"Back to Life, Back to Reality; Back to the Here and Now"

I am for sure a highly functional nerd. Katie and Sara made so much fun of me because as we were driving back I just had this moment where I got super stoked for classes. I genuinely enjoy learning (do I always love being swamped with homework.. no... but I enjoy the overall experience of reading and class discussions ect.) So we're back! Books ordered, schedules finally worked out, and coffee constantly being brewed;)

My schedule: M/W class 12:20-3:45 (Intro to Cinema which is crazy cool so far and then Global and Environmental Issues which is difficult but interesting, oh and a little depressing). M nights I have recitation... for Cinema.. which means we watch a movie haha- killer I know. Last night we watched Moonstruck which was um weird, but good. W mornings I have small group planning meeting in the morning (8:45) at Next Door Bake Shop and then I stay and do my online class. Next Door is so cute and I get to try different coffee drinks if I choose to so treat myself haha:) It is a really nice mid-week mood booster haha. W nights I have dinner with my small group (that Jamie and I started mid last semester) and then bible study. Tomorrow we officially begin again and we are studying John 4:46-54. We are studying different stories of God's power seen in John for the next 6 weeks. T/R class 9:30-1:45 (Public Speaking, Physical Geology, and Asian Religions). T nights I work 4:15-7 teaching the little tots ballet and jazz. So fun! R nights I have frisbee 4-6. Then I have an online class called Travel and Tourism Management, a good amount of work but definitely a doable class if I stay on top of it. FRIDAY EQUALS NO CLASSES!!!!!!!!!!! So happy about that!! 18 credits, 2 work shifts, some studyin of the Bible, and lots of fun and shenanigans in between!

Road Trip 2014

So my roommates Sara and Katie took a road trip with me at the end of break! It was a great adventure. Sara and I hitched rides from Richmond to Leesburg to Hamilton, New Jersey. There, Katie picked Sara and I up from our friend's house. We then drove to Sea Girt, NJ. We got to see where Katie worked in high school, the beach she grew up hanging out at, and more. We stayed at her mom and step dad's house, but were 5 minutes away from her Dad and step mom- so we got to spend time with them as well. Friday we woke up at 5:30 and took a train into New York City Baby!! Sara had never been, so it was really cool to be with her as she got to see all the highlights of NYC. We were tuckered out by 4pm though and so we trained it home. That night we had pizza with Katie's younger siblings and step mom which was a blast. We spent one more full day in Sea Girt: ate at the local diner, played apples to apples with Katie's mom and her friends, went to the melting pot for dinner!

Jersey to McLean, Va where we stayed a night with my family: the Alberi's. We went to dinner at Seasons 52 at Tyson's Corner which was super yummy. Then Monday morning we got a sweet VIP tour of the Capitol- my great uncle Bob hooked us up haha.

McLean to Norfolk where Sara and I got to meet my family. Monday we got in around 4 so we just hung with Meg and Nate and watched a movie. Tuesday we had lunch with Granga and Megan which was a blast! G is a hoot! And then Sara and Katie got the Virginia Beach tour and saw where I grew up, my elementary school, church, etc. Then dinner with Dad and the siblings at Captain Groovy's.

Norfolk to Richmond where Sara departed from us to head home to Charlotte, NC. Katie and I spent Wednesday afternoon in Goochland visiting the farm and camp. We then had dinner at Steve and Mandy's house. It was really good to catch up with them, and cool for Katie to see everything I experienced this summer with my internship. Then Thursday we hung in Richmond with Owen and Jordan: did Cary town, went ice-skating, had dinner at Owen's house.

Richmond to Lynchburg. Katie and I visited GG and PJ for the night. We went to Indian for dinner which was a treat! Then waffles for breakfast and we hit the road: Tech bound.

Now we're home! It was a great road trip, but it's so nice to be settled in. Classes start tomorrow, I'm really excited but I am taking 18 credits which is gonna kick my butt:/ Oh well. I'll make it work, always do.

Central Park

Sara and I outside the Today show

Melting Pot: SO MUCH FOOD!!!!!

Rockefeller

Time Square

Rosa Parks statue at the Capitol in DC

Dinner with Papa John, Grandma Gracie, and Katie

Georgia! Christmas 2013!

This year for Christmas, the kids stayed at home for Christmas morning (our awesome grandparents from Lynchburg came to stay with us for Christmas Eve and Day-- Grandma Gracie and Papa John) but we then headed to Georgia for Christmas night. Chrissy (our lovely aunt) and her husband Matt opened their home to us and showed us a fabulous time in Tucker, Georgia. We arrived in GA around 5 on Christmas day, we arrived to a lovely Christmas meal: pot roast, sweet potato casserole, and honey corn muffins. Delicious! Oh and dessert was criminal: peppermint ice-cream pie (which includes oreos, thick chocolate fudge sauce, and peppermint ice-cream). We stayed Wednesday till Saturday and had a great trip! Hiking, serving at an awesome organization in Atlanta, movies, a bonfire and s'mores, shopping, amazing food. It was overall a very special, family filled, and fun.

Me, Nate, and Meg. When did Nathan become a man?!?

