Let's see... last semester, cap and gown, missions trip, lots of pictures and Crossfit. I think that covers everything...

This is seriously the first time I have had to sit down, breathe and write a blog! I don't even know where to start.

I am in the final process of getting my internship secured. I want so badly to tell you where it's going to be, but I just can't yet. Bummer. I am not saying a word until my contract is officially signed (which will hopefully happen in the next week or two). I can tell you, though, that this internship will allow me to move back home! This year I have been fighting a lot of homesickness, which is funny because I didn't really have much of that my freshman year. Here I am a senior about to go crazy because I want to go home so bad! I guess that says a lot about your family if you're dying to move back home with them, right? I'm one blessed lady, that's for sure!

I wanted to do something a little different this semester since it's my final semester here at ECU. I'm not the greatest at taking pictures, so I decided to take a picture every single day until graduation. I think this is a great way to look back and remember all of the fun times once this whole college thing is finished. Here's a few pictures that I've taken since the semester has started:

When I first got back from Christmas break, Beauty in the Beast was re-released into theatres since 1991 (I was one years old) but this time it was in 3D! So of course I had to see it! My friends Megan and Meredith joined me because they were Disney junkies too! 

These two fellas entertain me during personal finance class. I have known Zack and Bryan for a while now, we both attend the same church and campus ministry. They make learning about money fun. 

Polar Bear Plunge 2012! I love Bianca to death! I'm so glad that she decided to jump with me. The water was a little colder than last year, but hey, if you jump you get a free t-shirt! I'll do just about anything for a free t-shirt. Why? I have no idea. Oh well, one more thing checked off the bucket list!

Dr. Jen from TLC's The Little Couple came and spoke at ECU. She was a very inspiring speaker who really proves that if you dream big, you can accomplish anything! 

I was able to go home a few weeks ago to get some things for my internship worked out and was able to have not one, but two handsome dates! This is my daddy and my little brother and I love them so much! Let's just say my Prince Charming has a whole lot to live up too!

This is one of mine and my roommates favorite things to do! Frozen yogurt makes the world go round in our apartment some weeks. Last night we were able to go out and catch up with our friend, Megan, who I hadn't seen in a while! We were also celebrating Brittany's first clinical working in the NICU. She absolutely loved it! I hope that a door opens for her to work in a NICU once she gets out of school! 

In just a few weeks, I am going on my first missions trip since I was 12 years old. I wanted to take a Ten Days missions trip before I graduated college and this is my chance! I will be traveling with a group of about 20 people to Miami, Florida so help with a church plant and to spread the Gospel on a few college campuses. I am looking forward to seeing all that the Lord is going to do there! Not to mention, this will be my first plane ride! I have been wanting to fly for sometime now, so I am excited that I am finally getting the chance! This will also be my roommate, Brittany's, first missions trip and her first time on a plane! I am excited about the experience she will have and am looking forward to seeing God move in her life in a powerful way!

Yesterday was a big day. I walked into the student store on ECU's campus, signed my name on the "Class of 2012" banner and picked up my cap and gown. It's funny all of the emotions that hit you when you finally have it in your hands. It was a bitter sweet moment and honestly, I was tearing up. As badly as I want to graduate and move on with life, there is a little part of me that wants to stay here forever. I go to the greatest school in the world. I will never forget the memories of my time here. My heart will always be purple and gold! :) 

Since I had success with my boot camp in my hometown, I decided to bring it to ECU! I have been running a lady's boot camp on Saturday mornings and we have been having a blast! These ladies come and work extremely hard and I am proud of them!

Speaking of being proud...

This is my beautiful mother standing outside of Crossfit Indian Trail. That's right, my mom started Crossfit. What does this mean? Well, it means my mom is tougher than your mom. Duh! No, but seriously, I'm extremely excited her for and hope that she continues to enjoy it!

Speaking of Crossfit....

I was in my first "Crossfit Gym Challenge" which is basically a local competition for any crossfitters in the area. I thought it would be a neat experience to go out and see what a competition is really like. 2 words: HARD CORE. It was that hardest yet most fun thing I have ever done! 

Oh, you better believe there are pictures...

(photo credit: Crossfit Tier 1)

This is my deadlifting more weight than I have ever deadlifted before. yay! 135 for 6 reps. I'll take it. Am I glad it's over? Yes. Am I ready to do it again? Yes!

Bar Facing Burpees. Such torturous fun!

Wall climbs? Sure, why not?!

