Severe Sunburns & lack of Sleep on the Frontline

So, my college church group had our first retreat this weekend for our new guys entering into Frontline. :) It was a lot of fun- we got to watch a movie at our house, spend the next day at the Compton's swimming and having bible study, then at the Monaghen's to end the night. It was a really great weekend beside the severe sun burns involved- poor Jake- his has to be the worst. But aside from the aches, the weekend was amazing and God really touched all of us in our walks with Him. I loved this weekend and couldn't have imagine a better way to spend time with Frontline and with my Father. :) God is truly amazing...

Anyway, I hope all the incoming "freshman" into college had fun and enjoyed our little wacky group. I can't wait until our next event! But here are some pictures (thanks to Ms. Monaghen) of our retreat!


Bible Study time!




Swimming and getting burnt ;)

Brittani & me on Daniel's awesome waterslide!
*I was a little scared to go on it*

My Crazy Youth Group

I've always loved my church's youth group, and I know I'm a little biased cause my parents are the youth leaders ;) but it's still amazing the hearts that those kids have. What's even more amazing is that they now have a monthly NEWS video they film and here's the link to their very first one! :) Goofy goofy kids.... You have to take a look because we worked so hard on it and it's hilarious!!

IMPACT YOUTH VIDEO


Also, we had WHATEVER WEDNESDAY tonight and it was great- I actually got to participate as well, and here's some pictures that Brittani took:

Brittani stuck a leaf to my head, right before Ryan licked one and stuck it on (yuck)



Ryan tried to stick one on Brittani too- and didn't succeed.


Still playing with the marshmallows :P

Home Sweet Home

So, I'm finally home! Sarah and I had a flight out of Nashville at around 1:00 this afternoon, but then our flight was delayed *boo!* and we didn't actually leave until around 2:30 and got home around 4:00. Anyway, I had a blast at The Gathering and with Sarah all weekend and I really want to go back next year.
Now, for a re-cap: Saturday morning Sarah and I woke up SUPER early and got a cab (now, this is where it gets interesting). So, our cab driver kept asking us how to get where we were going (a place called The Factory in Franklin). That's right- the driver was asking us for directions. Ok, so I don't get out much, I know that, but aren't cab drivers supposed to be the ones who know the directions, and not the passengers? So, we made it to the Gathering and we were safe... annoyed, but safe. And then the day began, and lasted until around 9:30 at night when I finally got my book signed by Ted Dekker! (who must gave been exhausted at this point) And then another great adventure of getting back to the hotel began! :) We waited for our cab (because the cab company was terrible) for an hour or so, and finally, three or four phone calls to the cab company later, we were safe and sound inside a cab and headed back to the hotel. Sunday, we woke up, ate, took a shuttle to the airport in Nashville, and sat for 4 hours while our flight kept getting delayed. BUT, now we're home! And happy! :)

Hotel California...in Tennessee

So, Sarah and I landed in Nashville today at around noon and took a shuttle to Franklin. Once we got to our hotel which is called the Ramada, we were all excited because it was tucked out of the way near some trees, which meant it would be quiet. What we didn't realize is that it was a little too quiet...for example, Sarah and I have been here for a little over 7 hours, and all we've seen is Jan, the lady at the front desk and the pizza guy that we called. So, our window overlooks the parking lot- which is empty.

Anybody else thinking of the song Hotel California? Cause I certainly am... I want to call random room numbers to see if anyone picks up, but Sarah won't let me.

Girls Night

So, I got to finally spend some time with Lindsay after canceling maybe 5 or 6 times. lol I had a blast! :) We got to hang out, and mostly talk, watch movies and get extremely sunburnt! I love talking with her and remembering all of the crazy jokes we've had since elementary school :)

Today is the Day

So, I haven't written on this blog in a few days, and I thought an update might be nice. I finished my finals on Wednesday afternoon, and then Thursday night, I found out that I passed my science class! :) Now, I'm just waiting for my Math grade to see if I passed the class. I also decided not to do summer school, and instead I'm going to take a larger class load in the fall. The good news is that I am done by Wednesdays next semester! :)

So, I've been spending the first few days of my summer being a sub or watching movies with Katie, which is what I'm doing right now. I've had a very long weekend and I'm glad it's finally over, so for now, I'm just trying to relax and enjoy my summer vacation! :)

Suddenly

"Sometimes it's in an instant
Sometimes we wait for years
But it comes down to the moment when faith eclipses fear
Your wandering is over
The other side is real
You've broken through
Your mountain moved
And mercy is revealed
His mercy is revealed"

~TobyMac "Suddenly"

Summer Has Begun!

This week has probably been one of the most stressful times of my life so far- I never thought school could be so hard. However, I am now a senior at Texas Woman's, and I passed my Earth Science final with an 86 and got a C in the class!!!!!!!!!! So so happy!



