The most wonderful time of the year too...

August has not only always meant my birthday...but it has always meant back to school. It's a time of year that I have always looked forward to...

 

Buying back to school supplies, picking out new patterns and colors, buying new clothes and wondering who would look different and what would be different. The excitement, the anticipation. Wondering what this year would hold. What new things, new adventures, new memories, new experiences would await you.

 For the majority of my life, January was not the beginning of the new year. August was.

That is why I love working in a school setting. Our Campbell years are marked from August to May - with an exciting time of preparation and anticipation, quiet and chaos in the middle. And now it's back to school time, and I'm excited.

Every year, I feel like the next school year will be the best yet. We've made adjustments. We've explored new ideas. We have new events and initiatives in place. And campus is filled with new students - just starting out. Their future at Campbell is a blank slate. They will meet best friends, husbands, discover their dreams, and make a million memories.

Last week the faculty came back, and our days were filled with lunch gatherings, encouraging presentations, and meetings to discuss the upcoming year. I loved the busy-ness, the noise, the excitement. It was good to see life breathed back into Buies Creek.

And my students started dropping in again...to talk about their summer, their adventures, their job searches and plans. I love every moment that I get to share their heart and share their dreams.

Tomorrow will be the culmination of our back to school days. Mini-Orientation and advisement, training and lunch with my wonderful ambassadors, department meetings, the president's picnic, and then the street fair. Chaos. Excitement. Fellowship. Planning. Advising. Looking forward. I've been anticipating it for weeks!

So I look forward. To new events. To a new group of students to reach out to, encourage, bless. To new programs and a new communication plan. To new adventures and memories.

Happy New Year!

Why I love my job today...

I love my job for many many reasons, but I want to talk a little bit about why I love my job today.

I am currently in the midst of Orientation preparation. Orientation is the pinnacle event of the year. It's the welcoming party to the next group of Campbell students. Every year, I get to touch hundreds of students' lives in a very small way - by encouraging them and helping them come to Campbell, a place that I believe in, to get a wonderful education from amazing faculty. It's true that, as dozens of files come across my desk, I don't always have time to give them individual thought. But I try my best not to touch hundreds of students...but to touch one student at a time.

Each student is a person - a life that I have the opportunity to encourage and reach out to. All of these students have goals. Friends. Family. A past. They have dreams and a future - and I get excited wondering what that future might be and what part Campbell will play in that. Will they become a lawyer or a doctor? Will they play sports or be in theatre? Will they meet their bridesmaids or their groom?
When talking with these kids, I try to get to know their heart and respond to them as an individual. Some need reassurance. Some need you to be excited with them. Some need you to be firm. Some don't have a clue and need direction. Some need a break from their parents. Some need comfort. Some need laughter. I am so blessed as I meet these families and get to know these students. And they constantly surprise me and remind me of why I'm there.

Today I called about 100 students to encourage them to register for Orientation. Most didn't answer. Some had encouraging answering machines with a chorus of voices or a genuine "God bless". Some answered and seemed uninterested or distracted. But there are two who answered that embody why I love my job.

1. A mom of one of our future students answered the phone on the last ring. With a lighthearted laughter in her voice, she explained that she had rushed over. She was making chocolate chip pancakes with her kids. She was so sweet and genuine, and we talked for a little while. She represents so many of the families that I am blessed to meet. Sure, there are a lot of broken families. Struggling families. Indifferent families. But I love when I meet that family that connects with my heart. The country accents, the outgoing stories, the kind smiles, the curious questions and excitement. And I am reminded of one of the reasons I love my job...I love my job because of moms who still cook pancakes with their kids.

2. I was in the process of leaving a message when a guy answers the phone. He has a curious eagerness in his voice, as he assures me that he is in the process of registering. He asks if he should stay on campus the night of Orientation, and we talk about it. I can hear his excitement as we discuss the activities of Orientation -  how much he is looking forward to this new experience. I love that. He tells me that he is sending in his medical forms and wants to make sure that everything else is in. He's working this summer, but is doing his best to send us everything that we need. I tell him I am proud of him, because I am. He is eager and excited for college. And he is taking responsibility and working hard. He gives me hope.

I am excited to meet my students in a little over a week, and welcome them to the next chapter of their lives (Whitney and I roomed at Orientation - good memory. Derrick and I met at Orientation...and it all began).

And that is why I love my job today.

Coffee and High Heels

I have fallen short on my daily entries...

I remember being in middle and high school and daydreaming about what it would be like to have a professional job, a career. Those daydreams were filled with the sound of rushed high heels walking on hard floors with places to go and people to see and the smell of coffee in hand. Images of hurried phone calls, quick typing, and arms full of important paperwork. Business meetings and presentations. Doing lunch. "I have a presentation in the morning to go over the new cover pages", "I'll fax that to you as soon as possible," and "Let me me look over the files, make some changes and get back to you."...all seemed to be the jargon that filled my mind. Ahhh...daydreams.


This morning I gave in and stopped at McDonalds to get my small caramal frappe with no whipped cream. I wore my grey suede boots, which make an important noise as the 2.5 inch heels hit the floor.
 I came in and went to work finalizing the layout for a booklet I've been working on. It's the largest print project that CAS has done; and, since it is my creation, I am very excited to see the printed product. I met with our graphic designer to go over the layout and format of the booklet. After that I popped in our web guy's office to go over event registration and then discussed the frustrating aspects of departmental brochures with another colleague.

