The Road Ahead...

What's happened since I last posted? Not much.

First, volleyball season has ended. I am sad it's over, but it will free up some much needed time to study and prepare for finals. I still see the team on a regular basis which I need because they are my rock when things are crazy.

My volleyball girls

Meredith and I-love this girl, she keeps me sane.

I went to a Allen Stone and Jack's Mannequin concert in Spokane with a few friends that was a great time.

Jack's Mannequin concert!

I've been on a bit of an emotional roller coaster but today I feel good. However, I'm not sure if this is the plateau before the drop or the end of the ride.

I checked out a few library books to help plan my adventure in Europe before I head to Jordan. Planning this has been quite the task and I know I'm not close to being done. But I'm trying to enjoy the process and thinking about all the things ahead of me is really exciting.

I went home for Thanksgiving this past weekend. It was great to see Mom, Dad and Julie. Everyone is doing well; Julie loves school and I couldn't be happier for her.

Julie and I trying on some old aprons Mom made for us when we were little.

Seeing friends at home!
Me, Taylor, Micah, Laura, Heather, Ashlee

I arrived back in Spokane tonight; it's nice to be back. As I was leaving Viroqua I wondered whether I was leaving home or coming home. Sometimes, I wonder. Since I did not do any homework over the break I have a LOT to do tomorrow. The only things left in all of my classes are things due during finals week so I'm definitely in the home stretch, but it's still a lot of work to do, and it needs to be done well.

It's also a strange feeling to think that I have three more weeks on campus before I'm gone for at least five months!!! I am going to miss Gonzaga. I am going to miss my friends! I want to take every opportunity I can to spend time with the people I love here before I'm gone. Don't get me wrong-I'm more than excited to go to Jordan. But I may have forgotten how much I love being at GU and how much I am going to miss it.

So, I've made a pact with myself. I wrote it down, signed it and hung it by my door so I see it every single day. I am going to dedicate the next three weeks to me. I will pour myself into my schoolwork so I finish the semester on a good note. I will do everything I can to prepare myself for a fun two weeks in Europe and a successful semester in Jordan. I will jump on every opportunity to spend time with my friends. I will not let someone else's actions affect mine or my emotions. I will make myself better.

That's the plan anyway.

Family

My parents visited last weekend! It was so great to see them. The volleyball team was out of town so it was their first real visit to campus when I didn't have volleyball stuff going on so they got to see everything else I do on campus.

They flew in on a Thursday afternoon. That night we went out to dinner with the Armstrong family. The Armstrongs are like my family away from home so it was great for my mom and dad to spend some time with my second family. Then on Friday we hung out around campus for most of the day. (I still had some classes.) On Friday night we went to the basketball game. On Saturday morning we went to Greenbluff, which is an area north of Spokane with lots of family farms where you can pick your own apples, pumpkins, etc. Trader Joes just opened in Spokane, so after Greenbluff we took a trip there. It's great when your parents are there to buy groceries! Mom then made apple dumplings with the apples we had picked from Greenbluff and a spaghetti  feast for me and my friends. It was so nice to spend some quality time with them.

I hadn't really spent a good amount of time with them since early July. I miss my family when I'm not with them, but over time the feeling tends to dissipate quite a bit. But then once you get to spend time with them, it makes it that much worse to say good bye. Every day I realize how lucky I am to have the parents I do.

I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving! I'm going home and will get to see Julie for the first time since she left for school!! We're going to spend the holiday with the Mulvaney side of the family. More family time, yay!

Basketball Game!

Apple picking.

Outside my house.

Rainy Days

It's a rainy day in Spokane today. One of those days that makes you want to curl up by a fireplace with a good book and a cup of hot chocolate. I love these days...when I don't have anything to do. Unfortunately, classes and life still go on on these rainy days.

But it did give me the opportunity to reflect a bit more on some thoughts that have been rolling around in my brain recently. I've been sick since the middle of September; that's almost three weeks! First it was a sinus infection and ear infection, now it's mono. Not fun! I think one of the biggest reasons I have been sick is because I have so many things going on and am so busy. This makes it hard to get enough sleep and eat healthy. The only medication for mono is lots of rest. With my schedule, that's not easy to come by! I have classes, all the homework that goes with those classes. I work at an on-campus job about 8 hours a week. I am really involved in activities that the Comprehensive Leadership Program puts on, a group I am a part of. And I am the manager for Gonzaga's Womens Volleyball team. This takes up between 6-8 hours each week as well as weekend games. I love everyone of these things (well maybe not the homework, but I'm learning!)

Since I am passionate about each of these things I want to devote everything I can to each one of them; something I'm learning may not be possible. But if it's not, how do we choose? How do we prioritize? I've been struggling with this.

I want to continue to give as much as I can to everything I can, but when you add the need for rest to that equation everything gets a little off balance. I feel as if I'm juggling ten different balls and if I let one slip a bit, they'll all come crashing down. How do I rationalize going to a class that I really, really, really don't like when I would rather do something for the volleyball coaches, individuals that count on me, that I don't want to let down, work that I care about! I realize that the one class I dislike is part of my greater education, something that is invaluable, but to make that daily decision isn't easy.

A friend has told me, don't let classes get in the way of your education. I feel like this is so true! Being the manager for the volleyball team has given me opportunities and skills that a classroom never could. So what has to give?

I don't know the answer. I don't know if there is one. But I do know that just because I don't know the answer doesn't mean I will stop looking for one.

Seattle!

I had never been to Seattle before last week. Now I've been twice. I went the middle of last week with the volleyball team when they played Seattle U and I went last Friday for the weekend to visit Lauren and Meredith. Lo and Mer are some of my closest friends from my Zambia trip. I hadn't seen them since I left London and it was a great weekend.

Here are a few pictures from the weekend, courtesy of Lauren.

enjoying Pike Place Market

The amazing croissant I had while we were there. Still warm from the oven!

Last pic of the weekend. After a delicious breakfast.

Beginnings

I wanted to create a blog so I could have a way to express and remember my thoughts and feelings while I am studying abroad next semester. But I also wanted to do it because I used to be a journal-er. I used to write down what was new in my life, what was exciting and not so exciting. I want to start doing that again and this is going to be my place to do it.

As I start my junior year of college there are so many things that go through my mind. Four years ago when I was a junior in high school I was so excited because it meant I was so much closer to going to college. But now, I'm not so excited. I feel like it means I need a plan. A plan for post-graduation, a plan for the rest of my life. As much as I know this is not completely true, I can never shake the feeling of being lost when I try to think about these questions.

The exciting thing is, I can tell this is going to be a good year. I'm excited for what lies ahead. I just have the feeling that this is going to be the year I might figure a few things out. Or if I don't, at least I'll learn to be ok with that. No matter what, I know that this is just the beginning.