I am a Master

HAHA! Wow, what a joyous time this is!! Saturday I graduated with my Masters of Arts in Mathematics.

The past two years have been probably the hardest time of my life, but... by the grace of God, I made it through. Lord knows I couldn't have done it without my friends (MARY-ANNE) and family, and definitely Hunter.

Life continues to move at a 90-to-nothing pace for me... I had another interview yesterday, and it went well. When I know more definite details of my life.. then I will be able to share. Right now, I am just working... and trying to get my life in order for the next step.

Here are a couple of my favorite pictures from the big day:

My twin sister, Donna and I, walking to the Coliseum for graduation

Family shot with the parents before the ceremony

After graduation, I had to take a picture with my home, AKA Gordon Palmer

After graduation, we celebrated with all the other graduates and our families at my church

It's Official!

Remember this post? Well, yesterday as of 2:15pm, Hunter is officially a contracted Cadet, with a scholarship!

Praise God!! I am so proud of him for working so hard, and enduring so much to get to this point. And we praise God, even though it wasn't how we originally planned it to happen, He still brought us through and worked all things out!

Here's to 2011

2011, what a year. Many things have happened... plenty good, and if I must say, our fair share of bad. Here, as for what I can remember, are the highs (and some lows) of my year

January - I went on a college retreat... little did I know the man of my dreams was on this trip. One of my friends was abducted... and almost killed... We all look at life a little differently now. I started my second semester of graduate school. This was one of the hardest and trying semesters, I thought after my first semester I would have a little know how and things would be easier. Boy, was I wrong, but I worked through it, and I am almost finished!

February - I turned 23, a blah number as I had to leave my favorite number 22 HAHA! And I celebrated working 6 months for UA

March - I was able to celebrate mine and my best friends (belated) birthday's with a beautiful trip to DC for Spring Break. I had so much fun going to work with her, and just hanging out. This was my first time flying alone! What an experience. Without Mary-Anne, I wouldn't have my 'culture' :D

April - the town I have come to know and love was devastated by a deadly and fierce tornado. I went home with, and spent the night with perfect strangers because I was unable to reach my home... Tuscaloosa learned to live again and through many weeks of hard work, we are still fighting. Hunter, a boy I had dated less than a week, drove through the night 5 hours to help with the storm, and to see if his friends and family (and me ;)) were ok. The end of the semester for UA was cancelled... something I had no idea could happen... and we work to rebuild our city every day....

May - Two great friends of mine got MARRIED!! :) And we celebrated one year of being college graduates. Mary Allison and Brandon are GREAT!! I remember rebuilding and cleaning Tuscaloosa and that this was the month that Hunter left for basic training. This is when our fairytale romance began. I have piles of letters from this time... An experience not many get to have... letters as communication, no cell phones, no texting, VERY FEW phone calls. Only letters. Wow.

June - I started my graduate research in late May and early June, it is throughout this month that I would see it almost to completion. My friend Lauren left for Afghanistan.... I am so thankful for her service, and pray continually for her safe return home!

July - I started a summer class, on top of research and work... and this class almost killed me. These were the hardest four weeks of my life, and something I will hopefully never have to do again. It was very different walking back into the walls of the University, after being trapped in a bathroom by the tornado that changed us all... An eerie feeling...

August - I drove to Arkansas, and then Missouri to watch Hunter graduate from basic and AIT. It was an amazing experience, and after 106 days without him, it was a much needed trip, even if just to see his face! We started school again in the fall and the tough times began. Time, money, work, school. But as always, God pulled us through. Praise Him!

September - Football, tailgating, school in full swing. Another dream season for the Tide was beginning.

October - This month... I cooked and couponed a lot. My one test of the semester was Oct 31... and that was scary. This past fall... my grades hinged on very little... just two tests in one class... and only a semester long project in the other. Graduate school was very crazy... and this semester stressed me a lot, but also blessed me. About this time... I also began playing for my church praise band.

November - I won my first EVER contest... by random draw, I got a beautiful necklace! An man who could be my father, blessed me and my sister with a beautiful gift! :) I also got to attend a Chris Tomlin concert with my cousin Tori, and got to meet Chris Tomlin!

December - The semester came to a close, and both Hunter and I ended with great grades. I got an A and a B and Hunter got four A's and one B. :) Go, us and my roommate graduated from UA! During my break, I have been home... and to Hunter's family... and will make another trip at the beginning of the new year. It has been a great, and crazy, break. But... I love my crazy life. My friend Stephanie went to the Mayo Clinic to hopefully find answers to her peculiar disease.... And we are still praying for relief.

Happy New Year!! 

May the year 2012 bless you and bring much happiness and joy to your family.

Proof that I am a nerd.

When you play random get to know you games people always ask, what is one thing I couldn't know about you just by looking at you? If Donna isn't around, I usually use the general cop out of, I am a twin. But, more interestingly enough, I am a nerd. True story.

