Well... it's been awhile!

Ohmigosh! Dearest followers - it has been far too long!! It seems like forever ago that I was in DC right before classes started. So much has happened since then! I've jumped right into my assistantship and had two weeks of classes! David came to visit me and I went home to visit for a wedding. I have lots to talk about so here are some of the highlights!

So there is a little thing in grad school called class....
Right now I am feeling pretty darn good about my decision to come to JMU! I love my classes! I love my professors! I love the people in my program - dare I say, my friends! I love going to JMU! The hardest part is that I love the content of my courses. I truly enjoy reading my text books. Um, what? Textbooks are interesting?! Class discussions are also thought provoking and I feel like I have much more ownership in them.

On the first day of class we all are sitting in our seats, textbooks on our tables, and pens in our hands. Our professor says, "Hm, what are those books ya'll have got?".... our response, "Uh, our very expensive textbook." (Don't worry NKU - it wasn't one of the books you gave me!) He then says, "Well, I'm sure it'll be a good reference book for your because I've never seen it before so we won't be using it. While we're talking about, ya'll need to buy this $13 book on self-renewal." Ahhh!! So frustrating!! On the bright side, I am actually loving reading the self renewal book!

Work hard, Play hard
So I go to class three afternoons a week but 20 hours (or a few more) a week I'm working in the Counseling and Student Development Center. Things have really been taking off super fast! The Peer Mentor Program has it's kick off pizza party this Friday and I will be matching new students with upperclassmen for a mentoring relationship throughout the semester. Emailing students doesn't always go as planned... they certainly don't respond when I would like them to! Another part of my job is outreach. I'm co-teaching a psychology internship course where students will create and present mental health issues in various ways on campus. We are jumping right in with that too and getting things scheduled. I think the students are a little overwhelmed right now but that is what I am there to help with so I know they'll be okay!

David is coming! David is coming!
David spent Labor Day weekend in Harrisonburg with me and it was so much fun! I was so excited that he was coming! It was kinda like "The British are coming!" I gave my apartment a good thorough cleaning. Stocked up on some of his favorite things like cookie brownie mix, reese's cups, and milk! Painted my toe nails and finger nails. Set up my wireless internet (because yes! My router finally came in!!) And finished up all my homework for the beginning of the next week. I was so ready to see him!

We filled the weekend with things we love, essentially, it was perfect. David drove from Florence to Columbus for work that morning and then in the afternoon made his way to Harrisonburg. When he finally got here, which seemed like forever, we unloaded the rest of my clothes (remember the ones I left/forgot at home!) After we went to Taste of Thai, a restaurant David really liked when he helped move me in. Both our meals were delicious and we got two desserts to take home. We ate dessert as we sat on the floor watching our show, Rookie Blue, and called it an early night.

The next day we went to the Farmer's Market and got doughnuts for breakfast, mint tea to drink, and sat and talked to locals. We also bought some fresh bread, naturally raised beef strip steaks, baby watermelon, potatoes, and some fresh herbs which we used all of to make a fancy dinner that evening. Until then though we got my oil changed (I am so glad I had a man to help me!) and walked around historic downtown and went in every shop possible. We got tea at a specialty shop, made a friend at a wine shop, got great information for me at a pottery painting place, found funny items at thrift stores, and amazing unique treasures in between (including a gift for Claire and Sarah at home). After dinner that night we went out to meet some CSPAer's and had a fun time over drinks and dancing.

On Sunday we went to mass at CCM House (the Catholic Campus Ministry I had mentioned earlier) and David got to meet Father's three legged dog named Trinity. We then decided instead of hiking we would visit Staunton, the town about 30 mins south of Harrisonburg. They have some interesting shops and restraunts too, including a homemade gelato place. We spent lots of our time in an antique shop browsing and whispering and touching things. I ended up buying a very cool wooden and glass washboard that I am going to hang on my wall. That evening we rented a movie and made tacos. One of my favorite parts of the weekend was watching the WEBN fireworks online through a streaming that David found. We got the music and the fireworks and each other. It was almost like being at home. :) JMU doesn't have off on Labor Day so on Monday morning as I left for work with tears streaming down my face David began his drive back home. The weekend ended much too soon. It just felt so good having someone nearby that knows me, truly knows the real me. (I am being real with the people I am meeting but they don't know my past history or secrets or experiences. David knows all of that and loves me anyway. It just meant a lot to be able to share Harrisonburg with him.)

