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.