If or when you met me, you would probably never guess I was a member of a 4-H meats judging team. What is that you say? I would most easily define it as: if you and I were to walk into a grocery store together, once upon a time, I could tell you all about the meat at the counter, from what it was, where it came from and how to cook it, all without the labels being on the package. Also, given four of the same pieces of meat, I could rank them from best to work, and give you exact reasons why.

So I was looking around on the internet and found the results from the National Contest in which my friends and I represented the state of Alabama, and placed 5th nationally. In this contest I, as an individual, placed 10th in the nation. Yes, I am a nerd.

In this contest, I messed up on one class (or set), very badly. And therefore dropped to tenth place in the rankings. That one class... kept me from doing better.

Yet, why do we do this to ourselves as humans?

I can also remember the one B, an 89 to be exact, that I made in English freshman year of high school that kept me from being Valedictorian.

Again, I ask... why do we do this to ourselves? Why keep records of wrong doings and dimish what are in fact, great accomplishments? There is nothing wrong with being 10, why, out of a nation of people, that is pretty good. And, what is wrong with bein Salutatorian? Absolutely nothing.

I blame it on me being a perfectionist, and striving for the best all the time.

Accepting who we are and the great things we do. Having value in ourselves, that is something that all girls struggle with. Something I stuggle with, and something I am continually working on.

Our Lord and God made us, and made us just the way we are. It is our imperfections that make us perfect. Our traits and attributes that make us who we are. Yeah, so I am a nerd... What have you got?

Be proud of who you are!



Psalm 139:13-14
New American Standard Bible (NASB)


13 For You formed my inward parts;
You wove me in my mother’s womb.
14 I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are Your works,
And my soul knows it very well.

200 days

As a math person, it is in my nature to use numbers all the time. A while back I started a countdown (I am very fond of countdowns).

Today marks 200 days until I graduate with my Masters degree in Mathematics!!!

I am so excited to be close to accomplishing this goal in my life!

This road hasn't been easy. And I am beginning to experience what most call senioritis. I am tired, worn out, and weary. The Lord knows our every thought and need and he has blessed me in many ways already this week.

It is a beautiful thing to be able to discuss the Lord, reading the bible, or just reading devotionals with the one you love. To share a true bond like this has blessed me beyond imagination.

And, just as God knows exactly what we need, I leave you with a segment of today's Girlfriends in God devotional.

Rest

Refreshment

Rest

Refreshment

Reflection

Response

Reflection

Redirection

Reinforcement

Girlfriend, exhaustion is epidemic among us gals. I tell you what… let’s talk more about this tomorrow. For today, just rest in knowing that God has a plan for your life and that He loves you dearly!

Let’s Pray

Dear Lord, I’ll admit, I’m tired today. I need the refreshment that only You can give. Send the Holy Spirit to reinforce my spirit today! I am expecting His energizing force! Help me to reflect on You and Your goodness all day long.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

I pray today that the Lord would fill your cup, and mine, to overflowing. To bless us beyond our imagination. To use His strength to carry us through the trials and snares of the life. Lead us and guide us oh God. Show us your way, and teach us to walk in it! Make our paths straight oh Lord!! Help us to not stray from You. ~Amen

A new person!

I totally feel like a NEW person! Last week I was able to attend the class that my Associtate Manager teaches on Thursday nights. He is teaching a management/leadership course here at the Capstone and I was curious to see what his teaching style was like. It was very interesting and fun.. I know, going to class on my free night isn't what you would call fun... but I had fun. HAHA! He also invited me to come to his house on Monday nights, he and his wife host the college students from their church and they have dinner and fellowship every Monday. I was so excited to receive an invitation and I hope that I am actually able to attend!

This week I have been able to go grocery shopping, run a few errands, fill prescriptions and just have an overall had a calmer, better, week. I had a test this week so I only had to study and do one set of homework for next week. Thankfully I was determined to be productive and to have a great week, especially after such a great weekend at home! I got all of my homework done and I feel great about my test! Hopefully I will get to see my grade today!
I have honestly been shocked and astonished when I have gotten home before midnight! I have been able to go to bed by ten o'clock! If you know me well, you know that this is a big deal for me!

I was also very fortunate to be able to go to church last night, Wednesday. I haven't been able to make it to church on Wednesday's because I have always been studying... So I was really excited to go! Man, did I receive a blessing! God is truly in the midst of the ministry at Ridgecrest and I am so excited that God has brought me here to grow. The longer I live here and work here the more I believe that Tuscaloosa is 'God's Country' and not just for football. ;)

This weekend I am staying in Tuscaloosa, I am going to clean and rest and I am really honestly excited about it. Friday night I am going to wrap shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child with my college group at church. It is going to be a fun night of service, fellowship and rejuvenation! And I can't believe I am going to be able to do something FUN on a Friday night! haha!