First Blog of the Week

So, in short, this week has been a little hectic. I can not believe that this is my last full week of classes at Auburn. This morning, i gave my last presentation at Auburn. It's a week of "lasts" for sure. Tonight, I will be attending my Alpha Chi Omega chapter. It seems like yesterday that I received my bid on the lawn of the president's mansion, and I ran to the chapter room in Boyd Hall. Yet, today I will go to my senior chapter in The Village. Oh, how far we have come and how many things have changed since then.

For the past few months, I was extremely hesitant about leaving Auburn. I even considered staying in Auburn for grad school. As I walked across campus, I looked at the beauty around me and realized that I am actually very excited about moving to Montgomery this fall and starting law school. I believe the move is symbolic of my transition in life. I am leaving my college years and entering the adult world. I know I won't be working full time or paying all of my own bills yet, but my way of life and the people with which I surround myself on a daily basis will drastically change.

I have come to understand that Auburn is my safe place. After Tylor's accident, I came back to Auburn for a little while. My time here allowed me to heal and establish a place where I felt comfortable. Over the past two and a half years, I have matured and come to have a new understanding of life. I believe that living in Auburn provided the necessary peace I needed at that time in my life. Leaving Auburn at the end of the summer will be hard, but I know it will be the right move. My heart will always belong on the Plains, but leaving the Plains will allow me further grow.

Sadly, today is Allison's last day at work. We had a little farewell get together at lunch today. I most enjoyed the little game we played. Everyone had to say one thing they would miss about Allison. I spoke on behalf of Chris (b/c he wasn't there) and for myself! I think Chris will miss watching television with Allison and having her here to be the "responsible one." I will miss our many hours of Facebook stalking and story telling. Honestly, I will miss the friend I have made. I know Allison will be a tiny tiny bit sad when she leaves today, but once she is in France, she will be in heaven. Allison is very cultured, and I think we have all learned one thing or another from her while she has been in the College of Liberal Arts.

I am about to enjoy my last hour of being a part-time worker in the College of Liberal Arts. As of 7:45 A.M. tomorrow, I will be a full-time employee, and I will have big shoes to fill! We will all miss you Allison, au revoir!

First Round in Review... The Good, The Bad, and The Puzzling

So, the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft has come and gone. I have great respect for all of the organizations within the NFL and all of the men who play the game of football. Having said that, I would like to give my review of today's draft. I am no expert, but I am also no idiot... and honestly, I don't know if I can say the same for some of those involved in today's draft. The following is my personal analysis of what occurred tonight.

1. Ndamukong Suh was my favorite player on the board. I am not at all disappointed or surprised that he was the second pick. The Lions knew what they were doing with this choice.

2. My review would not be complete without noting the dominance of the Southeastern Conference. As usual, they had a prominent showing in first round draft picks. The SEC was home to 7 (almost 1/4) of the first round picks.

3. I am proud to say that the SEC had seven picks, but Oklahoma had four players drafted in the first round. THREE IN THE TOP FOUR. That is unheard of. I love the SEC as much as any southern football lovin' girl, but even I have to give credit to the University of Oklahoma.

4. Speaking of the University of Oklahoma- Sam Bradford. Bradford is a Heisman trophy winner, in fact, only the second sophomore to win the award. That is an accomplishment. However, getting hurt more than once should cast a little doubt on your overall ability to play football at the professional level. St. Louis is unquestionably the worst team in the League, so I guess they thought... what the heck, we can't get any worse... let's just take the chance- pay millions and millions of dollars for a QB that may not last more than a few games. Bradford is talented, but the question remains- will his shoulder withstand the constant hits from big boys like Suh? Personally, I would not spend tens of millions of dollars with a question that large looming.

5. Tim Tebow is an amazing guy. He stands out among peers because of his willingness to stand up for his beliefs. There is no doubt that he is the real deal- a Christian with an amazing heart and servant's spirit. I admire Tebow for his work and actions; yet, I do not believe he should have been picked in the first round. Denver made trades for the #25 pick, and ultimately Tim Tebow. I do not understand this pick at all, when much better quarterbacks still available, but I guess Denver has a plan- lets face it, they need one.

6. This year's numbers are staggering. If you compare the number of players drafted from each position, you will find a strange phenomenon. In the first round, 2 quarterbacks were drafted- Sam Bradford and Tim Tebow. Two wide receivers were drafted- Demaryius Thomas and Dez Bryant. Three running backs were drafted- CJ Spiller, Ryan Matthews, and Jahvid Best. The first round proved that tackles are this year's hot commodity.

7. Lastly, the commentators continue to discuss how shocked they are that Jimmy Clausen is still on the board. Are they serious? Clausen is talented, but have you watched Notre Dame football over the past couple of years? I have seen the Fighting Irish play, and I understand why Jimmy Clausen does not have a contract in hand yet.

The top picks have been decided, but the next two days will tell a lot about the future for certain teams. And can I say, I am watching ESPN as I write this, I wish other players would receive half the recognition that Tim Tebow does. I know he is a great guy, but there are other story lines... please find something different to harp on media people!

