parked. i woke mom up and we watched for a bit but figured we would just get up early try to get on an earlier flight and get to my car. on the way to the airport i started checking flight status'...morning flights to st. louis were cancelled. once we arrived at the airport, 4 hours before our original flight, we were in a panic. the airline attendant told us it looked like no flights were going out of or in to st. louis for at least a day, BUT  to check with the flight attendant at chicago to see what they could do there. after arriving in chicago we learned we wouldn't be going to st. louis but instead to springfield so we arranged for my sister to come get us when we landed and my other sister would pick up my car on the home form illinois the next day. fast forward one day, the phone rings and my sister says well the good news is your car is still here, bad news the windows are blown out and its destroyed inside (SIGN 3). just great!!!!! at this point, i knew it was the Man upstairs telling me something. i had a lot to think about over the next few days. i spent a week praying and thinking about it, i was almost sick about it and i wasn't sleeping at all, on top of all my finals. after about a week of all the worriesome, sleepless nights i decided to make the call to their coach. i knew it wouldn't be easy and i had to coach myself through it and not cry. as hard as it was, i felt relieved and knew that it was right. (yes, they were mad but i do not blame them at all. they were GREAT people and it was a great experience).

literally 30 minutes after my dreaded phone call, my now boss called me and was asking about my trip and if i had thought any more about her offer to be her assistant (SIGN 4). i couldn't help but laugh, what perfect timing. i told her my story and explained that i was very interested in her position. we discussed the timeframe for hire and the step necessary for employment, and here we are now...

i'm in a great spot in life and i cannot wait for season to get started! this summer has been busy with camps and having to do actual work almost everyday, but it's been so much fun so far. i'm living in a duplex since it was the only thing that we could find for rent after the Joplin tornado. my mom and i drove down here to find a place to live and didn't realize how hard it would be. thanks to some family friends i found a place and am waiting the arrival of my roommate, Yuki, in mid-august.

hopefully my other posts aren't ever this long, happy reading!