As some of you may or may not know I’m a Junior this year and I’m excited and enthusiastic about everything: classes, people, trees, you name it I’m excited about it. But I will admit that I am a bit curious or dare I say it afraid of happens from here. I’ve done so much in what to me seems like such a short time like, singing at Carnegie Hall and receiving a standing ovation with the always amazing Troubadours, performing in theatrical productions that drew audiences I’ll never forget, and being able to watch and report on a NU KState basketball game to just name a few events. I believe I can say with great confidence that I love this place and would have regretted going anywhere else.

But above all else I feel prepared for any and everything that may come my way and Newman University has fortified that feeling. So lets get this year started and in the words of one of my favorite viral YouTube videos.

“Alright chumps, Lets do this!  LEEROOOOOOOOOOOOOY! JEEEENKIIINS!!”

Thanks for the read.

Yesterday was my best friend’s birthday and tomorrow is mine!  That’s probably why this is the best week of the year.  I mean I absolutely love Christmas but the weather is so much better in October!  Tonight we are headed to the Halloween Dance on campus.  I’ve yet to decide on a costume… suggestions?

Everyone survived midterms!  At least as far as I know.  Things are as busy as ever yet somehow winding down in the semester… it’s already November (almost)!  This weekend the Sloppy Joe Improv are putting on a Haunted House on campus!  I think that’s awesome!

Anyway, there’s a lot of work to do but I’m staying positive.  What is life without laughter?

My sister’s wedding is in less than two weeks!

~LIVE LAUGH LOVE~

*prayer request: my brother-in-law in the Army is set to deploy to Iraq November 15h.  We would appreciate any prayers for his safety! Thank you!

There is so much to do in three weeks!  Our show, Curtain Up!, is finally on stage; yesterday I had an almost twelve hour rehearsal.  Opening night is Thursday, April 29^th at 7:30 pm in the Performance Hall.  Students get in for only $5, all other adults $8.  Come support the show!  We have so many talented Chorale and Troubadour members that have been working hard all semester for this weekend.  We also have shows on Friday, April 30^th, and Saturday, May 1^st.

Until Saturday night, the musical is pretty much my life.  Late nights and long rehearsals, but it will all be worth it on opening night!  Only after I get through this week can I think about studying for finals (two weeks away), moving my dorm room home (where did I get all this stuff?), or packing for Guatemala (ohmygoodness!).  Time is surely in a crunch!

Our golf season is over; we placed third at the Heartland Conference tournament but unfortunately missed regional rankings by just a couple of spots.  Still, several of our team members were recognized as outstanding players within the conference (and as only freshman)!  The program will surely continue to grow and develop, and we can’t wait to be at nationals in the future.

There seems to be so much going on.  I need more time, but regardless of anything else I WILL be on that plane in exactly three weeks (scared out of my mind).  I think I better review my Spanish.  When shall I find time?

I do believe I just had one of the craziest weekends of my life.  The golf team went down to San Antonio and dealt with several disasters… but we got through it on top and arrived home safe!  Still, I thought it was hilarious that the weather in Texas is apparently even more turbulent than in Kansas.  When we left on Saturday we played in a COLD rain in Oklahoma, drove to Waco and stopped for the night.  On Sunday the weather was absolutely beautiful!  When we got to San Antonio we went straight to the golf course and played our practice round.  It was maybe a high of 76 and clear blue skys?  Then when the sun started to go down it felt like a cool summer evening.  We were so lucky to have June for a day!!!  And believe me, the sun was worth the sunburn!

On Monday morning we got up to play and one of my teammates was really sick.  So the rest of the tournament was the crazy part.  It ended up that we took a team trip to the ER and then our rounds were cancelled on Tuesday due to snow!!!  We had June on Sunday and then snow on Tuesday!  REALLY TEXAS?

So we began the long 11 hour drive back home a little earlier than planned.  The trip was one big disaster but somehow I still had a blast.  I truly do love the sport I play, and our team is like family because we spend so many hours a day with each other.  And I got to see the Riverwalk!  It was so beautiful and we had wonderful Mexican food at Rio Casa!  I do believe that’s what our river developer’s dream was when Wichita began the Waterwalk project downtown, but we haven’t quite gotten there yet.  Maybe some day!

Our choir show is well under way.  It is going to be a ton of work but hopefully fantastic in the end!  I was given the blonde romantic lead, and am excited to put on another show!  We’re singing all sorts of awesome Broadway music.  Some of the songs are really well known and famous (Wicked medley, Les Mis finale, some Jersey Boys?), but some are new even to me!  I’ve already fallen in love with them (so I think you will too).  Plan to see the show!  We’re performing April 29th, 30th, and May 1st.

This weekend the Troubadours are performing an Ecumenical Peace Concert on Sunday.  All faiths are welcome!  It’s going to be a nice mix of “peace” songs and classic choral music.

The forecast says we might get some more snow.  PLEASE no more snow!  We’ve had so much already and I am ready for warmth!

“When the day is filled with shadows that stretch into the night I am filled with your sweet comfort like morning fills with light.  I will never leave you I will never go away we were meant to share each moment beside you is where I will stay.  Evermore and always we’ll be one though we’re two.  For I will never never leave you.”

~”I will Never Leave You” from the musical Side Show~

I guess I fit in well around the Admissions Office.  I happen to have a twin here, Louise from Sweden.  We’re basically living the same life at the moment (which is cool and weird at the same time).  GOLF GOLF GOLF.  Last semester we began spending hours a day together due to our Women’s Golf team.  Now we are both Student Ambassadors, have an interest in business communication, are enrolled in a class on the history of coffee (which ironically meets this afternoon), and never get enough sleep.

Louise isn’t the only reason I fit into the office!  When I moved to Newman last August, I met a freshman boy with five names.  It took me several weeks to figure out what they all were, and he would kill me if I published them on the internet.  Still, Raymond Apollo Williams has been a very close friend for several months now.  So I suppose I was destined to end up here?

I have class in 10 minutes.  We have a shortened schedule today because of the annual Ecumenical Prayer Service. After some investigation, I learned that the name simply means a prayer service of all faiths.  I plan on attending and love how my school is Catholic based!

That’s all I have time for this morning.  Have a wonderful day!