DRAFT DAY

I am a good ole' southern girl, born and raised on Southeastern Conference football! In my world, football only falls after faith and family. I absolutely cannot contain my excitement anymore! Today is one of my favorite days of the year.... NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE DRAFT DAY! I know, it's 12:16 A.M.- several hours until the draft officially begins. When Roger Goodell walks across the stage to announce the official beginning of the first round of the 2010 NFL draft, my heart will probably skip a beat. Yes, that is just how excited I am about it!

I might as well enjoy this years draft, because next year, I don't think I will be able to sleep the entire week before the Draft. I will be in law school, oh so focused on my studies, but that week I will have to divert a lot of attention into the happenings of the Draft. (My main interest is sports law, so it is sort of applicable!) Next year's draft will be more than nerveracking! Yes, it will be Jerrel's turn.

I can not believe that Jerrel's first three seasons at Troy have come and gone so quickly. As he enters his senior season, he is second in Troy school history for most number of receptions in a career and most number of receiving yards in a career. He currently holds the record for most number of receptions in a season (77- 2008 season). Yes, I know, I am a very proud best friend. Jerrel's Junior Pro Day is on Monday, and that is one of the first big steps as he prepares for his senior season and ultimately the 2011 NFL Draft.

I pray everyday that Jerrel will continue to be as successful as he has been over the past three seasons, and that his success will continue into his professional career. Today and into the weekend, I will sit back and enjoy the Draft. Next year, I will be baking cupcakes, picking up Willy T's, and preparing for one of the most exciting days of my best friend's life.

Draft Day 2010= COMPLETE EXCITEMENT, Draft Day 2011= I will need a valium (I should probably go ahead and put calling Dr. Jeff on my to-do list for that week)

A Cougar Before It Was Cool

"Age ain't nothing but a number!" This has to be one of my favorite sayings. Today, it is more popular than ever. I thoroughly enjoy trying to understand the dynamics of different relationships. From the time I first discovered boys (ohhh about 7th grade), I never thought age really mattered. My friends frequently referred to me as a cradle robber. I would just like to point out that ABC now airs a show named Cougar Town. Documentaries have been made about the novel idea of older women dating younger men. I guess we live in a world that accepts an older man dating a much younger woman, but why is it so strange for an older woman to date a younger man.

My mom married a much older man- almost twenty-one years older to be exact. She now lives by the motto that "age ain't nothing but a number." It is not uncommon for people to think that Shelby and I are with our granddad when we are out to eat with Mr. Larry; after all, he is only six months younger than my grandma. But for anyone that knows Mr. Larry, you know he is young at heart. Surrounding himself by a bunch of young women (our house constantly has people coming and going), helps keep him young! I don't see anything wrong with my mom's relationship nor do most other people; yet, if the roles were reversed, how would people feel? If mom had married someone twenty-one years younger, what would people say? We all know that my mom would have been the talk of the town- her and her new "boy toy!"

Two of my friends have always gone for older men- Mimi and Ashley. It fascinates me that these two love older men, and I always just found the younger guys more fun. While Mimi would be off on fun dates to engagement parties and weddings, I would be sitting at high school baseball games and graduation. Now, I am not complaining by any means. I am a sort of bossy person, and I found that it was much easier to guide and direct younger guys. Since I started liking younger guys when I was in 7th grade (yes, Sterling Burns...maybe Sterling's baseball pants were the reason he was around for so long), I think I was a cougar before being a cougar was cool.

It tickles me to death to think that I have spent so many years going after younger guys. All of these guys have a very special place in my life, and I love their families to death. But now, I guess my cougar days are over. They sure were fun while they lasted, but as the old saying goes, "all good things must come to an end." In my current relationship, I have met my match. If I ever thought I was hard headed or stubborn, he can give me a run for my money. It is nice having someone on your level and having someone that can challenge your intellect. The scariest thing about this relationship- he is almost two years older than me! :)

Bye Bye little boys.... thanks for helping me be a cougar before it was cool!

Ring Pops, Swimsuits, and a Little Vacation

For the past four days, I have listened to Benjamin talk about how he needed a ring pop. At first, I thought, righttt... how old are we again? Last night Chad gave in, and we went to the store and bought three ring pops. Now I am sure that Chad and I looked just adorable buying ring pops in our matching orange attire. As much as we laughed about the idea, our ring pop adventure turned out to be quite tasty. The three of us looked like young children walking around with ring pops on our fingers, making our lips sticky, and laughing about the whole experience. Honestly, I enjoyed the kickback to my childhood days, and I will be headed to Dollar Tree at some point to purchase a pack of ring pops!

