Spring Fever!

Hello all!

At this point in the school year I have been overcome with Spring Fever. That is, the longing for school to be over and the beach to be closer! This past week was spring break and most everyone went to the beach and came back with a glowing tan. I was jealous to say the least. I've gone to the beach the past eight spring breaks but not this one. This year I watched plenty of my brother's and boyfriend's baseball games, at which I acquired some wonderful shorts, t-shirt, and sunglasses tan lines.

But my spring break wasn't as negative as I am leading on. I got some much needed rest and finished some nagging homework. I also ran some errands and cleaned out my closet. This may not have been the most fun spring break ever, but it was the most accomplishing.

As for school being out, I can't wait! The end is drawing so near I can smell the final papers and exams, which are a minor stepping stone to the summer. I've had a great school year that has exceeded my expectations, but I can't help but look forward to summer.

Coming to a Close..

As previously stated in my "About Me" column, I am a UAB Golden Girl. We are a group of very talented and motivated dancers. We have become very close friends over the past year, and now our season is coming to a close. This video is our Aerosmith Pom Routine that we took to UDA (Universal Dance Association) nationals competition in Orlando, Florida. This is our "Friends and Family" night where we performed our competition routine in the Rec Center the night before we left for nationals. We received tenth place in the nation and are considered a nationally ranked dance team. We worked very hard to compete and over the year, became something close to a family.

Our last home basketball game was this past Saturday, March 5th. We played East Carolina University and beat them by a little over 20 points. UAB is now the Conference USA champions and will most likely go to the NCAA Tournament. UAB has not been number one in our conference since 1978, so this was a huge and exciting accomplishment. As usual, the Golden Girls performed at half time. It was a bittersweet feeling knowing that it was the last time I will dance with some team members. It has been such a great year and I am so glad that I had the opportunity to get to know these wonderfully talented ladies.

Stressed to the Max!

Well, the increasing stress of being a college student is finally catching up with me. Today has just been one big project assigned after another. The pressure of the future and good grades is sometimes too much to handle. I have very high expectations for myself and have somehow always managed to reach them.

As I was reading my Bible this afternoon, I realized that worry was something God does not want in us. Matthew 6:27 says, "and which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his life span?" This verse was meant especially for me today. I get ahead of myself sometimes and plan very far into the future. I need to focus on right now, do what I can, and then stop worrying about it. I was encouraged when I read this verse, and I hope you are too!

Surprising Little Sweethearts

Hello there!
 For many of my education classes I am expected to complete observation hours, which before this semester just the thought of it completely and utterly stressed me out. What I didn't know was how much fun I would have getting to know some of these little sweethearts!

One of my teachers that is requiring observation hours assigned me to a wonderful kindergarten class with a relatively new teacher, who happens to be a UAB alumni. The location was iffy to me at first, but when I arrived I was shocked. The school was only two years old and full of friendly students and staff. I felt completely welcome.

The children were so kind and curious! They each greeted me with a smile and told me their names. They were soon to be-friend me, as kindergarteners do, and I never had an empty hand or an empty seat next to me for the rest of the day. Their little smiles warm my heart and have a contagious way of making me smile also.

The moral of the story is don't ever set yourself up for failure; you never know how a situation will turn out. I'm very lucky to be placed in the lives of these students, even if it is only for a short time. I look forward to my next day of observation!

Happy Valentine's Day!

So, being my first blog post, I wanted to write about something very special. Yesterday, Monday, February 14, 2011, was Valentine's day and the first between my sweetheart and I. I had a wonderful day, starting with the great weather. It was a sunny 65 degrees and an awesome day to relax, take pictures, and play frisbee on the green at UAB with some of my fellow Golden Girls. We had lunch together, accompanied with Valentine's balloons on every table in the commons at UAB, and then had a blast enjoying the great weather.

I was sort of dreading my 5:30-8:00 pm class, because it was hindering my hearts day special events. But, little did I know my professor would have mercy on love day and let us out around 6:30! I was ecstatic that I could have a great Valentine's dinner. My wonderful boyfriend had me a few surprises, some hugs and kisses, and reservations at Brio, a Tuscan Italian restaurant. The food, service, and atmoshpere was on a high standard. It was absolutely great! I would recommend it to any couple, family, or friends. They have a website, and you can check it out for yourself!

http://www.brioitalian.com/index.html 

Needless to say, I had the best Valentine's day so far. I'm so thankful for all those who love me!