Now my stress-free summer can begin...starting with me going to bed.

Finals Countdown

So, I am taking five classes and I have two of my finals this week, but guess what? Those two are for the same class! No, I'm not joking. Why would I joke about something like that? But, in spite of those gross finals, I also have a reprieve- in one of my math classes (the one I'm passing), I have a high enough grade that I don't have to take the final. :) :) :) As you can see, I'm very happy about this. But then, I had more good news- my EDUC 2003 final- it's open book/notes. And guess who hasn't sold her books back yet? ME! :) :) :) Now I have three classes to worry about.

Schedule:

Thursday, May 7th- Reading Finals (1 & 2)
Monday May 11th- EDUC 2003 Final
Earth Science Final
Tuesday May 12th- Math Concepts I Final

Oh, wait- and then I'm DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Walkathon, Finals, Storms, and Pulse

This semester has to have been my hardest, including this weekend, but it was definitely worth it. It was long, but good- Friday I went walking with my mom on the trail being used for the walkathon, and then Saturday morning, we had our actual walkathon, then we went home, trying to beat the storms, got ready, and went off to the church to practice for Pulse! It was so much fun, and even with the pouring rain and freakishly bad storms that hit right around the time it was ending, I think we had a good group there. :) After surviving those storms, and making it back to campus in one piece, now I have to tackle finals. Should be a piece of cake, right? ;)

3 miles

So, today I had an orthodontist appointment, and shortly afterwards, I left with my mom to walk the trail at Bear Creek Park for three miles to mark out the Youth's Walkathon for tomorrow morning. Whew! I'm so tired!! I loved it though, and I can't wait for tomorrow! Pray that I don't faint! :) And for Pulse, which is also tomorrow night- Talent Night @ 7 pm- at the church!!

Heart attacks should not happen to 20 year olds

I always thought college would be hard, but the class work, not the "getting out of here and graduating" part. Do you know what I mean? I'm struggling with a few teachers, having an absent faculty advisor, and now I just got an e-mail explaining that I need to register for my student teaching by September. Huh. Well, it would've been nice if someone had told me that, right? Whew. I just want to leave with a degree by December 2010! Is that too much to ask?

TWU= high blood pressure

So, I called the Education Department this morning, and after a few minutes of speaking with an unpleasant secretary, I was finally able to speak with the lady who left that stressful voicemail for me. It turns out, she was worried because I was registered for Sociology and she didn't understand why- when I explained that it was to fulfill a Global Perspective credit, she told me that the class I was waitlisted for (History) is now fulfilling a Global Perspective, and not only that, but one person had dropped this morning and I was now the 2nd person on the waitlist. So... my complete breakdown this weekend was completely uncalled for, and could have been prevented if people could learn to be a little more informative when leaving a message for someone. Red flags= chaos. Clarity= a happy day for Cassie.

One of those days

Today has just not been my day. Preceded by Saturday not being my day, as well as possibly Friday and the entire week before that. And frankly, I just don't understand it. I've had so many obstacles to overcome this past year and I finally get to this place where I'm focused and working towards something, just for something else to throw me off. I'm running out of stuff to do that will go right, and it's bad enough that school was my last ditch effort at having something in my life to do right now, and now I'm just sort of standing still with no idea why God is allowing this or what He expects me to do about it. It's just been one of those days...

Red Flags and other kinds of crap

After a very long, unusual and hard week this week- what with my schedule conflicts, changing schools (again) and my sickness thing- I expected this weekend to be a little calmer since I had finished most of my homework and I was finally in a good place with school and registration. Then I get a call from TWU, saying they looked at my file for the Summer and Fall classes I've registered for and that it "raised a red flag" and I needed to call them back ASAP. Have I mentioned how much I absolutely love TWU????? Have I?!

Pitiful Pityriasis

So, I know this will not come as a shock to anyone- but I am sick again. This time it isn't some sort of throat infection, which I guess means I'm moving up in the world! No, this time it is a lovely skin thing (I hate the word rash, so I'll be a little vague and mysterious) called pityriasis rosea. Or as my mom likes to call it- "pitiful" and "rosy" because I have little rose-colored spots all over me like chicken pox. It lasts for 6-10 weeks, if not more. Hmmmm...maybe I'll look cute as a dalmation... who knows?

Apparently I'm a heathen...

So, I post these pictures of Lance's going away party and I get this message an hour later from myspace informing me they had to delete one or more of my images because they were considered "sexually inappropriate". Yeah- me. That's right- I am apparently, in the eyes of myspace, a heathen. Here's my question- if my pictures of a church youth group party are "inappropriate" then what do they label their myspace ads as? Interesting...