Swimsuits. The mere thought of the word strikes fear in my heart. I am fully aware that I am not a size two; therefore, I choose not to strut around in a swimsuit. Shelby on the other hand is a size two, and when she walks around in her two piece or barely there one piece, it is a sight that makes all the boys stop and stare. I am not hating on my little sister at all, I have great respect for those women that show such dedication as to maintain the perfect swimsuit body. (I would rather eat ice cream and donuts....that would be the cause of the downfall of my not so much so swimsuit figure.) The one thing that most alarms me about swimsuit season are those people that don't recognize that they are not a size two and should not be strutting around in a string bikini. Swimsuits come in all styles and sizes to accommodate ladies with a variety of body types. I believe people of all sizes should be able to enjoy lounging by the pool or on the beach, but they should pick their swimwear with caution- that caution being that other people, like me, have to see them in it. Seriously, I think had Facebook not been invented, my moral opposition to inappropriate swimsuits would not be nearly as bad. I cringe anytime I see a spring break album that has been added, because I know it will more than likely contain some unsightly swimsuit shots. Yesterday, I saw the ultimate bad swimsuit photos. And I would like to say thank you to this individual, for you are the inspiration for my ranting and raving about others' swimming pool and beach attire.

Lastly, I am taking a little vacation today. Ok, it's not really a vacation, but I am not working. Since I start full time next week, I took today off to get some much needed cleaning and schoolwork done in preparation. I am now off to clean, study, and watch The View. Peace Out!

A New Appreciation

Ok, so the newness of blogging has just set in, and I get super excited as I continually edit and learn the ins and outs of my new hobby. I just received an email about my Silver Wings meeting tonight, and it hit me. This will be my last Silver Wings meeting ever. Silver Wings is an auxiliary group that works to support Air Force ROTC, Auburn University, and the surrounding community. Thinking back over my two and a half years of membership in Silver Wings made me realize a life lesson I learned while at Auburn. Prior to attending Auburn, I did not have much knowledge about the United States military. As I prepare for graduation, I am forever grateful for the appreciation I gained for those that serve our nation and their families.

Growing up in Eufaula, we were not a community with a large military presence. Although we have a National Guard unit in town, the closest military base was at least 45 minutes away. I always enjoyed seeing men in uniforms simply because they were men in uniforms!!!! I did not fully understand the commitment and sacrifice that came along with that uniform.

My introduction to the way of military came when I moved to Auburn my freshman year. Having taken part in random roommate matching, I only knew the name of one of my future roommates- Heather Friedrich. Little did I know, Heather Friedrich would become one of my very best friends. Also, it was from Heather that I first received insight about the United States military. Heather's dad served our country in the Army, and her brother went through the Naval ROTC program at Auburn. Chris is currently serving our country overseas. Listening to Heather tell stories about growing up as a military brat made me realize that it's not just the soldier that makes a sacrifice, it is their family as well. The way of life did not seem unusual to Heather- moving around, months apart from her Dad- however, the whole idea was completely foreign to me.

At Auburn, I joined Alpha Chi Omega, and I became friends with Katie Arnold. Katie served as president of Silver Wings during our sophomore year. It was her influence that encouraged me to join the organization. Katie, like Heather, grew up a military brat. Her dad served in the Air Force, which was Katie's connection to Silver Wings. Also, her sister completed the Air Force ROTC program at Auburn.

Of all the organizations with which I have worked on campus, Silver Wings has to be one of my favorites. It gave me the opportunity to work directly with the men and women who make the sacrifices so that our country can remain the land of the free and the home of the brave. Silver Wings assisted in teaching me the amount of dedication, determination, and sacrifice a man or woman must make to serve our nation. As I leave, Auburn, one of the most important lessons I will carry with me is my enormous appreciation for our military and our military families.

My First Blog

Where do I even begin, but to say I absolutely love writing, so I thought starting my own blog would be the best way to express myself.  Currently, I am sitting in my Administration of Justice class.  It is hard to believe that my four years on the Plains are quickly coming to an end.  After this class, I will only have six class days left before finals and graduation.  

Also, this is my last week of "freedom" before I start working full time in the College of Liberal Arts.  I got very lucky last summer and landed a job working part time in the Student Services Office in the College of Liberal Arts.  Over time, my job has greatly evolved.  This semester my job in CLA has also served as my internship for Communication.  My dear friend Allison, a recent AU graduate, has worked the front desk of our office this year, and we just assisted her.  Sadly, Allison is leaving next Wednesday to spend TWO YEARS IN FRANCE!  I have to say that I am insanely jealous.  I don't know that she will miss our office as she enjoys living the French lifestyle, but we sure will miss her!  I got lucky enough to be Allison's replacement, but jeezz.... those are huge shoes to fill.  If you are looking for me this summer, you can find me 40 hours a week working in the College of Liberal Arts.  I might be an Auburn alumni in 3 and 1/2 weeks, but they can't get rid of me that easily! 

On a more serious note, I have a prayer requests for all of you prayer warriors.  Mr. Lee DeFee had quadruple bypass surgery this morning.  He came through surgery fine, but he will be staying in the hospital for a few days as is procedure.  I spoke to Logan a few minutes ago, and he told me he has been back to see him twice.  Over the past two years, the DeFee family has become very near and dear to my heart, and I ask that you all pray for their family as Mr. Lee continues to recover.