You're Gonna Miss This

      So I figured out that while waiting for the bus my iPod gets internet! From where, I have no idea where it's coming from but it's great!!! Anyway Corvallis is beautiful today! And warm too!!! I am about to go on an adventure with my friend Neil. We met freshman year at the University of Oregon and have stayed really good friends even after I moved to Corvallis. I'm excited, our adventures are always amazing. Our freshman year we were able to get into the steam tunnels under the campus and the city. Who knows what we are doing today. I will miss him though, I'm moving and he's going into the peace corps, so I will miss him. Along with everyone else.

   It is getting a little bittersweet now that more and more prices are getting put together. I was talking to a friend in dance class today and we realized that we are only going to have about two more chances to really swing together. He was my "original" dance partner and who I've been able to learn a number of tricks with. We both have been able to branch off and teach the rest of our friends, invite new people to Eagles (or Bushwackers depending on the mood!) and learn new things but we definatley have our own style and it's always fun to go back to that every once in a while .
     Then there is my roommates, it's been an interesting year for sure but I love all three of them. Me and Hannah have become especially close, and honestly if you would have asked me about a year or so ago, I would have thought you were crazy. Same with my friend Thomas, for one reason or another I really didn't like either one of them when we lived in the Courtyard together but now they are probably the two people I spend the most time with. It took a while too. I think that is what I am worried about the most. I have no problem making friends, I'm not shy what so ever. But I love intimate relationships and that closeness and it took me a couple years to find that but I love that and I thrive on that. I know I'll have those connections when I leave here but I also know that it's going to take a little while. I'm ok with that though and I think my internship is really going to help that. I am really excited for the people that I am going to meet this summer!
  
      But it doesn't stop their either, there are 4 of my girl friends I've just started to really get to know this year and I love them all so much! Sometimes I am a tad jealous because they all live together but that doesn't really matter. We have become a dancing machine the 4 of us, and we are all involved in younglife so I've been able to lead with one of them and have many Washington Family Ranch adventures with the other two and one of our other guy friends as well. Just thinking about all the connections and traditions we've developed. Like trips to the Ranch and Monday night pool at McMenamins happy hour and country line dancing! I feel like everything started to really fall into place this year and now I'm gonna have to start all over again. The traditions, the inside jokes, even the comfortability level you have with someone takes such a long time to develop. Case and point, one of my absolute best friends right now, I use to hate his guts about 2 years ago. Now I spend almost too much time with him but love every minute. My friends really are great. From family dinners to dancing, I know that they've got my back and love me as I love them!

   We had a Younglife team meeting tonight and even then I realized this whole other family that has been created in Corvallis! They are going to do such great things, I am so excited to for what this area is going to accomplish as they let God work in them and through them to love on some of the best high school kids I know! We really are a family and tonight was so evident in that.
     I think also to the friends that I have back home in Washington, from high school and such and I am grateful that I've been able to keep in touch with them over the last couple years. It's been a little challenging at times but I do know that the ones that have stayed in my life will stay there forever.
  
  I will never forget my friends here and the traditions we put in place but I am excited to develop new ones and see this adventure God has for me! Thanks to todays technology (and yes I will bring my Facebook back when I move) as well I know I'll be able to keep in touch with all of them. I mean just look at my zip/swing crew from summer staff this summer.

All 9 of us are spread out over 5 states and they are one of the closest group of friends I have right now. I truly believe that the people that are going to be in your life are going to stay there forever. One of them is the reason this whole moving thing came about. Another is like a sister and is coming to see me in a couple weeks!! Another is the goofiest kid I have ever met but is so intentional about keeping a relationship with you and wanting to know what's going on in your life that he will drive across 3 states just to pick you up. All of them are so great and we've loved staying in each others life. It's been about 7 months since we were able to spend that month with each other and it's about now that things start to fade out and people loose touch but I would say they are the 8 people I talk to the most! Not to mention other connections I made on summer staff as well.

 I didn't even know I applied and it was the greatest month of my life!