(photo credit: Crossfit Tier 1)

This is everyone who was involved in the competition. They are some seriously strong people! Not only that, but they were all so welcoming. That's one thing that I love about Crossfit: I have yet to meet a jerk. Everyone is so nice and supportive. They will go out of their way to help you learn. It was awesome watching them compete and know that I will be able to get there one day! My goal is to do a gym challenge this time next year and be able to do prescribed weight! 

Garrett and I after the competition. He is the head of ECU Crossfit and possibly the toughest guy I know haha! I wish we could have had more people from ECU Crossfit there, but they weren't able to make it! Hopefully next year there will be a big group- I will certainly drive down to see it! 

I posted about my thoughts on Crossfit a few weeks ago. I believe I was talking about how I was checking it out and wasn't too sure about it yet. Well, let's just say I'm absolutely convinced that it is legit. Every training program has it's flaws and Crossfit certainly comes with them, but I'm not going to sit here and tell anyone not to do it. If there is any ounce of you that wants to try it- go do it! 

Although all of this fitness stuff is fun and can truly become addicting, there is one thing that I try to keep my mind focused on... this body is temporary. Yes, it is the temple of the Lord and needs to be honored and taken care of, but it is more important that my spiritual muscles are trained!

"Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come." 1 Timothy 4:8 Here's a challenge (for you and me both), make physical training an act of worship to God. He is the one that gave you your health and ability to train and you know what? He can take it away. I'm not saying that He is manipulative and will take it away if you do not honor Him. What I'm trying to say is we should show God that we are thankful by doing everything for His glory. This life is not about me. I have to remind myself of that every single day. I'm human, therefore I'm extremely selfish. God, this life belongs to you. I want to honor you in every single way that I can. In the classroom, in the gym, at home and everywhere else I go throughout the day, let it be worship to You!

Gunbrellas and Opportune Moments

It's that time of year where the excitement of the holidays and the stress of school are so thick you can't breathe. Okay, not really, I can breathe just fine and I'm extremely grateful. I think you catch my drift, though! :)

I have a 10 page group proposal and a 30 minute group biomechanics presentation due within a week of each other. I also have 3 finals. It's a lot to think about, but there have been so many things to happen over the last few weeks that have put this all into perspective.

It's no secret that I am student at East Carolina University and that I love my school. Yesterday there was a threat to my university and we went into lockdown for almost 3 hours. I was unaware of this lockdown (sometimes emails delay coming to my phone), so I got up and got ready for school just like any other day. I arrived on campus at about 10:45 to catch the bus for my 11:00 class. I noticed, however, that the buses were in the parking lot, but not letting anyone on or off. So, I decided to sit on the bench and wait for them to figure out whatever was wrong. I'm sitting there by some nice stranger, just talking to him, when my phone goes off. I look at a new email stating that there has been an armed man walking down 5th street, one of the streets that run by campus. I look at the guy and ask him if he had heard about this. He shrugged his shoulders and said, "No." Right after he said that a door opens up from the basketball arena, right behind the bus stop. A girl sticks her head out and says, "you two know the buses aren't coming, right?" I shook my head no. She then said, "we're on lockdown, you may want to come inside." Needless to say, the kind stranger and myself put a pep in our step and got inside quickly. There were many people sitting in the cafe in the arena and I didn't really want to stand up because my legs were awfully sore from the previous day's workout. I found a chair by this older, well dressed man. I had a feeling that he held some high position in the school, but wasn't exactly sure who he was or what he did. So I sat down and started talking to him. We were on our phones trying to collect information from main campus on whether a gunman had been identified. After talking for about an hour, he asks me and a few people at our table what our majors were. I was the only Health Fitness Specialist major sitting at the table. He looks at me and introduces himself as the Dean of HHP (my college). After shaking the shock that I had been talking to the Dean off, I shook his hand and continued our conversation. A guy from my department came up to him and asked him if their meeting was still scheduled with the lock down, the Dean told him that it would still be happening. He then looks at me and invites me to his conference room with a few other students to have pizza and discuss some things. I thought that maybe he was just being nice since the guy mentioned it in front of me, so I didn't think much of it.

Well, after all of the rumors and freak outs of the lock down ended, the police lifted the lock down after finding that the "gunman" was indeed carrying an umbrella. Poor guy, he was just trying to be prepared for the 30% chance of rain yesterday and caused a lock down.

Be careful, folks, "gunbrellas" can be extremely dangerous.