The art and beauty that is the Pro-Con List- mixed with a little stubborness

This week, which is not even half over, has been one of the most confusing, irritating, emotional weeks of my life- which is saying something. (The emotional part, anyway) So, after much prayer, a few interesting meetings, and a wonderful Pro and Con list (if it worked for Rory, it can work for me!), I am now registered for Fall 2009 at Texas Woman's University. Shocked? Yeah, me too.
After looking at my degree plan versus the UNT degree plan for Elementary Education, I decided to walk in without an appointment to the Department of Teacher Ed and see where their advice would get me. Well, I had a meeting with a gentleman who I hope I never have to speak with again,who-very kindly, mind you- informed me that my graduation goal and the plans I had to take my EDUC courses this fall (the all important teacher classes that morph me into a teacher) were, in his wonderful words "unrealistic". I promise you, if I hear that word again, I will scream very loudly and bang my head against a wall. Any wall. I spent over an hour in a meeting with this man and walked away miserable and crying when he told me I would have to change my certification because "no district anywhere but the panhandle would hire you because of your certification for only EC-4". These are my thoughts: Really? Then why does your department have that as the only generalist certification for elementary ed? Hmmmm?
After calming down, and feverishly attacking my current degree plan and the search system for registering for class, I found some options involving two summer courses, one of which was with a professor of mine who happens to be my favorite teacher. I e-mailed him, told him my problems, asked if I could register for his class, even though I'd be out of the state for the youth trip for three days of the summer course and he said sure. And that's all it took for me to wake up at 7 this morning, march down to the Education department, and ask for permission to speak with someone.
I know this is long, but stay with me- I couldn't register online because it wasn't acknowledging my admittance to the Teacher Education program because they are counting my ACT scores as my THEA entrance because the scores were high enough. The secretary tells me over the phone that it's no problem, I just have to add the course manually by coming down and getting an advisor to sign off on my request. So, I walk in at 7:45 where another secretary asks what I want, I tell her and she stares at me and says the advisors do not come in until 8, when I said I knew that, and I'd wait, she tried to get me to come back later, but since there was only one spot left for one of these EDUC classes, I told her I had brought a book, sat down and said "I'll wait."
We're nearing the end, I promise! Finally, a wonderful Christian woman came and said she's sign off, but she needed to look at my file first. She found all of my information, signed off, and put me into the program. I then ran to the Registar's office and enrolled in the EDUC classes the other man said were "premature" and "unrealistic".
All I can say is God was definitely watching over me this week, and I have never been more thankful for His guidance, and the wonderful stubborness He gave me when I was born. :)

I am now graduating in December 2010, in which I will have just turned 21 years old! I wonder what that man would say now?

Ode to Benadryl

It's amazing to me that I'm nearly 20 years old and Benadryl still knocks me off of my feet with one dose. What is even more amazing is my intelligence in taking said Benadryl right before I sit down to write a paper for one of my more serious classes. Strike one for Cassie. Let's hope I don't make any other dumb decisions before I fall asleep tonight, or I could be in serious trouble...

Correction:

25 Days until my summer begins!

Bowling and Backstreet Boys

So, I went bowling today with the youth group and I forgot how much fun it is! I told Brittani that for my 20th birthday I need to go to Skate Town and relive all of my childhood birthday parties! :) Last time our youth group went bowling all we ever heard was Britney Spears, but we had a nice surprise when Brittani and I heard a Backstreet Boys song! lol It's so weird hearing those songs from when we were little, and yet I still knew every word. :) So, needless to say, today was fun, but oddly tiring, and I can't believe my weekend is almost gone! I can't wait until summer starts!

School Stuff

Ok, so today I scheduled my transfer orientation at UNT and applied for housing! Woohoo! Only problem is most of the housing was full, so I had to apply for one I wasn't too thrilled about. I have to have a random roommate, and I'm a little nervous about it, to say the least. But, I know it's all in God's hands. I spent the rest of the day with Scully and Sarah, hanging out and watching Voyager- I'm trying to get through all seven seasons by the end of this weekend, but I'm only on Season 5 :( Fun stuff! :)

Homework, homework, homework

Today was one of my busiest out of the whole semester! I had my Schools and Societies class this morning, and my professor brought in a panel of teachers that just made me realize how very little TWU has prepared me so far, and then I had my Math class which I spent building towers with foam counters... yeah, so that part of the day wasn't so busy- but, then I had to set up the video recorder tonight and test Luke on all of the assessments I needed for my Thursday night class. I'm exhausted and I don't even realize why! I also spent most of the day studying for an Earth Science exam, which I'm pretty sure I failed. The life of a college student is not so glamorous...

My first blog

Apparently I've had this account for awhile, but until Katie got one I didn't remember having one! :) So, I'm going to try this out for awhile- I hope you're happy, Sarah!

22 days until my summer begins!