1) The YAV placement event. WOW. Words really can't express how blissful this event was for me. It was an absolute crazy anxiety-filled whirlwind, but I have truly never felt so at home with a group of people. Our band of misfits fits together perfectly, and ultimately I found out that in August I'll be moving to THE PHILIPPINES! Whaaat??!
These beautiful people are going with me! Mallory and Shelby (on the left) will be living in Dumaguete right down the road from our wonderful site coordinators, Dessa and Cobbie (right). Duncan (in the back...obviously) will be living and working in Manila.
As for me... I'll be living with a host family in the rural mountain village of Mabinay. It's in the Visayas region of the Philippines- a couple hours away from Mallory and Shelby. I'll be working with a church called the Lamdas church. The people in the area are poverty-stricken and cannot afford to pay a pastor. So, they plant my favorite thing ever.... COFFEE and sell the coffee to pay their pastor! I'll be helping with the agriculture and teaching English and Sunday school while I'm there. You know, MY DREAM JOB?!?!?!?!?! I am so over the moon about this opportunity I can't even stand it! God. Is. Good.
2) My sweet friend Ashley had her BEAUTIFUL baby girl Makenna! We all know I love kids more than life itself, but this baby girl has really stolen my heart. Getting to watch her mom grow through her pregnancy and then meeting her when she was just a week old was really really such a gift. I am just absolutely enamored with her and love watching a gorgeous young girl turn into an amazing mom overnight. Life is a beautiful, beautiful thing.
The day I met Makenna, I held her and stared and cried for over an hour. She is perfect.
3) I spent a hilariously fratty day at the Heritage golf tournament with my gorgeous friend Bri. We rocked our Chive shirts and had an absolute blast doing it. I wouldn't have made it through this semester without my Briski!
Really, could she be any cuter? DON'T THINK SO!
4) I won third place in my category for USCB's Research and Scholarship Day! For my interpersonal communication class, I wrote a children's book entitled Hayden and Isma about a boy moving from Uganda to America and his experience getting to know his classmates. My "illustrations" were photographs acted out by two of my wonderful third graders at Riverview. They had a blast and think it is sooo cool that they are "famous" now.
"Isma" (Austin) showing Hayden where Uganda is on the globe.
Friends!
Woohoo! So proud!
5) So... at the YAV placement event, I pretty much met my soulmate! Shelby is a crazy young silly adventurer just like me, and we fell in love immediately! In Louisville, she told me she wanted to come to my graduation, but I didn't think it would actually happen. And then..... IT DID! This crazy girl drove 12 hours from New Jersey and hopped into my bed last Thursday at 12:30 in the morning. The next day, we went to the beach...on a cloudy cold day in South Carolina. Somehow Shelby convinced me to hop in the water and we had a GLORIOUS day making the best of the yucky weather. She is perfect.
6) I feel like something important happened this weekend....... OH WAIT! I GRADUATED! Five years later! I am so so so humbled and excited that this has finally happened for me. It has been a tumultuous five years to say the least. Amazingly enough, academically speaking... I graduated in FOUR years. Since I took a full year off in between, somehow my amazing advisor managed to find a place for every credit I've ever taken to fit into my graduation audit. She helped push me towards the next amazing place in my life and for that I will be forever grateful.
I get all teary-eyed when I think about how much these amazing people have done for me. I wouldn't be me if it weren't for them. Thank you. I love you.
No words.
Hard to find words for this one, as well. This boy has been such an amazing support for me this last semester at USCB. Not only is he a wonderful best friend, but he's probably the most driven, intelligent, charming person I've ever had the blessing to know. After finally meeting his awesome family this weekend (see below), I can safely say Tyler and I will be friends forever. So thankful.
PS. COULD HE BE ANY CUTER? I mean seriously.
Oh yeah, he could be cuter. If he was his adorable little sister Alex. She is gorgeous and wise beyond her years. LOVE. THIS. GIRL.
That's about it for the updates... I have been substitute teaching at RCS and working at Tidewatch since graduation. Working 7:30-6 is kicking my butt. Not digging the real world so far! But I am feeling so blessed... and about 5,000 pounds lighter. MAIL ME THAT DEGREE ALREADY, USCB!
Thank you to those of you who care enough to read this whole post, I know it's crazy long. I really can't tell y'all how much everyone's love and support means to me. Whether it be on fb, twitter, in person, in prayers, or otherwise... I wouldn't be here without you.
Xo, abs
Here's a little bit of crazy for ya. Love.
Well done Abs!!! Now I should go write mine lol. Thanks for the inspiration as always.
ReplyDeletep.s. So that's where my glasses went... ;)