Anyway, after leaving the school that I had been locked in for 3 hours, I decided to go to Target to walk off some stress and of course get a new cardigan ( of course on sale... whoop whoop)!! As I was headed back home from the store, I looked at the clock and it said 2:30. I knew the Dean's meeting was at 3, but I still wasn't convinced that I should go. I wanted to, but I was tired and had group meetings and a workout later in the evening. I drove past his office headed home when I felt the Holy Spirit tell me to turn the car around and go back. I decided being obedient would be best, so I turned the car around, parked and walked towards the Dean's office. I was nervous, I had never been there before and I had no idea what kind of meeting this was. As I walk into the conference room, I look around and see only 4 other students there. The Dean stands up, shakes my hand, greets me by name and says, "I'm so glad that you came, what size shirt do you wear?" I was thinking to myself, "free t-shirt AND free pizza?! Who is this guy?! I try not to eat pizza, but if the Dean says eat pizza... then I'm eating it!" I told him my shirt size and he went to his office to get me one. After we all settled into our seats, he finally explained why we were there (although everyone else knew but me). It turns out that professors nominate 4 students each year to be a part of the Dean's Undergraduate Advisory Board, they meet once a semester to discuss issues and gather ideas to improve the College of Health and Human Performance. I was the only student in that room invited personally by the Dean. My mouth wanted to drop as he explained this to me. In my opinion, this is one of the highest honors to receive as an undergraduate, not only that, but it goes on my resume and I can get a recommendation from the Dean. I can not believe it!!

This just goes to show that ALL things, even a gunbrella man causing a university lock down, works together for the good of those who love God. He knew that I would be in my senior year, about to graduate, looking for more things to put on my resume and God appointed this time for me to meet the Dean. I have been dwelling on the verse in Psalm 27 that declares to wait on the Lord... you will see His goodness! Just wait for the Lord! 

This is just one of the many things that God has shown favor in my life for over the last few months. This is one more thing confirming that I don't have to worry about my future because He is already there and has every single tiny detail planned out. I can be that Proverbs 31 woman that "laughs at the time to come..." because she knows who holds her future. I know who holds my future. I have nothing to worry about.

I never once want to feel ungrateful for the life that I have. I have so many wonderful things in my life that I should never even think for a second about complaining or wishing something was different. I am alive, I am healthy, I am getting a top-notch education and I have an amazing family. Even if I didn't have all of those things, I still have my sweet Savior, who loved me enough to die for me. Even if I were the only person on the earth, He would still die for me. That's crazy to think about, huh? 

The other good news... He holds your future too. Give Jesus your WHOLE heart. He will protect it, cherish it and guide it.

Becoming Set-Apart

One of these days I'll get this whole "updating in a timely manner deal," but that day is not today... and tomorrow isn't looking good either. :D 

Senior year has begun, which mean I am busier than I have ever been! Thank goodness, I have mastered the art of "staying balanced." I've always dreaded having early morning classes. I had one last year and had a lot of trouble getting enough rest. This year I have been getting to bed early, going to class and then working out. It's been great!

One major thing I've done is vow not to eat out for the entire month of September. My roommate and her fiance came up with idea and I decided to join in. It's been a little difficult, because it is one of my favorite things to do. My mommy says I'm high maintenance when it comes to food and I completely agree. It has been so much fun cooking different meals, and I have completely control over what it going into my food... makes it nice and healthy! :)

On a serious note, I started reading a book (I know, shocking). This time it's not a crazy awesome Jesus fictional love story, instead it's a challenging book. 

Leslie Ludy is a christian author who writes books geared towards challenging girls and women to become the Godly women God has set them out to be. I started reading, "Set Apart Femininity" about 3-4 weeks ago. Sadly, I'm only in the middle of chapter 3. There is so much to chew on and think about. I don't think I've been challenged this much spiritually. After going to Harvest Institute, I realize that the calling on my life is high. The Lord has put a desire in my heart to show women what is means to be a true woman. There is so much more to being set-apart than I thought. The book started out talking about the Proverbs 31 woman... a woman that so many women today feel like is unachievable. I'll have to type the whole commentary on it soon, but today I don't have the time. Something that I had never really thought about before (it actually came up during Harvest Institute, but I didn't think about it until I started reading) is that the Proverbs 31 woman did not become that way overnight or when she got married. A Proverbs 31 woman develops throughout a lifetime. It's always a work in progress. I feel like so many girls today (I felt this way once) feel like that are inadequate or unimportant until they become married. Now that I think about it, that's so silly. God has so many things that He wants to do in your life as a single lady. Instead of praying for the right person, become the right person! Let God do what He wants to do in You. I promise, the life He has set out for you is better than anything you have planned or can imagine. Trust Him! He loves you and works everything out for good! 