Once back in my office, I quickly looked over our Psychology and Socialwork brochures - deleting comments and making the changes so that we can get those printed as soon as possible. Then I edited the quotes for the booklet and sent the revisions to Jonathan to be changed. I remembered that I needed to send in several requisitions for supplies and projects, so I quickly filled out that information.

This past weekend I met a wonderful young lady at our scholarship competition - she's interested in being a wedding planner and has a passion for video - so I typed an email to her, giving her information and encouraging her. After that, I drafted our deposited student newsletter - which goes out monthly to our future CAS students.

*Breathe*

On my lunch break I did make an effort to go to Walmart to look for Valentine's Day stuff. A long line and the desire to save money stopped me from buying anything. This year I will go sentimental - which is much better for Valentine's Day anyways.

Back to the office - where I wrote thank you cards to each of the students that I interviewed this past weekend. What a blessing it is to have such great students considering their future at Campbell! It's a great place to be!

And in the midst of all of that...I realized that I'm exactly where I dreamt of being. I am the woman I used to dream about. My life is beyond blessed. How awesome is it when you get to live your dreams coming true! I mean, who can ask for more than coffee and high heels...

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD,

"plans to prosper you and not to harm you,

 plans to give you hope and a future.

Abundant Joy and Thanks!

I am so thankful for so many things. It would take a novel of pages to express the gratitude that my heart feels. I owe it to God's everlasting mercy to try to share a little bit of my heart and my appreciation in the form of words on a page.

I have grown up in a wonderful, loving home. With a father who provided for us above and beyond our needs; more than that, he constantly lets me know he is proud of me. He looks forward to coming home to his family at the end of each day and spending time with us. And he loves my mother and isn't afraid to say so. I am thankful for that. I have grown up in a taken-care-of, beautiful home. With a mother who worked hard to take care of us and be our number one cheerleader. She is always patient with us and has a positive attitude. She is a great example of a wife and mother. She was the contant party-planner and encourager. I am thankful for that. I have grown up in a crazy, fun home. With a brother who was like a best friend. Who was silly with me, understood me, and loved me. I am thankful for that.

I have a big, crazy, dysfunctional family. All of my aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents still live within 15 miles of each other. We spend holidays together. Have lunches together. And are the subject of many memories, joys, laughter, headaches, frustrations, and happy times in each other's lives. We are a crazy family. An old-fashion family. A supportive family. I am thankful for that.

I have a group of amazing, godly, encouraging friends who have been in my life, on average, a decade. It’s wonderful when you have a group of girls that you grew up with, dreamed with, laughed with, and made memories with…and now I get to witness them as they become who they always dreamed about being, embracing the future we often wondered about. What would our jobs be? Who would we marry? What did God have planned for our future? We’re there now. Living the future that, as 15 year olds, we stayed up late dreaming about.

Why were we the ones that stuck together? Why are these girls still so woven into my heart that I can't imagine my life (past, present, or future) without them? How does it work out that we only see each other 2-5 times a year, and yet our hearts stay connected as if we never left. Sure, we're growing up and, in a way, growing apart. We don't share every memory anymore. We aren't each other's primary source of laughter and comfort. Yet, we are such an amazing part of each other's lives. And over the past decade, we have made more memories and taught each other more than probably anyone else. Yay for lingerie shower # 3, # 4 is right around the corner :) I am thankful for that.

I have a wonderful, dream job that only God could have planned for. A year ago I was working at a wedding dress shop, struggling to have a positive attitude amidst the chaos. Then I planned to do Public Relations for a bakery in Apex, which would have me working chaotic hours and driving through traffic to get to a negative work atmosphere. I cried when I graduated from Campbell because I didn't want to leave. I thought the future seemed scary...When I heard, through a God-thing, about the job at Campbell, I couldn't get it off my mind. Maybe it was my answer. Maybe. I felt like if I applied then I would get it (not being vain, I just had a feeling). That was my fear. If I applied and got it then I would actually have to do the job. Was I old enough? Mature enough? Here I am. Working an amazing dream job at a place that I've always loved. Working with encouraging people who share my faith and passion. I have a wonderful boss and work family - and I am blessed with the freedom to be creative, innovative, and make a difference in the lives of students. God's plans are so much better than anything we could imagine or achieve on our own. I am thankful for that.

I have my dream guy who is constantly making me smile. Isn't it crazy to realize that Derrick was six miles away growing up? Ten miles down the road all during school. And in the next seat over the first two years of college. Yet, God worked it out so that Junior year of college I realized God had a better plan for me than the one I was currently choosing. God had a man who already made me laugh, challenged me, comforted me, made me roll my eyes, and made me smile...and God was going to allow him to become the hero in my love story. A last minute Christmas party that Derrick wasn't even supposed to be invited to changed everything. And I am so glad it did. Now I am blessed with a man I can be silly with, talk with, laugh with, have a future with. We're not perfect, but we're pretty perfect for each other. I am thankful for that.

What blessings beyond what I deserve! And to think that I have all of that in addition to a bed, air conditioning, a television, the gift of music, legs that walk and eyes that see, a car that has been faithful to get me where I'm going, food when I'm hungry, sweet tea, numerous copies of the bible, a history of godly and well-rounded education, a wonderful church that has accepted me, many families who have welcomed me into their lives, friends, coworkers and acquaintances who warm my heart, a computer to work on, a memory to smile at...and a relationship with a God and Savior who died so that I may live!