A Happy Coincidence

On Monday at work, we were taking pictures of the summer workers for the bulletin board outside the Admission office.  While we were outside we ran into Kenton (the photographer that takes all of our view book/mailing/promotional stuff).  He was back on campus to photograph students outside because when they were here in April, Carroll’s campus looked less than spectacular in many shades of brown.  So we got to spend the next hour frolicking in the fountain and having a marvelous time!  Now, these are pictures Steph took of the event, but hopefully soon I can get my hands on some of the professional ones, because they looked absolutely splendid.  And one the pictures I am really hoping to get is one with my dear friend Paul, because he so graciously allowed us to tackle him and drop him, gently, into the fountain.  He was such a good sport about it and we were all so thankful he happened to be walking around the corner.

And today will be filled with even more excitement!  Kenton will be back so we all threw together a BBQ in the back of St. Charles and after lunch we are going to go ice blocking down Guad hill!  **Side note**  I have wanted to go ice blocking for the past three years I have been at Carroll, but as luck would have it I just haven’t gone yet.  But today is the day!!  I am looking forward to the rest of today with anticipation of new adventures and a whole lot of laughs.  So . . . 

It was a happy coincidence that we were outside taking pictures when Kenton arrived on campus.

It was a happy coincidence when Paul walked around the corner right when we needed a boy to toss into the water.

And best of all, it was a happy coincidence that this April was particularly drab colored month.   

Bloggity Blog Blog

So, I have been awarded the wonderful opportunity to be one of the Carroll Bloggers this summer. I am super duper excited and so I thought I would share my first :)

I am beyond excited to start blogging this summer . . . and I hope some of you share my enthusiasm for this adventure too!  So, if you want to know the basics, you can look over to the column on the left, right?  Yeah.  Anywho, I’m going to ramble a little about some of my fantastic summer plans, and there’s nothing you can do about it. . . except click the little red x, but don’t do that. . . I’m needy (5 points if you name what TV show that’s from).  But I digress, I will be living and working in good ol’ Helena for most of the summer minus a few hiatuses.  One of those hiatuses being a trip back home for what I’m sure will be a needed break, and to get my new license because I’ll be 21!!

 YIKES!

 You know, the older I get I am more keenly aware of how fast time flies, and before you know it your future is your now and your forever away is right down the road.  As scary as that can be, I can hardly wait.  Ahead lies adventures to be taken and fears to conquered, it is also filled with brand new friends and the occasional tough spot.  I am in the middle of a book that talks about life, and how it seems many times we are taking three steps forward and two steps back.  But if you think about it, that is still one step forward, every day.  I can’t speak for you, but I know for me, that at least one step forward every day is a step towards something great.

Keep moving forward,

Rachel   

Blessings in Disguise

“All great changes are preceded by chaos.” -Deepak Chopra

What a great way to describe my year.  It seems, no, it WAS a year full of chaos and confusion.  While every year has its ups and downs, ebbs and flows, this year in particular always kept me on my toes.   Even though this year had been ridden with particularly difficult times, I have come to hope that all of these trials are blessings in disguise.

   Loneliness has given way to a greater desire to know my Creator, to grow even deeper in relationship with him.  The uncertainty of my summer plans led to new friendships and an opportunity to try something I have never done before.  Therefore I look forward to these blessings in disguise, not because they will be easy by any means, but that I will come out the other side more keenly aware that I am in fact so so blessed.  

One Less Lonely Girl

I just had to tell someone. . . even though this was from a year ago (and I just forgot to post it) I still think it's worth posting.  Sharing a little of my gratitude for my many gifts :) 

I must say. . . Carroll has given me so many blessing over the past two years, but there are those few that I just don't think I could live without.  I am talking about those splendid boys I call some of closest friends.

Looking at the girl to guy ratio at Carroll, it's almost impossible to understand how I was lucky enough to have all you wonderful boys in my life.  And I must say some of my best memories from the last two years have been created while I was with you.  Saint Patrick's Day 2011.  We went on a little adventure to Wendys to get some green frosties.  But one way or another the order got mixed up and we ended up with three free frosties on top of the three we bought. And on our way back to Carroll, we had gotten in the car and I was instructed to hold three of the frosties, probably not the best idea, since I am less than coordinated.  But we went over a bump and one of the frosties jumped right of my hands!!  Now you can choose to believe what happened next, but I am telling you like it happened.  The frosty flew into the air and landed top side up in the cup hold right next to me.  No joke.

Softball Weekend - 2011
It was a most splendid weekend.  I didn't realize just how much I missed the sport!  But what I also didn't realize is the overwhelming amount support I would receive from those amazing boys.  So as you might know, I am less than graceful . . . a lot less.  And really, it was inevitable that I was going to injure myself.  By the third game I had scraped up my leg and twisted my ankle. Oops!  But those boys were there to get me ice and help me back up the stairs to my room.  I am so incredibly thankful to have had the opportunity to become friends with such quality individuals.      

What a Gift

A couple weeks ago, some Carroll students teamed up with Set Free ministries to give out Thanksgiving baskets.  Set Free is a ministry that serves many out of biker gangs, addicts, those in and out of prison, among others.

We started out by praying in Charlies Chapel, it was a marvelous time. Then we went to Set Free to pray and do a little p&w.  Being there, seeing all those people worshiping God, it was a humbling experience.  After we got into groups of four, and headed out to our destinations.  Each of our groups had to have at least one boy in them, due to safety reasons. Which frankly, made the trip that more exciting.   When we drove up to Mackenzie's apartment complex, we were unsure of how to find her door.   Brian, Sam and I walked up to the stairs and stopped the woman walking in.  We asked her where Mackenzie lived, and to our surprise she answered, "I'm Mackenzie."  We handed her the box and told her what it was, she was in complete shock.  When she asked who the box of Thanksgiving wonderfulness was from we simply replied "from someone who cares."  The look of sheer gratitude on her face was one I will never forget.  That day we really made a difference in her life. 

Changing the world isn't hard.  It's the little things that make the most difference.  

Facts

Fact - I have so much homework to do
Fact - I am really bad at keeping up my blog
Fact - thee weeks till Christmas break
Fact -  my room is freakishly Christmasy
Fact - I'm dreading finals week
Fact - looking out my window makes me smile
Fact - I think someone hit the fast forward button on my life
Fact - I really want a wand
Fact - it's time to do homework :(

one more thing - "Excellence belongs to the humble" - Matthew Kelly

to love and be loved

My first blog.  This is exciting.
I must say...my life is quite the adventure, as is yours I presume.  Since I have started college, a lot in my life has changed (don't worry..it was for the better).  And I am very well on my way to becoming exactly who I was supposed to be.  Can I get a woot woot?    Haha...either way, I am very excited for the plans the Big Man Upstairs has for me.  I am also cu-ra-zy excited to share them with you!  Here is a quote I stumbled upon today from a woman whom I admire a great deal.

"We have not come into this world to be numbered; we have been created for a purpose, for great things: to love and be loved."
                                       -Mother Teresa