Happy.

Tonight, my sister was teasing me about how giggly I’ve been lately (and sometimes, down in the dumps on rainy days). She insists it’s because of a boy that I may or may not have a crush on, but what she doesn’t realize is that, these days, my entire life makes me happy.

My new job is going swimmingly – I love it! Next week, I have been ensured more hours since I have a mediocre 8 this week. I am honestly disappointed in my lack of hours this week, because I actually like working. Sometimes I feel like a little girl having too much fun on the cash registers, because I love it so much. It’s great, and I can’t wait to spend more time working next week.

Another highlight of my life at the moment is the fact that I will (finally) be finishing up my study abroad project this week! Hooray!! It is coming together quite well, just so you know. I have a feeling I will be very proud of the finished product. I am still amazed that it has now been a month since we returned from Europe; most days, it still feels like a dream.

This past weekend, my best friend from high school got married, and the happy couple is celebrating on their honeymoon as we speak. I am so happy for her, because she has truly found the right guy for her. Plus, it was a beautiful wedding and reception. I am honored to have been part of the wedding party and to have made some awesome new friends!

This summer also finds me dancing again! I’ve realized that dance is an inescapable part of me and that resistance is futile. So I have joined a local dance team that performs at semi-pro football games during the summer. The girls are fantastic dancers and were kind enough to let me join them. Practice feels so good, even if I am super sore the next day. Who knows, maybe I’ll get back in shape this summer!

Summer is also allowing me the opportunity to grow in ways I never could have imagined. Last year, I experienced the greatest form of forgiveness and consequently realized there are many people in my life to whom I owe forgiveness. Holding on to those grudges has only led to misery; letting go of that pain is a rush of freedom. Facing those memories again isn’t an easy task, but opening my heart up to forgiveness (on both sides) allows healing.

It feels like this summer is a time for me to start fresh. There are new people in my life, and this time, I want to do things differently. Already these relationships are founded in something more unyielding, longer lasting. I am growing in my spirituality and feel a renewed strength in my faith each day. This summer has been so refreshing for me – I feel more like myself than ever.

So, that is why I am so happy.


A beautiful bride and her bridesmaids (minus one) on her wedding day!

Days Since Europe

After one of my most productive days all summer, I feel super inspired to write a blog. The problem is, I really have nothing significant to write about, except what I’ve been doing in the days since Europe. You see, now that I’ve been to Europe, it’s all I can think about. How incredible my trip was, when I can (hopefully) go back, how soon I can print pictures… Besides that, having been to Europe suddenly gives you something in common with a LOT more people in the world. It’s been incredible. All I have to do is mention my trip and off they go: where they went in Europe, how long they were gone, what they saw, and what they wished they had seen. It’s not like I am annoyed by it, really; actually, I find it quite interesting. Who would have thought that something like a similar vacation (or study abroad) spot would yield so many conversations?

What I’ve been up to since Europe revolves around two things: my best friend from high school’s wedding and the studio’s dance recital. As soon as I got home, I was sucked into bridal shower planning, which is awesome because I have met so many incredible young women through this process. Seriously, by the time vows are said at this wedding, these girls and I will be forever friends.

I was also immediately recruited to help with dance recital, mainly because I want to teach classes at the studio this summer. What I wasn’t planning on was being drafted into three numbers of the performance! So I quickly choreographed a dance, learned another, and pulled a third from my long-term memory. This week has been full of rehearsals, since the recital is this weekend. Honestly, I am looking forward to it, since I’ve missed spending time with the little ones and dancing with them. And guess who’s teaching this summer? That’s right, this girl has a clogging and tap class PLUS a ballroom and swing class! Yes!

My productivity today started off right when I received a job offer first thing this morning – finally! Then I had a successful shopping trip for last-minute recital costumes. My evening has been spent working on my individual project for our study abroad class (told you Europe has completely consumed me!). It is coming along quite nicely, though I am looking forward to having it all done.