Nate, Megan, Chrissy (my aunt), me, and Michelle (Chrissy's good friend)

Nate, Matt (uncle), Chrissy, me and Meg

Nate, Me, Megan, Chrissy, and Matt

On top of Stone Mountain in Georgia. Such a great hike. 

The crew at the Atlanta Union Mission.

Christmas Parade!

Once again, this post is super late. Whoops. Charlotte, Katy, Katie, and I went to the Blacksburg Christmas parade December 6th. I could only stay for 20 minutes, because I had to attend my last 180 as MC of IV. None the less, it was a blast. I got a free candy cane and got to see the kids in the highschool band playing and the girl scouts marching. So good. My saying this year has been "Christmas soul." Like I said that going to the Christmas parade (even though it was only for 20 min) was necessary for my Christmas Soul. Or seeing the Christmas lights, or drinking hot cocoa... all to satiate the Christmas soul haha. Anyways, home now. Stoked to rest, hang with friends, hang with the fam, go to Georgia to see my aunt and uncle. So much fun to come! 

Charlotte, Katy and I

Roommate Katie! 

Roommate (from last year) Katy

CHRISTMAS PARADE!!!!!

Fake snow! What!?

The givin of the thanks, or as some call it Thanksgiving...

This year for Thanksgiving I went to the Shoaf Thanksgiving at 12:30. Rachel Rocamontes is one of my oldest and best friends. Her family (the Shoaf side) is like my family; her grandparents have actually un-officially adopted me. I legit am in a picture with Rachel on the family picture wall- score! It's pretty great! So this year I got to celebrate with them. It was DELICIOUS!!! And so special to see them all and catch up. Then my family, just us six (Ann Marie, Chip, Travis, Megan, Nate, and I) had Thanksgiving dinner at 5:30. Once again, so yummy. I actually felt sick though after my second Thanksgiving meal in one day haha. SO WORTH IT THOUGH! Usually family get togethers are pretty crazy, but this year was relatively calm and enjoyable. That's something to be thankful for! Even though my family is, well straight up difficult (me included in that for sure!), I love them so much I can't even describe it and am so thankful for them. 

Bowling, Noms, Movies and so much more!

     Sunday we went to church, I hadn't been to Trinity in forever so it was nice to go but it felt so different. I definitely didn't feel like a part of the church anymore, such an interesting feeling. Blacksburg has slowly become more like home and parts of Norfolk feel less and less like home. It makes me super curious to see where I will end up next year, where I will create a new home!? Then Sunday afternoon we went bowling and then went to Mexican where Nate and Noah joined us, as well as, Charlotte (child-hood best friend) and her boyfriend Evan. It was a blast!

     Monday Megan had off work and so we slept in, worked out, and then got massages. It was amazing, the lady who gave me a massage said I had ridiculously tight knots in my shoulder and back. We pretty much just chilled the rest of Monday: made stir-fry, watched a movie, went to bed early.

     Tuesday Dad and I saw Catching Fire together and then I headed to the Beans' house for Pumpkin Football and a yummy chili dinner. It was my first year being able to come and it was so fun. It was rainy and muddy, but I kinda feel like that made it more epic. We did have an injury though, which was a major bummer:/ This sweet girl Alyssa broke her arm! Eek! 

     Today was cooking day. I woke up, baked the stuffing casserole, chocolate chess pie, pumpkin pie, sweet potato casserole, peeled and cut the potatoes, and snapped the green beans. I had a lunch break: got to join the siblings and Grandma for lunch. Tonight I'm headed to Virginia Beach for Freddie and Mary's engagement party.

Bowling with the Fam and Friends:)

Lunch with Granga (Travis, Nathan, Jessica, Megan, and Granga)

Made it home

So I left Blacksburg Thursday around 2 and headed to Lynchburg. I got to spend the afternoon and night with Grandma Gracie and Papa John. It was so nice to see them. We had a really nice spegetti dinner Thursday night (John defrosted some of his yummy mushroom sauce for the vegetarian- SO YUM!). I legitimately couldn't keep my eyes open at 9:30pm so I went to bed and slept so well. Friday morning GG and I baked some treats for my Richmond visits, then John made his special waffles and we had a nice brunch. I loaded up the car (dad needed some furniture brought home that he had been storing there). Then on to Goochland! I spent the afternoon with Steve (the farm manager from this summer) and his family. I got to visit the farm, it looks so different. There are so many awesome renovations, it was so nice to go back. I miss it for sure. The Miles fed me dinner, Mandy is such a great cook and I love spending time with their fam. Then I headed to Richmond, got to see Owen and his parents which was really fun. They live right on the James River, it was beautiful. I finished the night by heading to Glen Allen to stay the night with Taylor. Had a nice lazy morning with Tay and then had lunch with Kate (farm friend) and got to see her and her boyfriend Ben's new place. It was awesome! I left Richmond around 2:30 and got to Norfolk around 4:10. Dinner with all the siblings, Megan's boyfriend Tyler, and Papa Charles and Billie. It was really fun! It is definitely nice to be on break and be home. I had been home for 4 days and August, but other than that haven't been home since May. Crazy!