On a different note... Football season has begun!!!!! 

Not just football... Pirate football! :)

We took on South Carolina last weekend in Bank of America Stadium (home of my favorite NFL team, The Carolina Panthers). It was an exciting game and I thought that we had them during the first half of the game. Unfortunately, we did not come out with a win, but it was a great game! My friend, Daniel Drake, got his first career start as a pirate. It was a very exciting day! He's a linebacker and his hits are almost as big as his love for Jesus (which is waaaayyy big). After a lot of prayer and hard work, it was great seeing him take the field... and because God is amazing, He threw in the honor of receiving scout.com's player of the game! Yay!

It was great to kick off football season with the people I love most! I have the best family, but I hate that my little sister couldn't join us! She's a little young for football games, but one day I will take her to a Pirate football game! 

A first career start deserves a bright neon yellow poster amongst all of the Gamecock fans. Good times!

I love my Pirates! :)

I'd have to say it's been a great start to what I know will be a wonderful school year! God has huge things in store and I am so excited to see all that He wants to teach me!

I'm dreaming of a White Christmas, oh wait, I got one.

So I hate to sound like scrooge, but there are very few things that I dislike more than playing in snow. I like snow, it's pretty, from inside. Today I did brave it for about 45 minutes with some of my family, but with me being allergic to the cold and all (haha), I decided to call it a day and go inside. I did get some great pictures and will post them!

I have really been feeling the Holy Spirit moving in my life over this Christmas break, more so than I have in the last few weeks. I believe one of the things that He was trying to teach me today was the beauty of simplicity. I am a very simple person, but sometimes I take advantage of the extremely simple things. I am one of those people that likes to be on the run constantly. Sitting on the couch doing nothing is an extreme rarity in my life. All day today I sat on the couch with my daddy and brother and watched football all day long. There was not a minute that I wanted to get up and do something else. I just wanted to be there...with them. I was amazed at how blessed I felt sitting on my couch, not saying a word to anyone, but just being there with them, watching the game. I believe sometimes I get so caught up in the things that really do not matter in life and I miss the small important things that I will remember and cherish forever. Thank you, Lord, for blessing me with a family that I do not deserve!!
Christmas was wonderful! Now that everyone is getting older in my house hold, it was nice to sleep in a little on Christmas morning. I woke up about 7 and started to get a little concerned because my little sister, who is 8, had not barged into my room waking me up to open gifts. Finally she came in about 8. She was so excited, so my brother and I got up and went downstairs to meet our parents and memom. We opened gifts and just enjoyed the beautiful Christmas morning! I opened up a BEAUTIFUL ring that my parents bought me instead of a traditional class ring, which I will also post a picture of! This is the last holiday of things being "normal." Emily will be a Bullock next year and I am very excited about that! It was also our first Christmas with the newest grandchild, baby Stella. She is absolutely precious and we are blessed to have her as a beautiful addition to our family!!

I love my mommy :)

the more kids, the better! I am blessed with a big family!

Now that Christmas has passed there are some other important things to look forward too. I'm sure you're thinking, of course...New Years, but my friend, you are WRONG. Thursday, December 29 2010. 2:30 PM ESPN. ECU vs Maryland. That's right...we're going BOWLING. (No, not that kind of bowling). Military Bowl in Washington, DC!! I would love to be at the game, but am unable to attend this year, so I will be throwing a party and rooting for my boys at home. I would love to ECU return to Greenville with a win! They've fought hard and had a crazy season and I am looking forward to watching the big game on Thursday. :) GO PIRATES!!!!

This is right before we beat NC State earlier this season!

Me and my favorite Pirate! I'll be rooting for my brother in Christ, Daniel, on the field Thursday!!

New Years is the next big thing! I am looking forward to seeing what God has in store for me in 2011. It is an extremely big year for me. I'm very nervous but excited to see how much growth God has in store for me. I plan to graduate in December of 2011. Crazy to think that this time next year I could be a college graduate, then it's hopefully continuing my education then I have to be an official big girl in the real world time. Scary stuff! All I have ever known is being a student. Thankfully, I serve an awesome God who has EVERYTHING under control. He is already in my future and knows exactly what's going to happen!!