Thoughts...

What to say? I've already deleted what I had written twice... I can't seem to organize my thoughts enough to get an actual post together. I guess all I can say at this moment is that this little girl captured my heart when she picked me out of a crowd of people. I looked down and saw her hugging my leg because she was too small to reach my waist and for the rest of the day she stuck to me like glue. When it was time for us to part ways I stood at one end of the street watching her make her way down the street looking back at me over her shoulder. I was already choked up as it was but when someone whispered to me "She doesn't want to leave you either" the tears began to fall. I don't have the capacity to write much more right now... I'm still trying to process everything that I experienced these last nine days and what it now means for me and my life.

 "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." 

Jeremiah 29:11

And time goes by...

Well my first semester of college is officially over. I got back to Philly this afternoon after hanging out in Baltimore for the weekend. I'm looking forward to just relaxing with my nose in a book and mug of tea before heading out next Monday on my next adventure- Guatemala City! I'm going on a vision trip with 6 other people to see the work that is being done down there from the 22-31 of December which means, yes, I'll be gone for Christmas. Believe it or not it's a huge relief to be going. The thought of being here for Christmas is unbearable, why? It not only is the first Christmas without Ben but we had made plans MONTHS ago for him and his brother to be here. I even knew what I was going to buy him, I had had the web page bookmarked for a while and had to delete it because I got tears in my eyes every time I went into my bookmarks. Anyway, I'm very excited about the trip AND I get to add another stamp to my passport who can complain about that?!

iTunes: Be Be Your Love by Rachael Yamagata

Skyline...finally

So, I pretty much have wanted this shot for oh... about four years. After four years of standing on the El train platform waiting for the train home after various sports practices and games looking at the skyline with various cloud patterns or sunsets thinking "Darn it that looks amazing I wish I had my camera with me..." I FINALLY got the picture. I took this over Thanksgiving Break when I was back in Philly and went down to see my high school's girls basketball team practice and when I got off the train and looked over at the skyline I finally pulled out my camera and clicked away taking pictures of the skyline on one side of the platform and the Delaware River on the other side. It was good to be back in a city. I'm still not used to the small town thing down here... I'm not used to the whole "Town Mall" being the cool place to hang out with its food court and Boscovs rather than "Downtown." My friends from high school were laughing at me when we were hanging out over break when I went on a rant about how the town I live in manages to have 3 grocery stores and not much else. I'm a city kid what can I say?! 

iTunes: Flightless Bird by Iron & Wine

Homecoming

Well my first homecoming ever has come and gone (no pun intended). It was actually the first football game that since coming to school that I've been able to go to. I haven't been missing much... Our football team is still riding on their last conference championship won in oh... 1998! If you go to a McDaniel football game you go to support your friends on the team and for the social aspect NOT to watch the insane about of skill taking place in front of you because there is none :-) I did go for the first two reasons though and had a good time doing so. Me and my friends had a good time hanging out last night afterwards too avoiding all of the tons of alumni walking around campus reminiscing about their days on the campus of Western Maryland College since the school only fairly recently changed the name, long story don't ask. Over all though it was a good day. I had never been to any type of homecoming before because my high school didn't have it but there is a first time for everything and this was definitely a good first.

Never forget...

How could I not post this picture after tonight? I was in my friends' room watching the news when the announcer said "Barrack Obama is the 44th President of the United States." For a moment we all sat there in complete shock of what we had all just heard... then everything went CRAZY! People were running through the hallways yelling, air horns were going off, pots and pans were clattering, people poured out from the dorms running to Red Square in the center of campus. I ran there with my roommate and other friends with so many others yelling and screaming around us. I stood there taking it all in when I saw my friend Laura. She ran towards me and snatched me up in a huge hug while screaming "This is history, WE'RE APART OF HISTORY!" Chants of "Obama, Obama!" and "Yes, we can!" went up all around us. More people made their way to the square, camera flashes were going off, hugs were all around everyone was just ecstatic. When we all came to our senses we all ran to hear his speech. Laura, Anna and I ran back to my room and just sat there taking in what we heard. Tonight will forever be in my memory. I've never experienced something like this before... It was amazing seeing history take place. I was a part of history. Yes, Laura WE are a part of history!

Wordless Wednesday

My Chucks

iTunes: Nobody Puts Baby in the Corner by Fall Out Boy

Bricks and Blues

The weather yesterday couldn't have possibly been anymore different from when I took this picture... It was what one of our coaches affectionately called tsunami weather. Meaning it was a torrential down pour with lovely winds whipping around us BUT we still played our soccer game. At least the temperature wasn't too freezing but either way sitting on the bench was even less fun than it usually is. Today was a beautiful day though! I had a nice walk with a friend and when standing on top of one of the many hills in Westminister we had a beautiful view of the autumn leaves in the area. We've got two soccer games left in the season. I've loved playing this season and being a part of the team has been so fun but I'm tired, my legs are hating me right now for being so tough on the them every single day, and I'm looking forward to a normal schedule with a bit more free time that isn't always jeopardized by the practice that might go over the alloted time frame, team meals, activities etc. We'll play indoor during the winter and the then spring ball but it won't be nearly as intense or the same time commitment that this fall has been.  My work load has picked up a bit more now. I've got research papers due in all of my classes (with the exception of astronomy, surprise surprise!) before Thanksgiving. I should be working on them all now but I'm trying to prioritize which ones need to be worked on before the others depending on when each is due... So with that I'm going to be getting back to my homework... Or rather watching the James Bond movie that's on TV. I'm very studious can't you tell?