Where I'm From

It's been awhile, blog spot! Since my last blog and now it has almost been a month! That is far too long for me not to be updating. The worst part about this is that I had to get out my planner to see what I had done in the past month! My planner is my life. Since my last blog here are some of the activities that are worth noting:

• I was trained to serve on Judicial Council as a graduate student representative. It was a 7 hour training on a Saturday!!
• I had my second portion of Orientation to the CSPA program. We did so much adjusting on our own that the highlight was a free lunch voucher!
• I taught my first PYCH 402 course on my own and will have done so 4 times after this week. My students are practicing presentations so I'm not teaching content but I am giving feedback. I love being in a classroom so I am really happy I get to work with them.
• I volunteered at the Center for Multicultural Student Services' Homecoming Step Show with my friend Maggie. I can't wait to attend it next year. It got intense! Maggie and Craig made me dinner than night so after volunteering I made them Skyline dip! We ate the whole thing so I hope they liked it!
• One of my professors had my entire cohort over for a cookout at the beginning of October. It was the first really brisk day of the season so we ended the night with mugs of hot apple cider. It was so fun! We went over there again tonight for a spaghetti dinner and got to meet his two children. They both attend other universities and it was good to put a name with a face and swap stories.
• I visited home again since the last time I blogged and attended a wedding on David's side of the family. I also got to get together at the Raap house and had sooo much fun seeing everyone. It felt like a mini reunion! David and I did lots of different things that weekend - playing with my baby cousins, PowderPuff football tournament at NKU (which Ben was in charge of!), seeing David's sister and brother-in-law's new house, attending a musical at NKU with David's other sister, going to church, and having brunch with my parents at First Watch. It was such a good weekend home that it made this weekend, Family Weekend at JMU, bittersweet.
• As some of you know, I have had issues with my "itchy leg syndrome" for over a year now. This past week was the final straw! My legs started swelling actually and I think their was an infection. I spent an afternoon in urgent care talking to three different nurses/doctors before I finally ended up with a steroid shot and three prescriptions! Hopefully now things will get better and over Thanksgiving break I can see a dermatologist to help treat the scars from the rash/infection/disease or whatever it was I had.
• I volunteered for the concession stands at the football game yesterday and it was crazy! Technically, it was my first JMU football game since being a student here. Luckily, there is one more home game in November that I'll be able to attend and I can actually enjoy the stadium food rather than serve it!

Now that I have filled you in on some of the more exciting things in my everyday life I want to take the opportunity to share some poetry I wrote for a class. In second class meeting in my Thursday class we all had to share and write "Where I'm From" poems which most of my Kentucky friends have either written or heard about before. Of course, I was tearing up when everyone else shared which made it much harder to not cry when I read my own  out loud. I've written a few before this but this is the one that I shared with the class. In honor of Family Weekend at JMU and being squished at CCM for Mass this morning I thought it would be appropriate to post tonight. Hope you enjoy and can see or understand one of the many ways my life has been touched.

Where I’m From

Emily Romito

I am from a UK blue Berk’s Landscaping sweatshirt, from Graeter’s Ice Cream and Skyline Chili.

I am from the silence of sadness to the overwhelming joy of a child’s contagious giggle.

I am from the sunflowers as tall as the roof, from Mom cutting the lawn and Dad cooking dinner.

I am from rosary’s said on road trips and always being freezing cold, from Pasquale and Paul to Claire Madonna and Sarah B.

I am from having eyes bigger than my stomach and growing food babies, from worrisome headaches and compassionate understanding.

From “I am so proud” and “You better not fight because all you have is each other.”

I am from changing churches but staying strong in my faith as I grow on my own. All Saints with Mom and Dad, St. Joseph alone, and St. Paul having David to hold my hand.

I am from The Jewish Hospital and Italian Catholics, black eyed pea hoppin’ John on New Year’s Day and Grandma Mary’s pot roast which only exists as a mouth watering memory.

From the fish bowl that fell on my foot, the only pets I ever had, the valiant rescue by my father, and the cries of “Michele” desperate for help.

I am from shoe boxes in the closet storing memories of life and love, high upon a shelf. Out of sight but ever present in everything I do, I am.