      God doesn't place anyone or anything without intention. I had one major piece of the puzzle fall into place today. God [IS] Faithful! One more real piece left!
  
 Can't wait to see where this goes.

"Friends come and go but a true friend sticks to you like family"

 {Prov 18:24, The Message}

You're gonna miss this
You're gonna want this back
You're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast
These are some good times
So take a good look around
You may not know it now
But you're gonna miss this
~Trace Adkins




Til the next new day ♥ ,

Hold on, Spin around and Let go!

First of all, I know, I did some major reconstructing of the look of my page and I may say that I'm pretty proud of myself! I like it, I hope you do to and I hope that it's a little easier to read. I honestly could sit here doing design on the computer for hours. It's days like these that I kinda wish that I stayed with my design stuff but can't go back now! and I still have to take a bunch of upper division electives so maybe I'll just base them in new media and web design or something who knows.

THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT MEANINGS BEHIND THIS TITLE <DO YOU SEE IT?>

     Last night we went to the first Western Wednesday at the Top of the Peacock and I must say, it was a success! One of my friends was kinda the brains behind the operation and we had no idea to expect. We usually go to Albany and go dancing at the Albany Eagles Club on Thursday nights and it's a completely different atmosphere. Some people didn't like it because there were so many people, it was darker, more of a night club scene and a lot louder.. but that's why I loved it! There were no breaks in the songs and I ended up knowing a ton more people than I thought. We didn't think anyone was going to show up. And I don't think the peacock did either. We are guessing they are going to have to hire another bartender for Wednesdays cause that poor guy was slammed! But I never left the dance floor! I would go from line dance to line dance and then when a partner song came on, find a new partner. I was dancing for about 3 1/2 hours straight!
     Believe me my knees and feet do hurt today, we'll see if I go to Eagles tonight. 

     When you are dancing with someone, especially swing you have got to hold on! The biggest thing that I am working on right now is leading, or NOT leading. Now I am not trying to say this to brag but because of my skill level compared to some of the people (especially in my CW class), I tend to do what's called "back leading." This is where the girl is still doing the follow moves but leading the guy from her position. It's kind of like back seat driving. I'm not leading in the leads part but I still try and take control. This however gets me in trouble when I start to anticipate the leads move. He tries to lead a move and I will unconsciously take over and end up messing both of us up. This is mainly a problem on the two-step and waltz. I love two-step! But I need to learn to just Hold on, get Spun around and Let go of trying to control the dance.

Life's a dance you learn as you go
Sometimes you lead sometimes you follow
Don't worry 'bout what you don't know
Life's a dance you learn as you go 
{JOHN MICHAEL MONTGOMERY}

     If you haven't gotten the metaphor yet here it is. This stance of holding on and letting go is what I am also learning in my walk with the Lord and laying the process and decision of moving to Conway before Him and really letting God take over and trust that He is going to provide. If you're not walking with God right now this is all going to sound like foolishness and utter nonsense. But this is real to me and this is what has gotten me this far in life and I wouldn't trade it for anything else.
     You have GOT to Hold on tight to the Word of God, His love and grace, and what the Holy Spirit is ever so gently telling you, and be ready to get Spun around like a whorl wind because God leads us in the craziest directions based on what He is trying to teach us and how we are choosing to learn. I can't tell you the number of times God is flipped a 180 in my life. But above that we have to Let go of control over our own lives. My devotional yesterday said just that:

WAITING ON ME MEANS DIRECTING YOUR ATTENTION TO ME IN HOPEFUL ANTICIPATION OF WHAT I WILL DO  .....   IT ENTAILS TRUSTING ME WITH EVERY ASPECT AND FIBER OF YOUR BEING, INSTEAD OF TRYING TO FIGURE THINGS OUT YOURSELF  .....  YIELD TO HIS GENTLE TOUCH; BE SENSITIVE TO HIS PROMPTING  .....  EXERT YOUR WILL TO TRUST ME IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES  .....   DON'T LET YOUR NEED TO UNDERSTAND DISTRACT YOU.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understand, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus"
{Philippians 4:6-7}

Til the next new day ♥ ,