Here comes the bride!!
Our separation was short lived though because I was able to go home this past weekend! My friend McKenzie got married!! I have known her since I was in the second grade!! We remained friends over the years and I was so honored to be able to say such meaning readings at her ceremony. The receptions was a pretty darn good time as well!! My parents also attended as well as lots of other family friends.

Other things I did while being at home... went to NKU and surprised Leah and Sarah during lunch time! It was too short! I wanted to be able to chat longer so I'm going to look into attending a conference that they will be at semi-nearby my area. It's crazy thinking that I was once a student attending conferences with Leah and Sarah. I will never forget when Leah and I got stranded on JMU's campus after watching a movie and the hotel shuttle stopped running. Haha we had to call a cab! A gentleman I met while on that conference is now also one of my professors. It's just crazy how life works out. But seriously, it was so good to see them and everyone in student affairs that I did have the chance to run into.

I had originally planned to just eat lunch with Benjamin since I wouldn't see him the rest of the weekend but he invited my entire Kappa Delta family (on Valerie's side). I got to talk with Ben some but the girls kinda took over the conversation. It was still lots of fun to be on campus in that setting again. Thanks for lunch Ben and I hope to get to Skype you soon!!

After the rehersal dinner on Friday night I went over to Jason's and true to old times we all sat around and talked. Saturday morning we met Tracy and her boyfriend for breakfast and that was fun too! Tracy is away in a student affairs program as well but was home helping with sorority recruitment. I was so lucky to be able to have some of her valuable time while she was here! We got extra lucky coming in on the same weekend! We both missed our chances at our first home college football game - kinda ironic!

The rest of Saturday before the wedding was spent working outside. David and I (with the help of Claire, Sarah, Mom, and Dad) chopped down all of the sunflowers I grew from seeds this summer. We were able to shuck them of their seeds and now Dad is working on roasting them. Some we saved for the birds at Grandpa's though. It was such beautiful weather and so wonderful being together we ended up rushing around like crazy people for the wedding!

Just a few other things for laughs and giggles...
- Remember how my Comcast router finally shipped! Well I had to call to check on it before it came. I waited on hold for 20 minutes before the woman assured me that it was already on it's way. I got the package two days later and it was postmarked "express overnight shipping" from Staunton, VA!! UGH!! So frustrating!! I could have just driven to Staunton myself and gotten it!!
- Whenever I see/talk to anyone they ask if blue fuzz is still everywhere. The answer is YES!! Thankfully I now have new (my old towels from my dorm room) towels and can get rid of those fuzzy ones!
- I haven't met any new neighbors but they have started grilling out in the parking lot on Friday evenings. They set up a grill right between cars and sit on the sidewalk and watch their burgers cook. It is the strangest thing! A gray cat without a collar has started getting in the habit of laying in front of my front door. I think it belongs to the coffee man but I'm not 100%. When I was loading in my stuff from being gone this weekend I was afraid the cat would run in my apartment every time I opened the door!
- Some people like to have a glass of wine every evening or a cold beer with their dinner... I like to have a bowl of ice cream around 9:00 PM every evening. It is starting to get a little ridiculous! I even load it up with whipped cream and chocolate syrup! Living on my own means I can eat the whole half gallon myself! Then why am I buying ice cream at the same rate a family of four would buy ice cream?! Haha I have issues...
- Panhellenic Bid Day was today at Northern. I have been thinking about my NKU Greek community, especially Kappa Delta - Eta Eta so much today! 50 new members!! That is amazing! Too bad there is not enough time in my day to creep on all of them! Next week I'll be helping out with JMU's recruitment in a role semi-similar to what I did when I was a Gamma Chi at NKU. I am really excited about it! That is what is helping me not be so sad about missing out on such an exciting day at home today.
- I feel like I am always laughing or talking to myself around here and think, "I need to put this in my blog!" then I forget what it is. I'll have to try to keep a list of that kind of stuff!

I should have some more free time this weekend to shoot out another blog. I will try so hard not to get behind like I did on this one! Most of y'all reading this are my life and the most important things to me, just because I am a 7 hour drive away doesn't mean I don't care! Please keep me updated on your lives as well!