Tomorrow, my sister finishes middle school with an 8th grade Graduation ceremony. It’s hard to believe she will be going to high school in the fall. I am so very proud of her though. They say you follow in the footsteps of your siblings, but Jessica has far surpassed me already! Her intelligence, leadership skills, and initiative never cease to amaze me.

The process of writing out my busy schedule has shown me how much this summer already holds for me. Add Europe to the mix and the mystery of the next two months, and I have a feeling this will truly be a summer to remember…

Coming Home

We arrived home in the United States this past weekend. Flying from Charles de Gaulle to JFK to Indianapolis and then driving two hours to my house made for quite a day – 24 hours in fact. To make matters more interesting, my suitcase disappeared when we arrived in New York. It was quite the ordeal and I would have been a mess had it not been for some of my supportive classmates. They helped me figure out what to do and who to talk to. And they stuck with me when we found out a girl from Manhattan accidentally picked it up and took it home with her.

It took a couple days and a lot of hassle, but my suitcase finally showed up on our doorstep yesterday afternoon. After much celebration, I was able to unpack and get settled at home again. I had a lot of fun presenting my family with their gifts too. My sister received a purse from London, my dad a coffee mug from Paris, and my mom a pair of earrings from Kensington Palace in London.

When I had a chance, I transferred my photos to my computer and discovered a grand total of 1,798 photos. And that doesn’t include the ones I often took with Ashley’s camera when mine was inaccessible. Needless to say, it is going to take awhile to sort through and upload the best of the best. I will update past blogs with photos soon!

Another part of coming home is finishing our projects. As I said before, each of us has an individual project to work on for our study abroad class. One of my classmates, Austin Hostetter, kept a blog throughout our trip as part of his project - check it out here! Now that we are back in the U.S. we are responsible for finishing those, as well as other assignments, in the next month. Aside from recovering from jet lag, I am going to be a busy bee!

I finally realized the other day that summer has officially arrived for me. Hooray! This also means I need to be finding a job. My luck up until this point has not been so good, but I think that had a lot to do with the fact that I would be gone for two weeks. Now that I am super available, perhaps my luck will improve! The next month will also be exciting because one of my best friends from high school is getting married, and I’m a bridesmaid! Now that I’m home, I can help more with the wedding plans. So exciting!

I hope your days are going well as you wrap up the end of your school year or high school career. I wish you all the best of luck, and as always, feel free to ask me any questions you have about Ball State!

Cheers!

Finally

My roommate, Becca, got a calendar for me at Christmas that has the Eiffel Tower on it. The French script on the cover reads “Nous irons dimanche,” which translates to “We will go Sunday.” Every day it gets closer and closer to Sunday, May 8th I cannot stop thinking,
“Nous irons dimanche…”

For those of you who don’t already know, this Sunday I will be leaving for Europe on a two-week field study. Yes, Europe. FINALLY!!!!! I’ll be going with the Miller College of Business from Ball State. We will spend the two weeks travelling between Rome, London, and Paris. I have a feeling this is going to be the most amazing two weeks of my life.

It’s not all fun and games though. We each have individual projects to work on while we are there, because we are getting course credit for the trip. Our group has been meeting all semester (a mostly great group of honors business students, I’ll have you know) in preparation for the trip. We are also going to be visiting local businesses in each city, which is an excellent opportunity to observe international business.

For me, though, it is mostly fun – even with my project. My idea is to focus on entrepreneurship in Europe, specifically dance studios in London. This is so interesting to me, because it is so relevant to my major and plans for my future. I’m especially excited to be immersed in my major so early; I can’t wait to share my final project with you!

Also, I’ve officially finished my freshman year of college! My last finals and move out were on Wednesday. It’s nice to be home, if only for a few days before jetting off to Europe. Be on the lookout for new posts the next couple weeks. Yours truly has been asked to continue blogging this summer and next year, as well! I am looking forward to continue sharing my college experience with you!!